For a few months now, we have uploaded 7 free MagneticDays AUTOTEST (FTP Cycling Test) on each personal account. These tests are available to all MD customers/users, to give them the opportunity to choose the best range of physiological parameters when it comes to writing a workout or using our Self-Managed Workouts, or simply to find out their fitness level after a period of inactivity. Each AUTOTEST corresponds to an assumed threshold level (processed by an algorithm) and in each both the warm up phase and the start of the incremental 1:6 test changes. But what is behind the development of the MagneticDays AUTOTEST? A statistical analysis of over 3000 incremental test protocols. Let’s have a look at what it is.

Statistical analysis of over 3000 incremental test protocols (FTP cycling test)

The threshold values of the MagneticDays AUTOTEST (FTP Cycling Test) are provided by an algorithm studied on the basis of the experience gained from the statistical analysis of over 3000 incremental test protocols, from the studies carried out at our TRAINING LAB and from the collaboration with various Italian universities, among all the University of Verona and the Foro Italico in Rome.

Obviously, it is the athlete’s condition at that precise moment that determines the outcome of the test and the threshold values. Each time, the condition is different and therefore the athlete’s response to the test is different. As mentioned above, these considerations are the result of a statistic completed on over 3000 incremental test protocols (1:6), and are able to ensure the actuality of an “estimated” threshold value. This value is as precise as possible without the presence of a coach, who would be able to place the threshold value unequivocally. The threshold values obtained with the AUTOTEST MagneticDays protocols can therefore be considered a good starting point when you do not have the support of a coach, but they cannot be substituted for the data collected by the test protocols analyzed by the Coaches.

“The AUTOTEST MagneticDays – declares the company – is part of that research path we are following to continue to raise the level of personalized training. We place ourselves immediately below the classic test developed in the presence of a Coach, with the difference that, in this case, the users carry out the protocol completely autonomously, without the support of the coach, and can still obtain an accurate estimate of their physical condition.”

 

 

 

We are happy to introduce the new graphic user interface of MagneticDays CLOUD TRAINING. Now it will be possible to use both the new graphic user interface and a few more functions. Our goal indeed is to guarantee the best user experience ever. For this reason, we have chosen to explain all these news step by step. Are you ready? Go!

Graphic User Interface of MagneticDays Cloud Training | DASHBOARD

The first news of the new graphic user interface of MagneticDays Cloud Training is the layout of DASHBOARD, that includes the control panel and settings. This intuitive dashboard is organized in WIDGETS in order to facilitate the user experience: 1) Workouts (executed and to do) where is possible to view the complete list; 2) Create Workout, where each user can create own workout with the writing tool; 3) Exectued Training Graph; 4) Panel Control (heart control, account options and messaging); 4 widgets relative to the download of reports and training plans, and upload of .FIT, .TCX or .GPX files to execute on JARVIS.

Graphic User Interface of MagneticDays Cloud Training

| WORKOUTS and GRAPHIC

The second news of the new graphic user interface of MagneticDays Cloud Training concerns the WORKOUTS to do. So, we developedtwo main functions: 1) the possibility to display the workouts list in two modalities: CATEGORIES (in the same way of MD WiFi App) or generic LIST; 2) the new GRAPH ICON (blu color) that allows to see a preview of your workout and details (by a click) before the training session.

Furthermore, depending of the workout mode, is possibile to dispaly the training graph and/or table with all the workout details like tyopology, data and description. Then, some steps are marked with the “+ symbol” and, if clicked, it shows further details. However, in the case of CLASSIC or EVOLUTION SELF MANAGED workouts, the training graph will not be displayed but a tool allows you to access to the Watt and RPM data obtained from the AUTOTEST and makes a prediction of the workout that will be performed. It’s very important to remember that the data obtained from the AUTOTEST must always be entered by MD WiFi App. From PC, indeed, this step is for consultative purposes only.

Graphic User Interface of MagneticDays Cloud Training

| ACTIVITIES

Among the focus of the new graphic user interface of MagneticDaysCloud Training, we’ve restructured also the ACTIVITIES section. Now is possibile to display the executed workouts list in two modalities (CATEGORIES and LIST) and the general data of all executed workouts (typology, preferences and more). Furthermore, it has become easier to control your performance and progress, both in individual workout protocols and since you have used the MagneticDays smart trainer for the first time. The reasons why we introduced these new options are mainly related to the goal to improve the user experience of each athlete in own personal profile.

