Is Smart Trainer ERG mode holding me back?
I wanted to pose a question to the team on their use of smart trainer ERG mode.
I have had a Kickr for 3+ years now, and have used it entirely in ERG mode. I think it has done wonders for my bike strength and sometimes even carried me through some intervals that I otherwise would have failed in any other setting. However, I just recently started Zwifting (level 14 in 30 days, wasssup?! ) and last night after completing an ERG mode EN workout I free-rode for ~20 minutes hard and was rewarded with a new 20' high power personal best.
With all of the quarantining going on lately, more pros are also posting their zwifting on social media and it doesn't seem like they are using ERG mode (could be wrong). I am curious what your go-tos are, to ERG or not to ERG, what pros or cons you guys find with either, etc. I wonder if ERG mode benefit and fitness level negatively correlate, or if moving away from ERG mode as you close in on specific race prep blocks (or vice versa) is the right answer.
I would love to see a huge number of responses to this!
Comments
@Jonathan Benson Great question. I'll quickly give my thoughts and I'm sure others will chime in as well. I'm about 15 months into owning my KICKR, previously had a wheel-on Kurt Kinetic where ERG wasn't an option. I find ERG to be a useful tool and like any tool, there are times it is appropriate and not appropriate.
I like using ERG for intervals (both short and long) where I want to complete the prescribed work (certain amount of TSS at a specific IF). As you know, ERG locks you in and you just have to keep pedaling. I know some don't like ERG for shorter intervals due to the time it takes for the trainer to spin-up, but that doesn't bother me as I know the back-end of the interval will just be extended. I questioned not using ERG during the January OS on some of the shorter VO2 intervals as I didn't want to limit myself in terms of the work I could do. Rather than switching to resistance mode, I would adjust the interval intensity up in TrainerRoad after determining what % of FTP I wanted to keep and let the trainer take over.
I think ERG can be detrimental when you get closer to your race. As an example, last year my "A" race was IMAZ. I live in MN and had to the majority of my long rides inside in Sept and Oct due to the weather. I elected to do the long rides as written in TrainerRoad, in ERG mode. I had convinced myself I could ride those watts for the 4 and 5 hr rides because I completed the workouts. However, come race day, I found it harder than expected to hold my target "5-hr power" watts. I believe that was because I'd never actually forced myself to generate those watts for that length of time. I could hold the power, but I hadn't practiced generating that power. In the future, as it gets closer to a race, I will not use ERG and will look to complete the workouts watts in resistance mode.
Also, you'll find those who have been on the team for many years gravitating to Zwift races, etc. rather than prescribed trainer workouts, where ERG isn't a consideratoin. I won't speak for them, but I believe the thinking is they are actually pushing greater watts for longer periods in races vs. having ERG limit how high they go. If you're new to structured training I believe there is a huge benefit in sticking to the EN plans as written, but as you've found Zwift is addicting and you can find yourself hitting peaks you may not have otherwise. A lot of people swap prescribed workouts for races, etc. to get the benefit of both.
Just my 2 cents, I hope this is helpful.
@Jonathan Benson @Jeff Phillips
A bit of background first.
Been on the Team for more than 9 years, and have used a Computrainer (it is really pre-historic in software terms but mechanically it is indestructible) in ERG mode for more than 10 years.
I have found it great for most of the OS. Back in the day, in the OS we did only FTP and VO2 max intervals, and it was perfect for those types of WKOs.
A potential drawback is that you can't change the power while you are doing the wko, unlike Zwift and Trainer Road. This isn't a drawback to me as on occasions when I might/would have backed off the power a bit, but couldn't, I have been pleased to discover I had more to give than I thought. But that is a personal preference.
I agree with @Jeff Phillips about the wkos where you are targeting your max power over any duration. I much prefer to do them on the road, but if I can't, then I use the Computrainer but not in ERG mode but in resistance mode. I also agree with Jeff about the race specific training and had the same experience. I could do 90 km on the trainer in ERG mode at target watts, but really struggled to actually execute those watts in the race.
I am in week 2 of the run focused OS and am using ERG mode for Tuesday and Thursday wkos, and I do Sunday's longer ride on the road. When the max efforts come along, I will do them on the road. And when race preparation starts, I will do all my bike wkos on the road.
BTW, I don't have any problem making myself really suffer on the road and don't feel the need to join Zwift. That said, some of that maybe due to the time difference between the USA and Australia as I do recognise the attraction of the social interaction through Zwift.
Hope that helps.
Happy to elaborate on any of this if you want.
Peter and Jeff have provided great review of ERG. I'll just say what I do. I've been using a "smart trainer' since 2007, first CompuTrainer, Kickr since 2014. I only use ERG when I do a pre-determined workout with precise targets for intensity and length of intervals. I find the challenge of being required to hold watts helps accelerate the training. The last few years, I have relied more and more on races in Zwift for my higher intensity training (specifically, workouts in the range of 80-100% of FTP). I find I can hold power longer in a race than I could when doing a structured workout, either alone or in a group on Zwift. But then, I carry a very intense competitive gene, and having others around to compete with (not against) increases my effort level. (Ain't no way that guy with gray hair from Germany is going to beat me !) Others may find it easier to work their hardest alone.
