The amount of time spent on the bike is taken into account when calculating the Bike Score. CTL is based on your daily TSS score over the last 42 days, so a CTL of 100 would mean your average TSS per day was 100 for the last 42 days. The more you ride, the more your body is exposed to stress, and the higher your stress level will be. In todays world of endurance sport, there are probably more metrics than one can keep count of! Functional Threshold Power, or FTP, is the maximum average power you can hold for one hour. As with any other measurement, its meant as a tool to help quantify and enable training; it is not a goal or target in and of itself. If youre looking for an easy way to track your workouts, you can use the Fitbit app on your phone or tablet. In simplest terms, TSS determines the cost a workout has had on your body. Occasional rest weeks of much lower stress allow recovery. Both riders have done exactly the same physiological effort, using all of their Type 2B muscle fibres and their phosphocreatine system to generate power with a maximal effort and each reaching HRmax. At its simplest, TSS stands for 'Training Stress Score' - but there's much more to the term than just that. After graduating in 2020 with first-class honours in his Sport & Exercise Sciences BSc, he continued to pursue his interest in research in the field of sport science alongside setting up his coaching business, ATP Performance, and working for USA-based firm, Wahoo Sports Science. Athletes often ask why their Training Stress Score doesnt always increase from week to week within TrainerRoad plans, or why it decreases between training phases. What Is TSS In Cycling And How To Use It Next we need the Normalised Power (NP), which gives us an estimated relative effort in watts. TSS is just one of several metrics used to measure workout stress, and these metrics must be considered holistically to be useful. One significant limitation of TSS is that it doesnt take into account other factors that influence training outcomes. Well explore how TSS is calculated, what it means for your training, and how you can use it to optimize your rides. Sensors, Cycling You can find out that IF will be between <0.50 to 1.15 or even more on short efforts. By doing so, you can prevent accumulating too much TSS in a short period of time and avoid overtraining. Partnership: partnership@swiftcyclist.com, Address: 901 W 18th St, Austin, TX 78701, USA, 2023 Swift Cyclist | Powered by Kadence Theme, Get A Grip On How Difficult Your Workout Is, Strategize Weekly And Monthly Training Load, Putting Training Stress Score in Perspective, power meters to measure and analyze cycling data, Does Cycling Lower Resting Heart Rate? Watches, Bike Thats because fatigue builds up over time. The formula for TSS is: TSS = [ (s x NP x IF) / (FTP x 3,600)] x 100 In other words, it takes into account not only how hard you push yourself but also how often you ride. RPE uses a 0-10 scale, where 0 is barely noticeable effort (recovery efforts) and 10 is all out, lay on the floor after maximal effort. TSS is a huge step in training planning and managing training load and fatigue. Typically the higher the calculated TSS score, the more fatigued you will feel. When you are able to track and recognize these patterns, you can then recognize when it is time to take your foot off the gas pedal and take some rest. Garmins health-tracking metrics explained - understand what your smartwatch is telling you, Tom Pidcock aims to go a step further at Tour de France 2023, With a Cycling Weekly subscription you can improve your performance with our expert practical, nutritional and training tips, Every week get exclusive interviews, fitness tips and product reviews. They range from 1 to 10, with 1 being the easiest and 10 being the hardest. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. If two individuals do a training session of 150 TSS it does not mean they will react in the same way. It can allow you to know if today is a good day to push through the pain, or if your body is sending signals that it may be best to back off a little bit. To calculate TSS from your ride data, youll need the duration in seconds, Normalized Power, Intensity Factor, and your FTP. The formula for calculating TSS is actually quite simple: its a combination of power (measured in watts) multiplied by duration (measured in hours), plus any elevation gains or losses (measured in meters). By using TrainingPeaks' Training Stress Score (TSS ) system you can gain points for virtually any sport or activity. Whether youre a seasoned pro or just starting out, understanding TSS is an important part of becoming a better cyclist. One way to estimate the difficulty of a workout is by comparing todays TSS to your recent workload using CTL (Chronic Training Load). I am sure many did not think this metric would be listed, but RPE (rate of perceived exertion) is a tried and true metric that is as important for athletes as it is for coaches. Bath You can read more about this in our article, How to Train for Fat Loss and Muscle Gain. Pushing past our bodys limits is a good way to gain fitness, but too much for too long is when we get ourselves into trouble. To calculate TSS in cycling, we need to know a few things about our ride. It helps cyclists track their physiological stress and evaluate the difficulty of their rides. It means ignoring other data factors: heart rate/power, and analyzing how you feel during a given effort. Keep in mind that workouts that are too intense or frequent and lack proper recovery days can result in overtraining and decreased performance. A high TSS reading doesnt necessarily indicate a successful training session if these other factors havent been taken into account. 