Spring arrived well before March 21^st this year, although these last few days, winter is still playing up. Now more than ever, it’s necessary to try and optimize our day in the best possible way. We all are more aware of how personalized indoor training is the best solution, sometimes the only solution, to keep fit and give “oxygen” to the mind and body. It is also a good opportunity to focus on “quality”. Thanks to the help of technology, training on bicycle rollers (aka smart or bike trainers) can satisfy a number of needs at all levels, from general well being to perfecting performance. And a useful reminder: rest and nutrition, if managed at best, can be a decisive factor in keeping in shape.

The benefits of indoor training on bike trainers

Among the main healthy benefits of indoor training on smart or bike trainers we have the reduction of stress and the improvement of cardiovascular health. An indoor training session on bike trainers produces a release of endorphins in the brain, natural neurotransmitters produced by the brain and responsible for improving mood, lowering stress levels and boosting the immune response. And we can imagine how this last factor is particularly crucial to keep our immune system efficient. The release of endorphins is something that happens during any form of physical activity, and indoor cycling is no exception. Training on the rollers, in fact, not only stimulates blood flow and the production of new brain cells, but is also a remarkable activity from a cardiac point of view. The alternation between moments of intense effort and lighter ones, allows you to vary the heart frequency and to create new stimuli. If this is true for a classic indoor cycling activity, it is even truer with a personalized training program such as the one developed by MagneticDays’ HTT (High Tech Training) methodology.

Stimuli and benefits of a personalized indoor training

Starting from the assumption that cycling is essential – as 4Bicycle friends often say – a personalized indoor training allows you to create continuous stimuli for mind and body, essential for bettering your physical condition and performance step by step. In fact, there are many factors to consider when we compare indoor training to outdoor training. Even more so when we talk about a targeted training that aims to develop a specific part of the performance (strength, threshold, over threshold etc.) and to achieve the maximum result and well-being. And this is exactly what we are talking about here.

The MD HTT methodology allows you to understand what the athlete’s physical condition is at a specific moment, his/her possibilities, how much you can or cannot push, and which aspect you have to work on. This is why personalized training is not just a “chart” but it is the ability to understand what is best for the athlete in that precise training session, what optimal routine to follow and the recovery time necessary.

Newtons in indoor training on MD JARVIS bike trainer

The distinctive benefit of the MagneticDays indoor training system is to split the Power (Watt) data into its two fundamental components: Strength (Newton) and Cadence ​​(RPM), and to train them specifically, individually or in combination. The same subjects expressing the same power can be completely different in terms of Newton and RPM expressed in pedaling, thus requiring completely different personalized workouts. An example: let’s consider an athlete who, at 90 rpm, produces wattage of 250 Watts (26.5 Newton). With a pedaling pace below 90 rpm, for example 85, it will take 29 Newtons to produce 260 Watts, thus exerting more force. On the contrary, exceeding 90 pedal strokes, for example 100 rpm, it will take 25 Newtons to produce 260 Watts, thus developing greater agility. MagneticDays allows you to always work with a fixed value (Watt or Newton) depending on whether you want to favor power or strength. Each of these steps creates a different stimulus that allows you to face each workout with different but targeted objectives.

 

With the release 2.7.0 of MD WiFi App (2019 September), we introduced the possibility to enable and manage the calibration of HTT workouts. This option allows user/athlete to change manually the percentage of training intensity in two steps directly by App.

For this reason, MD chose to decrease the duration of HTT workouts from 4 to 2 months after their first use. This change is effective from 2019, January 13 and it will include all MD training packs purchased after this date.

A few days ago we released la release 2.8.0 della App MD WiFi, introducing one of the last news like the MagneticDays metronome function. Are you ready?

Relase 2.8.0 App MD WiFi | MagneticDays METRONOME function

MagneticDays Metronome function is one of the latest additions available in the release 2.8.0 of App MD WiFi. It allows to improve che cycling cadence (in single or double mode) when the step “RECOMMENDED CADENCE (IDEAL RPM MODALITY)” is ON. The MagneticDays Metronome function can be activated from My Account section.

Relase 2.8.0 App MD WiFi | ACTIVITIES section

The release 2.8.0 of App MD WiFi includes also the new ACTIVITIES section, which can be viewed in the Menu after the log in. In this new section you can view the list of all executed workouts with their respective synchronization status.

