I really want to like the Wahoo DTL metrics but am finding that the readings really don’t seem to reflect what I am encountering and feeling.
It doesn;t seem to accurately reflect what is going on physiologically. I am, aerobically, feeling the fittest I have ever been at nearly 59. I have done well over 4,000 miles outside to date and have got stronger and stronger as the year has gone on and am holding, for me, a high speed on group rides for minimal VO2 effort (most rides are Z2 with some Z3 and tiny amounts of Z4).
Yet the DTL formaula tells me I have been losing fitness at a rapid rate for the past 6 weeks which makes zero sense. One weekend amongst these 6 weeks I did Skyline Drive out and back (220 miles in 2 days with 21,000 feet of climbing) yet the DTL method told me I was losing a lot of fitness after this event - which was followed up with a 9,000 foot Century the next weekend with another corresponding steep drop in fitness despite it being significantly the best ride on that course I have ever done.
Well is it inaccurate compared to a different metric (Trainingpeaks CTL/ATL, intervals.icu fitness, Strava fitness and freshness)?
Training Capacity, like the equivalents in the other systems, isn’t a metric of your ability to make power. It’s an approximation of how much work you can do in a week.
My training capacity is down ~20% this year but my FTP and MAP are up, because I’m less fatigued and can do more effective workouts.
@washsaint Generally my fitness score drops after a big effort. That makes sense to me as my body is fatigued and it takes some recovery to actually build adaptations to make me stronger. Other models don’t do this which to me is unrealistic.
I don’t really have a comment on why your longer term training fitness is dropping as you don’t really provide much info other than you are doing a lot of Z2 and little to no VO2 Max on your group rides. Were you doing more VO2 Max before or threshold work and shifted more to Z2? Maybe the model is looking at a change in volume or level of strain and calculating that result. Just guessing here.
Those are very good points but to flesh them out more:
Compared to other metrics:
Wahoo Fitness Score lags a few days after a hard workout. This confused me at first but I really like it now. That shouldn’t be the case with a big ride a few weeks ago, to be fair.
DTL is heavily influenced by your MAP/AC/NM work. HEAVILY. If you just do tempo rides your DTL will be way lower than TSS.
Yeah, that’s what I am struggling with. The fitter I’ve got the less hard I’ve had to work. The less hard I’ve had to work, the better I’ve felt and have contined to get faster for a lower level of effort.
But that does not seem to be reflected in my fitness levels at all (accoridng to DTL). Strava has been more consistent but I fail to see how training 10-12 hours+ per week, feeling really good aba bel to do more results in fading fitness
Ahhh there’s the rub. I’m in the same position with my bike commute. As my FTP and MAP has gone up from the indoor training, I’m not getting as much MAP going up the big hills at the same speed so my DTL is lower.
So what are we chasing?
If we’re chasing the quantity of work we can do, then maximizing Fitness is the goal.
If we’re maximizing power and speed potential, Fitness isn’t going to give us that, it’s just not the right metric. I started using an ebike for part of my commuting in December and my Fitness is way down because I’m doing way less work. However, since I’m still doing targeted work and just cut out the excess volume, I’m actually faster than I was a year ago. It’s a bit of a paradox but decoupling fitness from my personal success as a cyclist was a big revelation for me, especially as a data focused person.