Gradual "Warmup" vs. Steady "Warmup"? (mainly in Zwift)

Training & Coaching
1

Hello,

This is mainly a question for how Zwift interprets the planned Athletica workout. When exporting a workout (ZWO file) to Zwift, the “warmup” and “cooldown” blocks are veryyy gradual. IE, starts at 150 watts and ends at 250 watts and steps up in 5 watts increments. For longer sessions, the planned “warm up” can last over an hour. I’m curious as to if this is the most effective way I should be training. Perhaps, a 10minute gradual warmup, with a 50minute steady Z2 endurance pace be better for this block of time (likely more similar to how I would ride outside)? So long as the TSS is equal? It just feels like the first 20minutes or so I spend at Z1 power is useless, and the last 20minutes or so at Z3 power cooks my legs a bit before getting in to the meat of the workout. Anyone have any thoughts?

Thank you!!!

2 Likes
2

I think the way Zwift reads the workout is a little funny. As you mention gradual warmup lasts for an hour… hardly intentional from Athletica’s side. I would break the gradual warm up into three max four gradually increasing efforts from z1 to zone two and then go at zone 2 until main set, whether it is tempo or threshold. For Vo2max sessions I like to add three primers of very short duration like 10s hard with long recoveries like 50s easy..
trust your gut feeling. Zwift maybe telling at you to go harder but 20min at z3 hardly ideal before harder efforts. I’d take the yelling and save the legs for the Meaty Main set.

MJ

1 Like
3

Awesome, agreed, thanks for your insight MJ!

2 Likes