🏊‍♂️🚴🏃‍♂️ Finding the return to fitness sweet spot with RTT

Sunday, January 12, 2025

Thanks to a pre-Christmas flu and general busyness over the holidays, my triathlon training took a dive.

This past week, I’ve really tried to get back into it. As a result, my watch and phone have been pointing out that my training load has spiked and are suggesting caution.

At the same time, my readiness to train has been correspondingly increasing. I’ve been using this increase, plus generally feeling good, to keep the training intensity at the right level without overdoing it.

Auto-generated description: Two smartphone screens display fitness tracking data, including training load, heart rate variability, and sleep analysis.

Seems to be working so far. Now that I feel like I’ve regained momentum, I’ll ease off on the training progression to stabilize on a more modest increase over weeks. I don’t need to relearn the lessons of overtraining and injury!

Göran Winblad has a good video on how to use RTT and HRV as one indicator in training. Worth investigating for your training too.

fitness Longform

Matt Routley

@camiel Thanks! I'm glad it is working well for you too. Much better than my younger self that just pushed until injury

2025-01-13 3:03 pm
gobino :prami:

@mroutley Do you track it all/only via Apple (devices)?

My Garmin and Stryd also provide me with advice but haven't really backed down when I was told to. It's a nice guidance but mostly follow what my body tells me.

2025-01-15 3:53 am
Matt Routley

@gobino yeah, all based on Apple Watch and presented via the Training Today app. And, absolutely agree, I only use it as an indicator and predominantly for broad trends

2025-01-15 10:32 am
gobino :prami:

@mroutley O wow, not many I know use an Apple watch for training like you.

Like me (training for a marathon), they would be more inclined to use a Garmin, Polar, or other sports watch for this.

But maybe it's just perception and an Apple watch can be just as good.

2025-01-15 11:09 am
Matt Routley

@gobino everyone I train with use Garmin. I prefer staying in the Apple ecosystem. With the cellular Apple Watch Ultra, I'm accessible via phone and messages, have my music and podcasts, and integrate with Training Peaks, all without needing my phone. Although battery is a concern, I get through 6 hour triathlons okay

2025-01-15 12:39 pm
gobino :prami:

@mroutley I'm also fully in the Apple ecosystem, however for sports, I've always relied on Polar/Garmin.

Seeing you're experience it's good to know that Apple also can do the job.

2025-01-15 3:46 pm

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