I’m new on Wahoo SYSTM, coming from Zwift, and I 'm a bit disappointed since I was thinking SYSTM was really better for training. I guess it is just because SYSTM is new for me, but I would like your advice on how to address my concerns:
First, I used to continue cycling after finishing a Workout - apparently, this is not possible on, SYSTM?
=> is it mandatory to start a new workout if I want to continue for 10/15 minutes?
Second, I see very limited number of workouts in the library and feel there was a lot more on Zwift. I used to perform Zwift SST Med or 2x15 - but see no equivalent.
=> is there another location than "Library»? It is not possible to create new workout?
Third, I wanted to use a plan, but I can’t choose the days. SYSTM automatically selected some days every week, but I’m not free for some of them.
=> is it possible to change the day for Plans?
and last, all the workouts that seems interesting to me don’t have video. A bit sad to work with a black screen.
=> is it possible to do something to add a video?
Thanks a lot (and sorry for not having found these answers elsewhere)
Welcome to the forum! I’m fairly new to SYSTM as well, so others may have better suggestions, but here’s my attempt to answer your questions:
As far as I can tell, you would have to start a new workout to continue past the end. The only way around this that I’ve found is to export the workout to my Garmin bike computer and use that to track workout performance. The Garmin will continue to track activity after the end of the SYSTM workout. The big drawback is that if you export the workout out of SYSTM, there’s no way to get your ride data for that workout back in to SYSTM.
I haven’t found a way to create a new workout in SYSTM.
You can reschedule individual workouts to different days from the Calendar by either clicking on the 3 dots in the header of the workout and selecting a new day or just drag and drop the workout to another day. . . but you have to do this for every workout you want to reschedule and then move anything that’s already scheduled for the new day . . . not very convenient.
There isn’t any way that I know of to add a video to an existing no-video workout. Personally, I try to avoid the no-vid workouts when possible (the sufferfest workouts are so much more fun). If I have to ride a no-vid workout on the trainer, then I put on a music playlist. You could always run the SYSTM app on your phone to track the workout and then use a separate device to play a video, I guess. . . but again, not very convenient.
I do the following process regularly to extend a ride on SYSTM. I also do this same process when I want a longer warmup at the beginning of the ride on SYSTM or I want to do a hard effort section again. Press the “pause” selection during the ride, then move the “slider” on the timeline to your desired place in the ride, then press the play. You basically can repeat any portion of a ride (either redo some harder effort section or may redo a cool down section).
Others have answered already on a few of your questions …
Re the first bit. Many people would say the same thing (I certainly did). I moved to Sufferfest (as it was called back back) because I felt the workouts were better tailored to me.
The following two things are purely my opinion, and not intended to open up a debate, just why I personally made that decision
The workouts had lots of little changes throughout them … so even though you might be on an interval workout (like nine VO2 intervals) each interval would through in variety in cadence/power which I thought was better for me real world riding
I felt that having my power profile split across ‘4DP’ - so that the workouts would then be tailored to ‘me’ rather than to an ‘average’, was better.
Is that still the same 7 years on?
I think it is.
Zwift has a million more workouts than they used to have of course. But they’re stilled based only around one single tested value (20 minute power x 0.95)
SYSTM still tests your 5s, 1min, 5min and 20mkn power so I still prefer that.
@Herve see @fdv75 reply above. I’ve also done this routinely for a lot of years.
For example. If I wanted to do a continuous one hour simulated TT type thing, I load up Team
Scream, and once I’m half way through, I pause quickly and scroll back (I think it’s about 6 minutes) so that I do that style of workout for a full hour (excluding warmup and cooldown).
Or on and the interval workouts, I’ll pause and rewind to do more intervals.
Or if I want to simply do a long cooldown I can wind it back 20 minutes, put the trainer in Level0 and just use my gear for a bit.
You can also shrink any workout, whether it comes with video or not to “ribbon mode” then over lay it on whatever video you want. Only works on a pc/mac tho, not pn a phone to my knowledge.
It is true that customization has always been sufferfest weak point. I always assumed it was a consequence of the carefully scripted videos, means each one takes more effort so doesnt really make sense to have 15 small variations on each one like eg TrainerRoad.
But you can pretty easily get around this. The biggest gaps are sweet spot and threshold, and those are super easy to self program or just freestyle on your head unit.
The advantage vs anything like Zwift is that the training isn’t built off zones based on % ftp, which makes zero sense. Even the sufferfest targets aren’t always correct or useful, eg sprints or A/C should really just be “max”. But it at least gets people thinking outside the % ftp model which is huge
Yes. When the workout ends, recording in SYSTM is over. There are some workarounds as mentioned.
True. There is no facility to create your own workouts in SYSTM
When you choose a plan, you can choose the start day. Plans are designed around starting on a Mon with long workouts on weekends. If you instead choose a different start day, say, Wed, that shifts everything by that amount. You can choose to start a plan in the past and the workouts that would have occurred in the past won’t appear on your calendar. This can be useful if you need a hiatus in the plan. Do the workouts in the plan up to that point, then delete the plan. Completed workouts won’t be affect. Choose to restart that plan on a day after you originally started that accounts for the hiatus, say 3 days later. All the future workouts will be added back to your calendar 3 days out. Completed workouts won’t be affected and only future workouts will be added. I’ve done this many times. There is always the possibility of dragging individual workouts around on the calendar.
Yes!!! You can add a video. When you start at workout, there is a little box icon at the top of the screen. This is called the mini-player. This turns the workout screen into a always-on-top player that will show over whatever video you choose to have playing. I’ve used Youtube, Netflix, etc. This also works if you choose to view a video other than the included one. In the workout settings, turn off the video, then use the miniplayer to show the workout over whatever other video you choose.
For me, the value of SYSTM is in the 4DP tailored goal specific training plans. I rode ZWIFT for many years, but was using Trainerroad for plans and workouts. I switched to SYSTM for it’s 4DP structured plans and its included videos. Personally, I like the Sufferfest vids the best and can re-watch those multiple times. On other vids I don’t want to re-watch (e.g. Inspiration) I turn them off and use the miniplayer over some other vid.