Since its introduction in 2017, Xert’s Adaptive Training Advisor (XATA) has been at the forefront of revolutionizing how athletes approach their training. Unlike traditional static training programs, XATA offers dynamic, day-to-day recommendations based on your recent performance. This adaptability allows XATA to seamlessly integrate with various types of rides, whether you’re joining a group café ride, participating in weekly time trials, or engaging in Zwift races.

The enhancements made in 2022 further extended XATA’s capabilities, allowing it to recommend both outdoor and virtual rides as part of your training. This feature was especially popular among athletes who prefer a less structured approach but still aim to achieve significant fitness improvements.

We’re excited to share that the latest update to XATA brings even more powerful features designed to refine your training experience. Here’s a look at the key updates and why you should consider incorporating them into your training regimen.

Setting Your Training Availability

One of the most requested features has been the ability to align training recommendations with your personal schedule. While previous updates allowed users to filter workouts based on duration, it didn’t adjust the XSS targets for the specific day based on the time you have to train.

With our latest update, you can now set your weekly availability for each day and indicate whether your availability is fixed or flexible. XATA will use this information to estimate achievable XSS for your available time, combining it with your Improvement Rate and recent activities.

How to Set Your Availability:

  • Navigate to the fitness planner and click the ‘clock’ icon on any day.
  • Alternatively, set it up in the Profile Settings page.

This new feature ensures that training recommendations are even more tailored to your schedule, supporting a consistent routine and promoting better fitness outcomes.

Defeat Monotony

The latest update introduces greater variation in your high-intensity workouts when on Continuous Training. This feature prevents the boredom and stagnation that come with repetitive training routines by varying the focus and specificity of each high-intensity session. Instead of repeating similar high-intensity workouts, XATA now provides a more diverse range of targets which can help target different aspects of your performance, even without changing your Athlete Type!

How Does It Work?

  • Varied Focus: High-intensity workouts will now include a mix of different specificity values, such as intervals that will vary in duration and intensity. For instance, one workout might emphasize shorter, explosive bursts, while another could focus on longer, sustained efforts, whilst still maintaining an overall focus on your chosen Athlete Type. This variation helps keep your training dynamic and engages different physiological systems, which contributes to overall improvement and reduces the risk of plateaus.
  • Adaptive Recommendations: The high-intensity workout goals will adapt based on your recent training data and progress. If you’ve recently excelled in a particular type of effort, XATA might introduce a new variation to challenge you further. Conversely, if you need to address a specific area of weakness, the system will tailor the workouts to target those needs effectively.
  • Enhanced Training Adaptation: By diversifying the high-intensity sessions, XATA ensures that your body is constantly adapting to new challenges. This approach not only helps in breaking through plateaus but also keeps your workouts engaging and stimulating, promoting better long-term adherence and enjoyment.

Why Is This Important?

  • Prevents Plateaus: Regularly varying the specificity of your workouts helps to avoid training plateaus by continuously challenging your body in new ways. This can lead to improved fitness levels and better performance outcomes.
  • Increases Motivation: A varied workout regimen is more engaging and enjoyable, which can increase your motivation to stick with your training plan. This is especially important for long-term adherence and achieving your fitness goals.
  • Supports Comprehensive Development: By targeting different aspects of high-intensity training, you ensure that all areas of your fitness are being developed. This holistic approach helps in achieving a balanced improvement in your performance.

For users that have trained with Continuous Improvement option before, you might notice that the recommended high-intensity workouts may have been monotonous, as the specificity wasn’t adjusted day to day. This update to the Adaptive Training Advisor will introduce some variability in the recommended specificity of your high-intensity trainings. Allowing for some variability in specificity means that your training recommendations will enhance your training adaptations and help prevent plateaus caused by monotony!

Training Polarization

Another key enhancement to Xert’s Adaptive Training Advisor (XATA) is the integration of Training Polarization. This feature optimizes your training by incorporating a structured approach to intensity and recovery, ensuring that your workouts are strategically aligned with your goals and fitness level.

Based on the popular Polarized Training Method, XATA will aim to follow a balance of high-intensity and low-intensity sessions according to your preferred polarization level choice.  Choices range from 1:1 to 5:1, where 4:1 is the “standard” 80/20 polarization protocol.

In practice, this means that on average, you would have 1 day of high-intensity recommended with ~4 days of low intensity or recovery afterwards if you choose the 4:1 ratio. This approach ensures that high-intensity workouts are spaced out enough to allow for adequate recovery, reducing the risk of overtraining and promoting continuous improvement. XATA adapts these recommendations based on your individual High and Peak Training Loads, offering a personalized balance of low, moderate, and high-intensity sessions tailored to your unique needs and progress.

Note: Your availability can play a very important role in attaining the 4:1 ratio.  If you only have a short window to train on a given high-intensity day, you may not be able to get sufficient high-intensity strain to reach a 4:1 ratio.
By implementing polarized training, Xert helps you avoid the common pitfall of frequent high-intensity sessions that can lead to prolonged fatigue and diminishing returns. Instead, you receive a well-rounded mix of workouts designed to optimize your performance while maintaining overall training balance. This systematic approach not only enhances your fitness gains but also supports sustainable training habits, making it easier to achieve your long-term goals while keeping your training both effective and manageable.

Conclusion

We’re thrilled about the advancements in Xert’s Adaptive Training Advisor and believe these updates will significantly enhance your training experience. From setting weekly availabilities and introducing training periodization to integrating seamlessly with partner platforms, these features offer a more personalized and effective training journey.

We invite you to test out these new features and share your feedback. Dive into the enhanced XATA and discover how these improvements can elevate your training and prepare you for the upcoming season’s challenges. We’re excited to see how these updates help you achieve your fitness goals with Xert!