2. By recording non-exercise stress factors like sleep, nutrition, and lifestyle stress, you can look at your training journal to see if there are any factors outside of exercise that is making it harder to recover from high TSS workouts. All rights reserved. But every ride can't be that hard. Thus, a zone 3 athlete would have to train in zones 2 and 3 for a total of 60 hours to reach his or her goal. Providing top-quality content, expert advice, and a wealth of resources to help you achieve your cycling goals. 1. It is conceptually modeled after the heart rate-based training impulse (TRIMP). Training Stress Score (TSS) is a number that is calculated by combining your Normalized Power (NP), Intensity Factor Score (IF), and ride duration. Finally, TSS from rides with repeated surges often seems lower than expected. This number gives an indication of how difficult that particular ride was. Without adequate recovery time, you risk overtraining, which can have negative effects on your performance and motivation to continue cycling. These fatigue mechanisms increase the fatigue that we feel after a session and increase the time for our bodies to recover. You can see it on the Performance Management Chart. The training stress is measured by the TSS. The training load of Strava is based on the bike score. Most workouts will accumulate less than 100 TSS per hour because they are not completed at 100%. Similarly, a cyclist who has a high TSS workload due to regular cycling sessions can handle a higher TSS workout without needing extended recovery time. Its a lot easier to do 6 hours at an IF of 0.7 with a TSS of 300, than 3 hours at threshold (not really possible) to get 300 TSS too. What is Variability Index (VI)? If you dont ride hard enough, you wont be able to build muscle and lose fat at the same time, which is what you want to do if youre trying to lose body fat. 1-hour workout at our FTP level would be exactly 100 TSS. The Heart Rate Training Stress Score (HRTSS) is based on time in heart rate training zones derived from an athletes lactate threshold heart rate. If you want to count the estimated number of TSS for your workout you can do this with simple math! Training Stress Score (TSS) is a formula developed by Andrew Coggan from TrainingPeaks describing the workload of a training base on your FTP and intensity factor (IF). The Ultimate Explanation, How To Test Ac Clutch Cycling Switch? NP Normalized Power from workout Cycling, Workout, Power. Typically general endurance sessions fall between the 0.6-0.7 range, while higher intensity sessions can fall under the 0.8-0.9 and sometimes depending on the event, can exceed 1. Normalized Power, Intensity Factor, Heart Rate Variability, and Peak Oxygen Consumption are used to calculate the TSS. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. But it is only one data point to consider. Typically, longer workouts may be done on the bike than on the run (but not by all athetes, for ex, ultrarunners). So, if your NP is 200 watts and your FTP is 250 watts, then the IF would be 0.8 (because 200 divided by 250 is 0.8). Starting from January 2020, the bike tyres size is subject to new rim widths standards. By looking at your CTL, you can estimate how much training load you can manage while still maintaining a manageable level of difficulty. A TSS stands for Training Stress Score. In other words, zones 1 and 2 each have a maximum of 10 minutes of training in them, while zones 3 and 4 have 10 and 15 minutes respectively. In this case, a decrease in TSS does not indicate an actual decline in training stress, but is just a numerical reflection of how it is calculated and a demonstration of its limitations in showing progress. For example, your average weight lifting session is 3.5 tons. If you have completed a workout, you can check your progress at any time by clicking on the Progress tab at the top of the screen. For instance, a training block may start with a level 4 Threshold workout, but by the end, youll be completing ones at a much higher level. In simplest terms, TSS determines the "cost" a workout has had on your body. If you complete the entire workout in one go, you will earn more than 100 TSS, but you will not earn as much as you would if you did it in a single workout. Instead, they utilizeAdaptive Trainingsdata-driven insights and incorporate nuanced factors such as repetition, interval length, and recovery time. A very few particularly challenging workouts even exceed Level 10. Additionally, since TSS factors in both intensity and frequency of rides, it can provide valuable feedback regarding whether or not you need to rest more or push yourself harder during certain times throughout the season. Another downside is that TSS is derived purely on FTP and no other power metrics. Your training plan balances adding more stress without overwhelming your ability to recover. Training Stress Score (TSS) is a formula developed by Andrew Coggan from TrainingPeaks describing the workload of a training base on your FTP and intensity factor (IF). In the ROUVY software, this is an indicator of how hard a workout is. TSS is calculated by the following equation: TSS = (sec x NP x IF) / (FTP x 3600) x 100, sec: the total number of seconds in the session, NP: Normalized Power (more on this in a bit), IF: Intensity Factor (more on this in a bit), FTP: Functional Threshold Power (power you can hold for the 60-minute duration). TSS. This increases your work capacity and the ability to handle greater amounts of training stress. How Training Stress Score is calculated Training Stress Score is typically calculated automatically by devices and training software, like TrainingPeaks. As shown earlier in the case of interval length, workout structure is more significant and