Setup
You will need to setup the following:
- Zwift with controllable trainer or trainer + power on the bike
- Zwift Companion App
- Connect Zwift with TP
- Discord connected to headset – headphones and microphone (Optional for in workout voice directions and communication)
- Join the Discord ESP – Zwift Workout channel
Zwift Companion App
In preparation for our group workouts please make sure you have the Zwift Companion app working and you know how all the features work.
So I can invite you to our group sessions can you all please follow me on Zwift – Patrick Harvey – ESP Coach. Too make it easier to invite you to meetups please add ESP to the end of your Name. We are working on the new clubs feature that should make this easier once they allow us to rubber band the group and apply workouts. for now we will continue with Group Meetups.
For the Torque and Aerobic Intensive sessions we will be doing these together using the Meetups feature rubber banded (so we all stay together) and you will need to select the structured workout that should appear in Zwift from Training Peaks.
As you may or may not be aware when doing workouts ZWIFT does NOT simulate the terrain, it will be using either erg mode or the levels/gradient you select (and gearing choices).
It is up to you which mode you select when doing the workout but both give you control via the companion app to change the load if it is too hard or too easy.
For the torque erg we recommend setting erg mode for the low cadence efforts as then you can just concentrate on keeping your cadence low (if it gets too hard you can easily toggle to gradient / level mode easily enough using the companion app to stop the ‘spiral of death’.
In this same workout we finish with cadence spin ups – these definitely DO NOT suit erg mode so change to level mode for these.
For the aerobic intensive efforts you can make the decision on erg mode or not for the steady state effort but we recommend level mode for the on / offs.
If you have been struggling with holding steady efforts on the road then you may benefit from using the erg mode to help you maintain a more steady effort but don’t do this every time, as you need to teach the body to hold a steady effort and if you really want to push hard then it may be better to go into level mode too.
Also if you are in erg mode and you are finding it too easy (or to hard) just change the bias up (or if it is too hard down) or switch to level mode.
Training Peaks And Zwift
This link explains how to connect Training Peaks to Zwift and how they work together.
https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/a-quick-how-to-guide-for-trainingpeaks-zwifters
Meet ups
More information on meetups and how they work.
https://www.zwift.com/news/19189-zwift-how-to-ride-with-friends
Discord
We will use discord for voice communication during workouts. This will make it easier to give directions instead of misspelling and dripping all over my phone.
You will need to install Discord and then connect to our Discord channel for workouts below
For more details on installing the app see below
Zwift Power
We also recommend you register with Zwift Power for when you want to race events. Join the Endurance Sports Performance Team once you have registered or add us if you are already registered to another team.
https://support.zwift.com/en_us/connecting-to-zwiftpower-SyldRc_4H
Performing A Meetup Workout
Remember with technology things can always go wrong. So setup early, have your nutrition and food prepared and toilet stops done (the peloton wont wait up for you!).
As we generally do Group Workout Meetups in “rubber band” mode don’t stress about trying to keep up, focus on your targets for the workout, Zwift will do the rest.
Follow these steps:
- Logon to Zwift / Open Companion App
- Connect sensors
- Join the meetup
- Open Discord Channel (so we can talk during the workout)
- Select Workout
- Do the workout!
You will find todays workout under TrainingPeaks Custom Workouts
Tips
Tip #1: FTP
Just a reminder when doing workouts in Zwift it uses the FTP set in Zwift not TP. So make sure you keep them in synch otherwise the power targets will not be right.
Tip #1: ERG versus Level / Gradient
Although ERG mode has its place when goaling a steady state effort it can pose problems, especially when trying to push it to the limit where you can experience the ‘cadence spiral of death’. For this reason we recommend on most of our sessions to not use ERG mode within a workout. Incline mode works best for structured workouts as you get to control the power and learn how to generate steady power. If you need to add ‘resistance’ in this mode just use the up or down arrows from within the companion app to simulate gradient, otherwise use your gears.
Tip # 2: Use Bike Power As Your Power Source
Where possible connect your bikes power meter to Zwift as the source of “Power” and “Cadence”. You still connect your controllable trainer but just to the “Controllable” connection. The primary reason for this is so we have consistent power readings across indoor and outdoor – as the reality is all power meters are different and any differences will mess up with the analytics and metrics we use for setting zones and workout power goals.
Tip #3: Trainer Difficulty
This is a hidden setting you may not know about. By default it is set at 50% which will make hills feel 50% less steep than ‘real’. This has no impact on Workouts in Zwift as this will be based on Power settings in ERG model or the Gradient / level. For sessions when we have prescribed hill climbs in Zwift then it is out recommendation to run this at 100% – as the idea is to get a realistic hill climbing experience which will sometimes require you to push big torque to get over the steep sections. You defeat the purpose if you lower the setting. From a racing perspective this is an interesting setting and to us does not create an even playing field. Read the article below for more information.
Tip #4: Steady Efforts
For workouts where we have prescribed a steady effort your goal should be to have a power line with the least amount of fluctuation as possible. If we have asked for a max steady state effort we may see a slow decay as you get to the end of the rep but what we don’t want to see is large fluctuations in power and / or cadence during the effort. You may change gears periodically to change the load from ‘lungs’ to legs but then you should settle into a steady rhythm. In workout mode because there are no changes in gradient just look at your cadence on the screen and try and maintain this as steady as possible and stay focused, fight loss of cadence when it gets hard and avoid over reacting and going too hard or going over and under – we do that with specific intervals.
Two examples are shown below to hi-light the differences. The one on the left was from a 10 min effort. You can see there is hardly any fluctuation in power or cadence, except when the rider changed gears to a lower cadence after the start and then a bit of a struggle at the end.
The other example is a similar workout with the rider struggling to hold steady power or cadence. Even though they may have averaged the target power it is not steady which is the goal of these sessions.
What we find is as you get more experienced and stronger it will get easier so long as you concentrate on the efforts. Use these shorter controlled efforts to really hone in your focus 
Tip #5: Power Targets
The power targets shown are just that – targets. What really matters is that your heart rate or perceived exertion matches the goal of the workout. If we are doing threshold / Z4 efforts that’s where you want your heart rate to be. Also remember it takes some time for your heart rate to catchup so give it time, but by the 2 or 3rd interval you should definitely be sitting in the right HR zone. Just remember power can fluctuate from day to day so adjust the power to suit. If it is feeling really hard to hold and your HR is out of control just back off a bit, or if you are having a great day and it seems easy then push harder.
