Garmin Training Status: Beyond the Noise

If you have a Garmin wearable and/or Edge cycling computer with Training Status enabled, you have probably been confused, disappointed and downright mad in what the device or Garmin Connect is attempting to tell you after a training session. You just smashed a 3-hour ride and your Garmin flashes up “Unproductive” … what the heck? Is this thing even working? While we love the concept as athletes and coaches, the actual terms leave a lot to be desired as far as understanding “what” Garmin is attempting to convey. 😬

Over the course of a number of years, the algorithms have been refined, according to DC Rainmaker and Garmin, to provide a little more accuracy but be aware it is dependent on accuracy of your inputs for HR, Functional Threshold Power (FTP) on the bike and pace on the run. Garmin will say the algorithm is mostly considering HR so make sure your Lactate Threshold HR (LTHR) and/or Maximum HR are correct in Garmin Connect.

Here are the Garmin definitions to your Training Status:

• Peaking: you are in ideal race condition. Your recently reduced training load is allowing your body to recover and fully compensate for earlier training. You should plan ahead, since this peak state can only be maintained for a short time.

• Productive: your current training load is moving your fitness level and performance in the right direction. You should plan recovery periods into your training to maintain your fitness level.

• Maintaining: your current training load is enough to maintain your fitness level. To see improvement, try adding more variety to your workouts or increasing your training volume.

• Recovery: your lighter training load is allowing your body to recover, which is essential during extended periods of hard training. You can return to a higher training load when you feel ready.

• Strained: Your performance ability is currently limited with inadequate recovery as a probable cause. This can occur, for example, during periods of unusually high training load. Alternatively, health and lifestyle factors may be interfering with your ability to bounce back from strenuous activities. Consider taking it easy until your body catches up.

• Unproductive: your training load is at a good level, but your fitness is decreasing. Your body may be struggling to recover, so you should pay attention to your overall health including stress, nutrition, and rest.

• Detraining: you are training much less than usual for a week or more, and it is affecting your fitness level. You can try increasing your training load to see improvement.

• Overreaching: your training load is very high and counterproductive. Your body needs a rest. You should give yourself time to recover by adding lighter training to your schedule.

Word choices aside, we do like the definitions and feel it is decent guidance regarding a general statement of your training the last 7 to 10-days and possible next steps as a self-coached athlete. Just remember, it is an algorithm that is making a assessment on limited captured data. What is more important is how you use the data, convert it to information and correlate it to how you are performing or feeling. We hope Garmin continues to engage the subject matter experts and coaches as other metrics (i.e., the newly released Training Readiness) are being developed and released. Thank you Garmin for your continued product development.

Thanks for reading and hope you found this blog useful. If you are considering a coach for your endurance sport journey, we would love to discuss our philosophy and services with you.