impactful than the workouts training stress score would indicate. Intensity Factor allows us to determine how intense a session was relative to our own threshold. The above examples show us that intensity is a big factor in terms of amounts of TSS per workout. If so, you've come to the right place. Toxic shock syndrome involves many systems of the body and is a cluster of symptoms. One number or bit of data will never tell the whole story when it comes to perfect fitness. But at the moment, TSS equations do not reflect proper cost on high-intensity work due to decreased volume. When pedaling a bike, the force comes from the torque produced by a rider's legs pushing down on the pedals. These questions reflect a misunderstanding of what TSS represents and an oversimplification of how training works. With the data provided, it becomes easy to plan ahead and structure a training plan that optimizes physiological responses. FTP is the best single marker for fitness in cycling. How To Lower Heart Rate While Cycling? Computers, Heart Simply put, its relative to the individual and specific type of training. Its important to keep in mind that everyone will have different target numbers depending on training goals. Heart rate TSS or hrTSS is a less accurate model for determining your TSS of a workout. TSS in cycling can be a useful way of determining whether you are training enough, or training too much. As either of these increases, TSS also increases. We would like to give you a few more pieces of advice so you can actually have a better understanding of how to use TSS in planning your next training week. Why? "sec" is duration of the workout in seconds, "NP" is Normalized Power (don't worry about this for now), "IF" is Intensity Factor (a . The toxins from the infections are spread to the body organs. He has been riding since 2013 across Southeast Asia & North America and quickly became interested in the mechanics and engineering of bikes as well as training, nutrition, gear, and safety aspect of cycling. By knowing your TSS, it becomes easier to monitor and adjust your training load accordingly. How does TSS relate to your 4DP power profile? In both instances, its used as a convenient marker of training. An estimate of the amount of accumulated TSS in each training zone is used to calculate the calculation. It is built upon the heart rate training stress metric, TRIMP (training-impulse), but it is supposed to be more accurate for efforts where effort level varies out of sync with your heart rate - such as sprints, where your heart rate doesn't match the power you're putting out, and recovery, where your heart rate may still remain elevated whilst your power output is lower. When trying to determine what could be considered a good Training Stress Score (TSS) for any given ride, the answer is largely subjective. Cyklopedia provides structured training plans based on TSS. Focus, KICKR A workout with 2x 20-minute intervals can result in the same TSS as a workout with a single 40-minute effort. Clearly Explained! James Hayden is a passionate cyclist and the Founder and Chief Editor of Swift Cyclist. of the ride was quite different for both. This is where CTL, ATL and TSB come in useful. important as hitting your target numbers. Thus, a Level 6 Threshold workout is significantly harder than a Level 3 Threshold workout, but not as challenging as a Level 9 threshold workout. So tempo and sweetspot have their place, but shouldnt be used exclusively for chasing TSS/CTL scores. Nik Cook has the answers By Nik Cook Published: February 28, 2023 at 2:08 pm Before drilling into what Training Stress Score (TSS) is and how it relates to cycling, there are a few other metrics to understand. Always keep in mind that numbers only tell one side of the story when it comes to training and racing. Youll need a power meter and an accurate FTP. This is why it is important to consider the overall power profile when gauging TSS, and also not to follow TSS by law or compare with others. 1 TSS is calculated by using both IF (intensity factor) and time, to determine how "hard" a training session was based on the magnitude of the physiologic adaptations to training. Not every training day will find you feeling amazing, but understanding how your body feels at threshold, above threshold, below, etc can help you get the most out of your training. If so, youve come to the right place. TSS can help us track trends that ultimately help us learn when our body needs rest more than anything else. When there are large or frequent fluctuations in your heart rate data, such as data post-interval session, it is hard for an accurate TSS to be quantified from this as it takes time for your HR to stabilize pre, during, and post effort. Rider B also averages 220 for a 1-hour session, but during the session completed intervals above 400 watts for 1-minute durations and then recovered below 220 between efforts. Intensity Factor is telling you about, how intense was your workout. TSS is an estimate of the training load created by a workout based on intensity and duration.1 TSS is calculated by using both IF (intensity factor) and time, to determine how hard a training session was based on the magnitude of the physiologic adaptations to training. What is TSS in cycling? - 220 Triathlon Your Quick-fire Questions - 220 Triathlon | Scribd While during a session you are analyzing multiple metrics; power, heart rate, cadence, be sure to always remember RPE. So a CTL ramp rate may be 3 points per week, so as to avoid ATL going up too high. During any given session, your power can be variable. Design by Expose Your Brand. Education, Medical, Special Education. RIVAL Multisport Watch: Never Lose Watch more of this episode: https://youtu.be/W-lpjjlUApQ Get faster with TrainerRoad: https://www.TrainerRoad.com Connect with other cyclists: https://fo. For more cycling training knowledge, listen to Ask a Cycling Coach the only podcast dedicated to making you a faster cyclist. Thats not to say the 6 hour Z2 ride isnt stressful, but it is stressful in a different sort of way. Training Stress Score is one tool for quantifying workouts, but good training plan design is far more nuanced than a single number can describe, and TrainerRoad takes care of this complexity for you. The Best Explanation. To prevent overtraining and injury, it is essential to control the training ramp rate and gradually increase TSS. For targeting a single day-long ride of less than 6 hours long, the range is 290 740. For shorter harder efforts, the power targets can be drastically different even if those two riders have the same FTP. TSS in cycling is then used within Training Peaks - and some other of the best cycling apps, to determine your CTL (chronic training load), ATL (acute training load) and TSB (training stress balance). We'll take you through how the number is calculated and how to use this information in your training to help maximise your fitness gains. How To Build Endurance Cycling? While TSS is can be one way to help measure progress within a training plan, it should never be the singular benchmark by which workouts are designed. TrainingPeaks has its own workout builder which allows you to create very specific workouts and it will automatically calculate numbers of TSS for you and IF too! That looks something like this: TSS = (Power x Duration) + Elevation Gain/Loss So if you go for a ride that lasts two hours with an average power output of 200 watts and 400 meters of elevation gain/loss, your TSS would be 800 points. Power = Force x Distance / Time For a power meter to work on a bike, it has to measure the amount of force a rider is generating, and how fast that force moves (speed = distance / time). The end result is a ranking of workout difficulty that is both easily understandable and based on real-world experience. The formula is very simple, but it can be a little tricky to remember. All rights reserved. It tells you how hard your training session was and the physical stress of your training over time. Training Stress Score is based on your rides intensity and duration. 3. If you were to increase the weight of the barbell by 10% or decrease the number of reps by 5%, you could still get the same results as if you had just increased or decreased the weights. What does VI mean in cycling? Going from say a weekly TSS of 300, straight up to 800 or more would likely cause a few issues. Youll get a medal if you score 100 points when you complete a workout. The goal is to create a plan that balances intensity and volume while gradually increasing cumulative TSS each week. Anyone whos ever ridden at sweet spot knows it gets dramatically harder as efforts get longer. If you do not have a power meter, or for example are trying to determine TSS for an activity that is not heart rate or power-based, then using RPE is a good estimate to gauge your TSS for an activity. Smart Trainer: Train With Movement, Podcast: TSS in cycling uses power as the criterion measure of intensity, and this overcomes many of the limitations associated with the use of heart rate when quantifying intensity. He spent 3 years on the road riding for a UCI cycling team and 7 years as a BC Elite rider. Even if the workouts are exactly the same amount of stress, the nominal training stress of these rides would also be the same, but the physical toll and necessary recovery would not. Its tedious to calculate manually and most people usually just look at their training software such as TrainingPeaks and Garmin Connect. TSS is a score given to tell you how hard a workout was. TSS = (sec x NPx IF)/(FTP x 3600) x 100, sec time of workout in seconds Quick Answer: What Is Tss In Cycling Posted on August 7, 2021By danna Contents What is a good TSS score cycling? What Is A Good Tss Score Cycling - BikeHike TSS scores can also be misrepresented in multisport athletes training when it comes to swimming, especially high intensity or power-focused swim sessions. While the cycling metrics that are available to us can at times feel overwhelming, having an understanding of the key basics can help make a difference in the interpretation of your data. For a more in-depth explanation of cycling, metrics visit The Metrics that Matter. Do different power metrics matter to different individuals? Training Stress Score (TSS) is a composite number that takes into account the duration and intensity of a workout to arrive at a single estimate of the overall training load and physiological stress created by that training session. These cookies do not store any personal information. TSS, NP, IF, and FTP are terms created by Dr. Andy Coggan and are specific to cycling. What is a good TSS score cycling? - TimesMojo However, Rider 1 will find this workout much easier than Rider 2. In the example above, although the mean wattage is 200 watts in both cases, the ride with the sprints might have an NP of 250 watts to reflect the harder work. Rider B also averages 220 for a 1-hour session, but during the session completed intervals above 400 watts for 1-minute durations and then recovered below 220 between efforts. Training Stress Score is a term used to describe several performance metrics, but what does it mean in cycling? By varying workout designs within a training plan, we can stress the body in progressively specific and useful ways. Heres the formula: TSS = (# of seconds of the workout x Normalized Power x Intensity Factor) / (FTP x 3600) x 100Its tedious to calculate manually, so most people use software to find theirs.