# About the strava fresh and fitness **URL:** \ **Category:** Training\ **Created:** [April 26, 2022, 3:22am UTC](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/t/about-the-strava-fresh-and-fitness/18120 "2022-04-26T03:22:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![poki921](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/76d3ee/32.png) [@poki921](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/u/poki921)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 3:22am UTC](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/t/about-the-strava-fresh-and-fitness/18120/1 "2022-04-26T03:22:01Z")
I’m new here and meet some training issue. I’ve finish th 4DP test and use it for a one month MAP progress, I do skip some active recovery sessions but finished the hard ones almost. I’ll go outdoor training and skip the endurance sessions.Most of the time the TSS is almost twice comparing the SYSTM offer. After three hard weeks and going to the recovery week right now. I realize that my fitness value from STRAVA keep almost the same (45) at past three weeks and most likely to go down for 3-4 point at the end of this week. Before join the wahoo systm.I use rouvy for indoor training tool for years.I’ll do 3-4/week training(Outdoor included).The fitness has been go up slightly to about 60-70 point before.But I felt the bottle neck of my body and seeking for some system training.Th’s why I’m here:) It’s not like to be wrong due to the 4DP testing.The reason is it’s not too easy for me to pass the Nine Hamamrs session. Any suggestion for me to modify my sessions? ---
**Author:** ![Kcassito](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/kcassito/32/8543_2.png) [@Kcassito](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/u/Kcassito)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 3:59am UTC](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/t/about-the-strava-fresh-and-fitness/18120/2 "2022-04-26T03:59:44Z")
“Fitness” is a moving average of your training load driven by heart rate. It’s possible to do the exact same rides each week and have Fitness drop because your heart rate lowers as you get more fit. It’s a interesting metric, but I wouldn’t base the success of a training program on it. Improvements in your profile may be the better indicator, really just depends on what your goal is. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Brian\_M](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/sir_brian_m/32/268_2.png) [@Sir\_Brian\_M](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/u/Sir_Brian_M)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 4:01am UTC](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/t/about-the-strava-fresh-and-fitness/18120/3 "2022-04-26T04:01:59Z")
Pretty much every physiological model is wrong, including Strava’s fresh and fitness. This especially true for HIIT training. According to most models, you only ever get stronger by exercising. The models assume more is always better and less always causes a loss of fitness. But recovery days are essential because the body needs time to rebuild. So while recovery actually is building a stronger you, it shows up in the models as a drop in fitness. The reality is that a proper balance between hard workouts, easy workouts and rest days is essential to realize the greatest benefit. In the article below Sir Mac Cassin explains it far better than I could. > **[Understanding the Limitations of TSS® and IF® During HIIT Training |...](https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/understanding-the-limitations-of-tss-and-if-during-hiit-training/)** > > While TSS and IF are the gold standard for the majority of riders and training sessions, there are specific rider types and workout types where limitations exists. Here’s your guide to better understanding them. ---
**Author:** ![poki921](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/76d3ee/32.png) [@poki921](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/u/poki921)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 5:48am UTC](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/t/about-the-strava-fresh-and-fitness/18120/4 "2022-04-26T05:48:34Z")
I can get the point but also wondering to know how to make sure the training is effective and avoid the injury? I do not have the WKO… Frankly speaking, I’m not sure how the SYSTM work. Is that kinds of like 4DP-\> one month session-\>4DP-\>…duration? ---
**Author:** ![TrapMeSuf](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/trapmesuf/32/10401_2.png) [@TrapMeSuf](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/u/TrapMeSuf)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 6:20am UTC](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/t/about-the-strava-fresh-and-fitness/18120/5 "2022-04-26T06:20:39Z")
> [@poki921](#): > > make sure the training is effective and avoid the injury The key to that is following a training plan and go hard enough in the hard parts, but - importantly - go slow in the slow parts. If you’re going out for an endurance ride (as per the plan), but go fast instead you may be heading towards overtraining. Rather than looking to a fitness number in Strava, perhaps pick a segment instead and do a monthly pr attempt or so. Seems more fun too. And I wouldn’t do a Full Frontal every 4 weeks, that seems overkill. Half Monty is a very good intermediate indicator. ---
**Author:** ![poki921](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/76d3ee/32.png) [@poki921](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/u/poki921)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 9:11am UTC](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/t/about-the-strava-fresh-and-fitness/18120/6 "2022-04-26T09:11:33Z")
okay. I’ll give Mountainous Fondo a shoot and see what’s happened. ---
**Author:** ![Coach.Andy.T](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/coach.andy.t/32/6821_2.png) [@Coach.Andy.T](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/u/Coach.Andy.T)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 11:34am UTC](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/t/about-the-strava-fresh-and-fitness/18120/7 "2022-04-26T11:34:58Z")
If I remember correctly the Strava fitness is based on HR rather than power. And as others have mentioned, your relative HR can drop compared to power, thus giving strava the impression that you are training less. I would focus more on how you feel on the bike, how sessions feel to complete, and what numbers you can hit in the power tests ---
**Author:** ![jfc](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/jfc/32/466_2.png) [@jfc](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/u/jfc)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 2:05pm UTC](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/t/about-the-strava-fresh-and-fitness/18120/8 "2022-04-26T14:05:20Z")
> [@Coach.Andy.T](#): > > If I remember correctly the Strava fitness is based on HR rather than power The fitness and freshness charts are actually based on power first (if power is available, and depends on you keeping your FTP current in Strava) or “Relative Effort” which is a Strava-derived heart-rate driven metric. ---
**Author:** ![jmckenzieKOS](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/jmckenziekos/32/2135_2.png) [@jmckenzieKOS](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/u/jmckenzieKOS)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 5:14pm UTC](https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/t/about-the-strava-fresh-and-fitness/18120/9 "2022-04-26T17:14:55Z")
One of the points made here several times seems to be missed. Go hard on the hard days (not so hard you get sick though) and go easy on the easy days. If you have a recovery week, it’s really there for a reason. You need to reduce your efforts, quite a bit, for your body to grow into the efforts you are going to do. Look at people who lift. Monday may be a day off. You will see them at the gym. They will do a warm up, lots of stretching and very light weight lifting and a very through warm down. On Tuesday, they will do an intense upper body/core workout with massive amounts of weight. The legs will get some sort of workout, but only to keep them ‘in the game’. Wednesday, lower body/waist/hips workout. The reverse of Tuesday. Thursday repeats Monday. Friday/Saturday repeat Tuesday/Wednesday. Sunday they will go for a walk/run. No time in the gym. Every third/fourth week they will cut the weight in half and maybe do a longer workout with more reps. That allows muscles and the cardiovascular system to grow and adapt.