Relase 2.8.0 App MD WiFi | New additional functions

MagneticDays Metronome funtion and ACTIVITIES section are not the only latest additions in the release 2.8.0 of App MD WiFi. There are 3 other new addictional funcions, indeed, that make MD WiFi App more and more usable.

Compatibility with the new pack of SELF MANAGED WORKOUTS “EVOLUTION MODE” (coming out soon) that allow to all users to insert the values at the threshold of Watt and RPM.

Data analysis of all MagneticDays AUTOTESTS directly in App by ANALIZE button in the ACTIVITIES section.

Translation ITA/ENG on the basis of your personal language in your device.

From October 2019, we have uploaded 7 MagneticDays AUTOTESTS (incremental exercise test made without the supervision of a Coach) in each personal account of all MD users/clients on our website. But, what are the MagneticDays AUTOTESTS?

MagneticDays AUTOTESTS represent one of the most recent introduction in the smart training field by MagneticDays, totally free of charge and at the disposal of all MD users/clients in order to give them the opportunity to choose the best range of physiological parameters at threshold (Watt, Newton, Cadence and Hear Rate) in case of: 1) autowriting workout; 2) use of MagneticDays Self Managed Workouts; 3) know your physical conditions at a specific time.

Each MagneticDays AUTOTESTS corresponds to a theoretical threshold value (elaborated on an algorithmic basis) and, in each one, changes both the warm up and start of the incremental exercise test. The threshold values ​​of the MagneticDays AUTOTESTS are obtained through an algorithm of our software, therefore it are to be considered a good starting point when you don’t have the support of a Coach, although these data can’t be replaced with those obtained by the analysis of a Coach.

“The MagneticDays AUTOTESTS – CEO MD Marco Sbragi says – are a part of our course of research and development that we are following to continuosly improve the level of custom-built training. The only difference with our incremental exercise tests is that the user/athlete carries out the workout in complete autonomy without the supervision of a Coach, obtaining an accurate valuation of the physical condition anyway.”

 

 

Inline Speed Skating is a very popular sport in Hong Kong area and the cycling training is one of the best way to improve the performance. Vanessa Mimi Wong knows very well this; she is part of Team Hong Kong. However, which is the best training method in Inline Speed Skating?

Recently, a scientifc study made by the Institute of Movement and Neurosciences and Institute of Cardiology and Sports Medicine in Cologne (Germany), has investigated the Effects of Cycling versus Running Training on Sprint and Endurance Capacity in Inline Speed Skating.

Cycling Training in Inline Speed Skating

Inline speed skating is a mass start endurance sport. In order to compete, inline speed skaters require speed and power (explosive and sustained) combined with a high aerobic and anaerobic capacity (Stangier et al., 2015c). While a highly developed aerobic performance level enables the athletes to sustain a high speed (40-50 km·h-1) in a metabolically economic way (Jones and Carter, 2000) and ensures a fast recovery between the high intensive efforts, a highly trained anaerobic capacity is also required to be effective in the sprint sections such as the mass start, tactical attacks and finish line sprint (Stangier et al., 2015c).

Generally, a high aerobic capacity is negatively associated with the sprint performance. However, despite the high average speed and several high intensity tactical sprints, cardiorespiratory demands during an ISS marathon race indicate that as much as 65% of the energy requirements are primarily supplied by the aerobic metabolism (Stangier et al., 2015c).

With this introduction (and considering the results of this scientific study), is clear how the cycling training with MagneticDays (as a part of training plan) represents a huge advantage in terms of quality of training (increase of VO2mac, VO2peak, acceleration and speed), thanks to the tailor-made workouts specific for all types of athletes in every moment (on the basis of personal values of Watt, Heart Rate and RPM). Moreover, the results of this scientific study revealed a close relation between the aerobic capacity and sprint performance in Inline Speed Skating highlighting the positive effects of endurance training.

 

Works cited:

Stangier, C., Abel, T., Mierau, J., Gutmann, B., Hollmann, W. and Strüder, H. K. (2015c) Cardiorespiratory Demands During an Inline Speed Skating Marathon Race – A Case Report. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness

Jones, A.M. and Carter, H. (2000) The effect of endurance training on parameters of aerobic fitness. Sports Medicine 29, 373-386.

The release 2.7.0 of App MD WiFi is available from 2019, August 1th and includes new functions to use.