When it comes to race-specific training, the last 8-10 weeks before an A race, I will do more and more of my workouts in ERG mode, even the FTP intervals. I NEVER use ERG mode when free riding on Zwift, or in a race.
I do more of what @Al Truscott does. Erg mode more during Ironman race build.
currently, with a hole now in the schedule, going to do some more free form Zwift racing.
need to be careful with Zwift racing. Easy to overdo it and impact the days and weeks to come.
I see a lot of teammates doing a bunch of Zwift racing during times when I would/should be backing off or recovering.
So be careful with Zwift. Find what works for you.
Here's my experience with ERG. I used a regular trainer for 5 years and switched to a smart trainer around Nov 2018. I started doing all my structured workouts in ERG. It was a nice change from resistance mode/dumb trainer and not worry about power output. Six months later as I transition to riding outside, I experienced the same as you did and asked the Team a similar question (see link below). I decided to continue using ERG for structured workouts and when using Zwift (races/group rides) I make sure the trainer setting is on 100%. This setting closely simulates riding outside and yes, you'll have to shift gears a lot depending on the game's terrain, just like you would riding outside.
However, after a year of ERG mode, it now seems harder or rather the perceived level of effort seems higher using ERG. A few weeks ago, I went back to resistance mode. Surprisingly, I like it better now. My mind is more engaged and in-tune with my effort and I'm no longer just trying to turn the pedals. I still use 100% trainer setting when using Zwift.
Bottom line is you'll gain fitness the same using either resistance or ERG mode during structured workouts. Use the mode that you feel works best for you and keeps you working hard on the trainer. For an easier transition to riding outside, put the Zwift trainer setting on 100% for races and group/free rides.
There's more feedback in this thread from last year. https://endurancenation.vanillacommunities.com/discussion/25786/is-erg-mode-making-me-weaker-riding-outside#latest
I do agree with @robin sarner and @Al Truscott on using ERG in race prep. My plan going forward will be to use ERG for the shorter sessions during the week. To the extent I can get outside and actually pedal my bike on the weekend , I'll do that for the longer rides.
I do like @Derrek Sanks suggestion of adapting the trainer resistance and will look at that
I used a dumb trainer with a power meter for a year and rather quickly got good at holding my watt targets. Worked very hard to get all my stars. And being a dumb trainer, the grade on Zwift didn't exist. Same with ERG mode. But then got a Kickr Snap. Got the hang of it in short order and loved the ability to turn my brain off and just worry about holding steady cadence and let the trainer work its magic.
My 'concern' with ERG was that prior, if I was having a strong day, previously I would just overshot my watt targets, take the bigger work, and move on. But with ERG, on a strong day, the work would feel too easy and thought I was maybe short changing myself and missing out on marginal gains from those strong days. But now I just use the bias button in the companion app and bump the watts if I'm having a good day.
But like you mentioned, ERG will drag you to the finish line on intervals that otherwise you likely wouldn't finish on target. For me, I think the benefit of forced work on less than great days has greatly benefitted me as I'm not allowed to slack off. Tonights session is a great example. Tuesday was 2 x 20' at 100% of FTP. Yesterdays run was 4 x 1 mile at Z4. So I was carrying a good amount of fatigue into tonights session. 2 x 15' at 100% of FTP. Hey, 10' less at FTP, no problem. Wrong. I'd of never held target without ERG and would have long before the end slid into a slow decline in the power I was able to hold if forced to do so on my own and would have come in way low vs goal.
And my current longer weekend sessions have a good 1:00 to 1:30 in free ride with a Z3 target after the initial intervals. Now have a Kickr Bike. Its 'climb' and 'decline' function is disabled in ERG but kicks in as soon as you are in free ride. Setting the difficulty to 100% and do a lot of hammering on the hills, recover on the downs to some extent, and then try to hold steady watts on the flat sections. And this thing is like riding a real bike minus the turns and breaking. Though it actually has breaking!
When I avoid ERG, even in a structured workout is during full Iron training when there will be like a 2 hour block at Z3. I'm not gonna sit there and hold a single watt target for that kind of time. Free ride it is and mix it up.
Another route I'll take for periods of time is to do the weekday stuff in ERG and and make the longer weekend stuff ABP rides with segment, sprint, and KOM chasing, or throw in races to destroy myself. Either long enough ones to fill my training time for that day if available, or a shorter one and then keep on riding.
To summarize, I love the ability to turn my brain off and just push the pedals at appropriate cadence. And being forced to do the work when I couldn't if I had to do it on my own.