Anaerobic workouts shown as tempo in exercise load

Went out and did an anaerobic daily workout. 8x1min at 6 minute mile pace.  Still shows as tempo. 

all the stats look fine and used a hr strap.  Still refuses to log as anaerobic 

There can be several factors contributing to this behavior. 

However, first consider that a run or bike session will be categorized as tempo if it doesn't meet squarely the criteria for the other types. Garmin has not published the rules that make an activity fall in the different "workout labels", only examples. We know that the rules are based on the aerobic and anaerobic  factors.

Second, even if the overall label is not example exactly matching the purpose of the workout, you still get the training benefit if the aerobic or anaerobic factors are above 3.0.

The spirit of an anaerobic workout is to spend a "good amount of time" (let's say 10-15mn) at a very high effort level well above threshold. Since you wouldn't sustain this effort for that long, workouts use short intervals (let's say 30s to 2mn) with rest periods.

The approach is to execute the intervals at maximum steady effort, then rest. 

With Garmin watches, here is what can happen:

- the target for the intervals is too low. It should be around 85-95% of the maximal pace you can steadily sustain for the duration of the interval. It could be set lower than that  because your VO2 Max model is biased. This could be because of wrong inputs (typically, inaccurate HR Max), wrong training data (false pace/HR data, for example because of running hills, or wrist HR issues), or unbalanced training data (not enough supra-threshold to sprint like effort)

- not enough real rest periods between the intervals. It is better to quickly slow down to a walk, so that the watch can detect properly the end of the interval using the HR/HRV/Pace/movement data.

- rest periods not long enough. This shouldn't be an issue with the Garmin designed workouts, but it could be with valid 3rd party designs (like 30s on / 30s off blocks)

Thanks for the in depth response. Much appreciated

 In terms of specifics, max hr seems about right. Maximum in a recent 5k effort was 184, max set by watch is 187.  Seems close. 

i think you are right about rest, Garmin mandates pace as a jog but a walk may be better.  I’m a stickler for execution score though   

The efforts seem to be in the right zone as does the running power.

Thanks again, very helpful  perhaps it’s time to go rogue and ignore the watch at times  

bigdwazda said:

Maximum in a recent 5k effort was 184, max set by watch is 187.  Seems close. 

Looks right indeed. A good way to check is to execute your above workout at maximum steady pace for the intervals, then run one last such effort until exhaustion. Your HR should be a couple of BPM away from HR Max

For the rest periods, a real slow jog should work. The goal is to have HR drop back to lower zone 2 as fast as possible and stay there.

Another way to check that the watch metrics are in sync with your actual performance and fitness is to look at your stamina curve.

For an anaerobic workout, you should see your stamina finally reach bottom in the last intervals and only recover partially (let's say 80%) of your potential stamina at each interval. Although Garmin's stamina is not exactly the same as dFRC, it is very close.

https://www.wko5.com/dfrc

For a threshold workout, the stamina should barely hang on to the potential stamina. For a tempo or base, there would no drop at all below the potential stamina.

The stamina curve looks good, the hr is where the issue is.  Looks like I’m high zone 2 or low zone 3.  

Next time I do it, I will jog real slow, I think I got sidetracked trying to get each rest period to 0.25 miles.  

Cool. I will try and go all out and ignore what the watch pace guide says.  To be fair, it said 6.10 per mile and I did closer to 5.50.  

Guess this is where the watch algorithm and real life diverge.  

very interesting thread you shared.  Seems I’m not the only one having this issue.  That said, it’s only a label and it appears to log correctly in the exercise load despite this.  

I find these workouts hard but perhaps I could give it some more if I ignore the watch telling me I’m going too fast.  

can you believe people got good at running/cycling without a gps watch or heart rate info . 

Here probably the low aerobic warmup / rest periods that derail the analysis - but really nobody knows because Garmin's training analysis is just a heap of a garbage data.

Any measurement (such as Training Load) must be comparable / repeatable / consistent, as these are just some of the basic requirements to measure anything. Because garmin has not disclose the way / details / standards of the measurements, these are just really semi randomised numbers here and there without anything to rely on.

It is natural that we would like to understand this (obviously, because we want to use it to track / control our training), but here it is: these data is just marketing gimmicks, based on undisclosed semi scientific / anecdotal studies / experiences collected in a totally unrelated fields (among pro athletes with very different training methods, nutrition, training load, history, physiology and body composition).

I started my journey to be fit with continuously checking and trying to understand the background.

In best case, these data / analysis were useless, but many times these data / analysis were straight dangerous with a high health risk to rely on. 

I agree to an extent.  However, all other workouts are correctly categorised, it’s only this type that I’m having issues with.  I do think you are correct that it’s the warm ups that are derailing it.  

Warm ups are done at base pace for some reason. As are cool downs.  I may just run them slower and see what happens.  

The data can be flakey but in the main it does seem quite good, at leat for me.  

It’s coached me to a 10k and half marathon pb this year at 46 years young.  Something clearly works.