Relase 2.7.0 App MD WiFi | SPRINT and STOP

SPRINT and STOP are the last functions introduced with the release 2.7.0 of App MD WiFi. SPRINT function allows to make an acceleration (improve of cycling cadence) keeping the magnetic brake in the fixed position. STOP function (managed by the MD Coach) concerns the stop of cycling movement during the recovery step within the HTT workout. When the MD Coach chooses to use the STOP function, the timer indicator continues to go ahead even if the user/athlete doesn’t move his legs, because this condition represent a step of training. SPRINT and STOP are already available and can be used by the MD Coach to analyze the performance, therefore the user/athlete can’t modify this function directly.

Relase 2.7.0 App MD WiFi | How to enable the  calibration of HTT workouts

The release 2.7.0 of App MD WiFi also introduces the possibility to calibrate the HTT workouts – via App – by the modification of percentage of training intensity. Here’s the directions:

Sign in to your personal account on App MD WiFi

Click on the Menu Settings, select My Account and enable the button Calibrate next HTT workout

Click on the Menu Settings and select Workout

Use the buttons +/- and select the percentage of recalculation of training intensity*, then click on Next

*Recalculation has effect on all steps of HTT workout. There’s not possibility to modify only some steps. When the workout is finished, this function is automatically deactivated, then you must repeat the procedure every time you want calibrate the HTT workout.

 

From August 1, 2019 the previous version of the MD App is no longer available on iOS and Android. To continue using the MD 4/25 cycling trainer by mobile, we suggest to make the upgrade by the purchase of the new WiFi circuit board. It includes the WiFi module, which allows the connection and control of cycling trainer through the MD WiFi App.

Once the MD App (Bluetooth connection) is uninstalled, it will no longer be possible to use it. For this reason, we suggest to make this procedure if your cycling trainer not have the WiFi module. Differently, you can replace your MD 4/25 with the new JARVIS.

MagneticDays gives you the amazing chance to buy JARVIS for the summer with a fantastic PROMO valid until August 31 (including 36 workouts), in small comfortable installments without interests.

Promo terms and conditions

PROMO MagneticDays is valid from June 1 to August 31. Terms and conditions are following:

• JARVIS turbo trainer + 36 HTT workouts in 24 installments of 97,50 euro for month

Instalment plan is managed directly by MagneticDays and it requires the signature of client on the charge authorization form, a copy of ID card and fiscal code.

More infos at: [email protected]

In this third and final part dedicated on optimizing the first three months of an Ironman distance triathlon season, Coach MD Luca Bianchini outlined the guidelines on how to set up a weekly training schedule for in Ironman Triathlon. “In the various books on training methodology – says Coach Bianchini – we talk about training cycles. The practice is to divide these cycles according to the days of the week and the pattern of months and weeks. Monday indicates the start of a training cycle and Sunday marks its end. Based on typical weekly commitments (for example working hours, swimming pool times, etc.) the training program is divided into 7 days. A micro-cycle (normally assimilated to a week of training) is identified as the shortest cycle in which all the conditional skills such as strength, speed and endurance are trained.”

From these initial indications, it is presumed that the minimum number of workouts to be sustained per micro-cycle is 9. “If we also want to include 2 physical training sessions – continues Coach Bianchini – which are useful to prevent injuries and improve performance, we go up to 11 workouts. But sometimes 11 workouts within a week cannot be performed due to time constrains. If this is the case, an alternative can be to perform the so-called combined workouts, at least 1 per cycle, for a total of 12 workouts.”

Various authors insist on using the week as a reference, but no one forbids extending this time to 10 days. Coach Luca Bianchini, therefore, hypothesizes two micro-cycle modes, the first based on 7 days, the second on 10. Here they are in detail:

as you can see, a high intensity workout is scheduled every day. Following this type of program for three months (even considering that you can modulate the loads) can lead to functional overload.

By extending the cycle to 10 days, however, you can give more room to recovery and aerobic training, an important basis for endurance sports. As mentioned above, this type of schedule is sometimes hard to follow due to the many commitments we all have. The 7 or 10 day schedule needs to be adapted according to the competition date (which is necessarily held on Saturday or Sunday), therefore, Coach and athlete need to work together to find the right balance between all factors.

