Never a high aerboic load in 4 week load focus on garmin FR745

The assessement of low aerobic, high aerobic and anaerobic is not directly based on your heart rate zones. It is entirely based on the EPOC calculation on the watch during the workouts.

I said "directly" above, because, as you experienced it, the heart rate zones set expectations of what the assessment should be. But their role is really to design workouts, not to measure results.

I checked your heart rate zones and nothing looks abnormal. Also, the LTHR at 175bpm is 88% of the HR Max , which makes sense.

To understand further what is going on, do this:

- look only at the training effect numbers of each workout. The focus bars get augmented by a number of points after each workout across the three bars based on EPOC or TE. The total number of poinst should be equalt to the workout load. On the exercise load chart though, the color of the bar is linked to the overall assessment of the workout ("Recovery", "base", "tempo", "Vo2 max", etc.).

- after each workout, verify that the focus bars move by a number of points equal to the workout load. Also verify that the workout is correctly added to the exercise load,

- if you use an 830, make sure you don't record simulatenously an eactivity on both devices. Even if you don't save the activity at the end on one of the device, you still influence the metrics. Use only one device, or use the 830 in display extended mode (if this is supported).

- do the same checks on the 830 and on the 745 for different workouts. 

This way, we will verify that the EPOC, training focus, and exercise load is updating normally.

If it is updating normally, then it is not a sync issue, but an EPOC model accuracy issue on the watch or 830. The EPOC model uses 2 data reference points, and 3 key workout data sets to calculate EPOC (I am not counting altitude and temperature). The reference points are the VO2 Max number and the VO2 at rest (related to rest HR). The data sets are HR bpm, HRV and power data.

You are using a power meter right? I see you have an FTP for biking...

Thanks for the extensive feedback! 

The number on the 7d load are the same as the training load per training.  So that works. 

I broadcast my heartrate with the 745 to the 830 and the 830 uploads the training (and then when the 745 connects to the app, the training gets loaded on the 745) when cycling, trainingload on the 830 and the 745 matches.  It seems that that is also working fine. 
With swimming and bootcamps, i only use the 745. 

I did see that the powersetting were old settings with an higher FTP than i think i have now, so i have changed these setting. I think this wil have a influence on the high/low aerobic load. But i still have to test this.

But this doesnt account for the data i get from bootcamps, which for my feeling are high aerobic but always shown as low. 

PS: my 830 is connected to a tacx, and the tacx is the powermeter. 

I am having issues with my Epix 2 these days where some workouts are correctly recorded in the execercise load and training focus as high aerobic or anaerobic upon completion but get downgraded to low aerobic, and shifted to the following day. It happens to be Garmin Coadh workouts. The exercise load and training focus bars on my Edge are correct, but not on my Epix Gen 2. I am mentioning this in case there is any similarity here.

Otherwise, there is no obvious issue with your settings and your different data points are copacetic (HR Max, LTHR, FTP, etc.)

Your changing the FTP shouldn't affect the calculation of the TE effect so much. 

So,instead of just looking at the 7d load, you need to look at each workout TE effect numbers (aerobic and anaerobic) and the workout label (recovery, based, tempo, etc). For the days when the workouts happened, verify that the exercise load chart reflect the workout label. Then check the training focus chart, and make sure that  the training focus on the watch is synchornized with the Edge device and show the same bars for Low aerobic, High Aerobic and Anaerobic.

Are these 2 charts synchronized and consistent with the TE and workout labels of the activities?

Hi, thanks for the post! 


although issue looks similar, al the trainings are marked as base training in my watch. i feels like an EPOC calculation issue like you said. 

I checked the TE numbers and the label, and the training load chart does reflect this. I just don't agree that these are all base training. 

Weird part is that data doesnt match exactly on both devices, although they do show similar data. 

Hrvoja said:

I checked the TE numbers and the label, and the training load chart does reflect this

Good. We now know this is not a software issue with the way the TE is reported.

Hrvoja said:

I just don't agree that these are all base training.

This is another matter though. If you are for it, you can test your beliefs :-)

You''ll do a threshold workout on the bike using your FTP data. Make sure to wear a chest strap to ensure good quality of HR. The workout is similar to a field FTP test, but it is not the built-in FTP test (which uses a ramp approach)

- 10 mn warm-up mid power zone 2

- Repeat 5 times 30s zone 2 followed by 30s zone3

- 20mn steady power at 273W. Keep it steady. This will confirm your FTP value (273*0.95=259)

Verify then that the workout is deemed a threshold or VO2 Max workout.

If not, we'll know that some metrics on your devices are off.

so yesterday,  my trainingplan had an FTP test planned. Tho i thought  i should have gone all out, there was a warmup routine and then a then i should have gone for a 20min ride in zone4 , but somehow my garmin showed me jsut to cycle at 220 watts.. i thought it was maybe a part of the warmup, but after that there was a cooldown and it was done. 

My ftp was changed to   220W, so i changed it back to 270 today cause the 220 ride was still in z3 heartrate, guess i did something wrong here. 

But, tomorrow i have a interval training planned, with more than 20 minutes in zone 4 (power 240-280 watts), the total time of the training is 60 min. 

so it should be a tempo training right? 

Hrvoja said:

My ftp was changed to   220W, so i changed it back to 270 today

Based on your screenshots in your initial post, your FTP is 259W.,  Right? not 270W...

I don't know how you got 259W in the first place, but the idea was to confirm this value so that you have a good reference point.

When you have the chance, do the workout I mentioned above. Assuming your ftp is 259W, your goal for a *steady* 20mn is 273W (that is 259W divided by 0.95).

Hrvoja said:

so it should be a tempo training right? 

Well who knows now. If you have a FTP that was manually entered, since the watch is keeping its own records of your power-duration curve, it is hard to predict whether you will end up in a tempo, threshold or VO2Max workout.

Another thing to do: go to your Garmin Connect Performance section and look up your power curve. This tells you the best power you kept for various durations. Unfortunately, there is no deprecation of the records. So if you were in great shape 2 years ago and lost since then, you will see your record 2 years ago. Nonetheless, it gives you an idea of your VO2 Max power (typically for 2mn-4mn-10mn intervals), and your threshold power range (20-30-60mn). What is the value you have for 20mn? It should be close to 273W...

www.trainingpeaks.com/.../

After doing a couple of trainings where i had to be 3x5 min on ftp or 5x5min on ftp level of 270Watts, i get the label of tempo training.  Finally! 

But i also switched the Hart Rate sensor on my watch with an actual Garmin HRM-Dual strap, which gives much better reading of my actual hart-rate during training. I think in the end my watch didn't log my actual hart rates, and i just had to cycle a bit faster ;) 

Happy its solved tho! Finally, getting Aerobic high training bar filled up and my watch finally thinks my trainings are 'productive' 

Thanks for all the help tho!!! 

a question as i also have this issue.
after doing this FTP test and having "Tempo" label, do you get High Aerobic bar filled also with normal workouts?

i also had some Tempo labels among the remaining "Base" ones but also with Tempo workouts my high aerobic was stuck to 0

Is there a chance you are confusing high aerobic and anaerobic load here? By definition, a tempo workout would change your high aerobic load, but it is very likely it would not included any anaerobic load.