Assuming there is a race Sunday, the week can be adapted as follows:

In the case of a race on the 7th day of training, the schedule will be as follows:

In the case of a race on the 10th day of training, the schedule will be as follows:

“The use of the JARVIS training system in triathlon – concludes Coach Luca Bianchini – allows you to perform specific training for each distance. There are different steps, from the analysis of the performance model to the planning of training. The continuous feedback between athlete and coach represents the ideal combination to optimize performance. And the collaboration between the MD Coach, the triathlon coach and the athlete is the optimal solution for scheduling training times and plan methods to achieve the desired goal.”

To better understand how functional indoor training in triathlon with MD JARVIS can optimize performance in the first 3 months of an Ironman season, click here.

Indoor triathlon training, especially Ironman distance training, is increasingly present in the life of athletes, amateurs and professionals. If before “smart training” was considered an option for a few, today it is becoming an integral part of a training strategy aimed at optimizing the performance for many. A multipurpose tool like MagneticDays JARVIS smart trainer allows the coach (and the athlete) to introduce specific quality indoor cycling sessions within a weekly schedule.

The use of MD JARVIS smart trainer in weekly indoor training: when and why.

For an athlete, the first three months of each new triathlon season are the most important ones because they test the results of all the hard work carried out during the off season. Once you get to the race, finding the right rhythm, the right pace is key. To do this you need to build endurance, which is gradually developed during each training session. In any triathlon race, especially on Ironman distance, the cycling segment represents a crucial part, certainly the longest portion, and this is why it is fundamental to train it at best without loading the body with exhausting workouts that, in the long run, can only worsen the performance.

“The functional evaluation test with JARVIS – says MD Coach Luca Bianchini – has a dual purpose. It serves both as a verification of the work done during winter and as a starting point for preparing a set of workouts aimed at optimizing the physical condition in progress, and therefore, performance. At first, the new threshold and the respective training zones are identified, both in terms of Watt and heart rate. Then, we analyze the characteristics of the cadence and the over-the-threshold capacity to understand how you can intervene to improve performance. All this keeping in mind that during the first three months of the season the athlete, and his/her body, needs to get used to a more constant pace of physical and mental effort.”

The advantages of a MagneticDays personalized training program

A personalized training program must necessarily start from good planning. The underlying concept of the HTT methodology is to follow the polarized method. This training method consists in investing about 75-80% of the training volume in the aerobic zone, while the remaining is at high intensity. Considering that an amateur athlete spends approximately 10 hours of training for the cycling part (cycling and triathlon), about 7-8 are typically performed on the weekend with long rides. The remaining 2 hours of training should be done at high intensity. These two hours of high intensity training can be carried on MagneticDays JARVIS smart trainer to perform HTT workouts and thus optimize the indoor training program.

“The concept behind every workout – continues Coach MD Luca Bianchini – is to increase and improve performance which, in the case of cycling, translates into the supply of more watt at the same heart rate. Using the heart rate (internal load) as an absolute reference can sometimes be misleading. In case of fatigue, the heart struggles to rise and to modulate based on the watt delivered, while the watt (external load) are always the same and do not take into account the physical state of the athlete. With MD JARVIS smart trainer, the heart can be seen as an internal state control system which follows an external load that the coach is able to verify together with the athlete’s feedback. Increasing the threshold watts is not enough for excellent performance. Theoretically the threshold is the power that we can maintain for about 60 minutes, but not everybody can do this, sometimes because those watts have not been consolidated.”

In this time of the year (from March to June), when the Ironman triathlon season has not yet started, we are in the optimal period to consolidate the performance improved during the winter. The first races will serve as a test to see if the programming has had its effects. Each athlete’s goals are different. There are those who want to compete a race for the pleasure of doing it, and those who want to achieve important goals (from the podium to the Italian sprint triathlon Championship to the final of the Ironman in Hawaii). What unites all these athletes and the variety of their goals is to perform at their top during the competition. The best training for a race is the race itself, but you obviously cannot compete every week and expect a perfect performance every competition. Furthermore, to train for triathlon, where the effort is 100%, you need to follow an even more focused program.

If we are only talking about one of the three disciplines in triathlon (cycling) programming is quite simple, but being able to perfectly modulate all three disciplines is complex. There are some factors that must be taken into account:

• number of days until the target race
• time available for training
• load capacity of the athlete
• alternation between days of high intensity and low intensity
• training insertion of combined workouts (generally cycling-running)
• interpretation of the performance model
• enhancement of the deficient discipline

These are just a few points a coach needs to keep in mind to optimize the annual schedule. In the second part of this article we will analyze how to optimize the performance in triathlon.