I like to do an extra warmup before some workouts and to save having to load the next workout after you finish the first workout, it would be nice to be able to load the 2 workouts at the start and when the first one finishes go straight into the next automatically
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Is it a specific warm up or just additional spinning?
I ask because we have the option to extend warm ups (and cool downs) anytime during that segment.
I would like to do the 20 min warmup workout first as it takes me a good 40 minutes to get fully warmed up, I am the other side of 50 now and each year it seems to get longer and longer to feel fully warmed up. I was not aware the extend warm up feature though
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Just click the [Extend Warmup] when you start the workout.
Then choose the time to add. You can add more than once to make the precise addition you want. As mentioned, it is the same in Cool Down.
thanks for pointing that out but I would prefer to do a specific work out to warm up rather than just extend a portion of the warm up. The stacked workouts could also be used to do any back to back workouts if you so wished to do that
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If you use the extend feature you can always ignore the prescribed watts and do a set warm up yourself. Saves having to get off the bike & after doing it a few times you’ll know what you need to do in terms of watts//duration.
but why not be able to go from one workout straight into another if you so wish
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It’s all about relative cost and benefit. The workflow to do what you want already exists: schedule two workouts, complete the first, select the next after you finish the first. So the benefit isn’t a new thing, it’s saving two or three clicks when you’re on the bike.
The cost is substantial. How do the workouts get glued together? How does it appear on the calendar? How do you gesture these two workouts go together? All new development.
They may have had this idea, and it make be in their list. But there are likely to be many things that enable users to do new things that they will do all the time rather than a convience feature for an edge case.
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it seems that the “convenience for an edge case” doesn’t bode well with some
It would not need to impact the calendar, It would only need to be in the application and a simple option along with the “load workout” that would be “load another workout” to follow on
The point of the comment above is the time and effort required to solve this request.
“Simple” things in software development are rarely simple. We don’t really know one way or the other in this case. But what I know is that things usually take more time and effort than we might expect or want to be the case.
As such, there are likely higher priority tasks and tools that would have a broader application. Again, all speculation on my part, and it is great to have this request.
FYI, it has been requested before, so you aren’t “alone”.
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This would be one of my feature requests too. There have been periods when I’ve scheduled two rides following each other, usually but not always something like Pettit after a longer sweet spot/threshold workout.
To broaden the point out is that if TR is heading towards being a serious alternative to some other well known training planning platforms then it will become important in more ways. It will materially affect the PD curve that is currently generated for some, just as the fact that the auto pause feature during workouts means that the downloaded .fit file is an inaccurate record of the workout if, for example a toilet break is needed, and inflates power numbers.
From my personal use case this would be a welcome addition to TR but above that, if it wants to become a more seriously analytical platform as well as being a great training resource it will have to happen at some point whether by stacking workouts or having the ability to merge them (with the gap between them) after the fact.
This may not be the full direction of travel of course and may not be the ultimate market TR is aiming at but if it is, however far down the track, it might be worth building into the framework sooner rather than later. What is thought of as a "convenience feature for an edge case’ would then become rather more central.
That could be an option but probably not a big issue for most users. I was just giving you a workaround.
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Nothing pisses off software developers more than being told that a feature request is simple. Simple in concept, maybe, but making things robust, especially across multiple platforms, is rarely simple.
Instead of telling developers how easy the job is, it’s usually better to tell them about the time it would save you, or the benefits that you just can’t get any other way. In my company we use a cost-to-society model, so if something takes more time to implement that it will save for the user base, it doesn’t get done unless there’s some other good reason.
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@graham.ste What I have done to solve the warm up problem is to use Workout Creator. The night prior to a ride, I import the planned ride into Workout Creator and add the warmup. To make this process FAST, I have created a set of “snippets” and simply drag the one(s) I want to the start of the ride. Once I complete the modification(s) I want, I click “publish”. Then I go to the TrainerRoad app, sync and the modified ride is available.
A couple of warmup snippet examples include a 6 or 9min sequence of 2 or 3 mins each of 40, 45 and 50% so I don’t have to start off at the typical 60% level and have time to get my muscles and joints warmed up. A 2nd snippet example is that I created a low resistance cadence ladder. In addition to providing additional muscle warmup, it’s a great cadence skills drill beyond what Coach Chad suggests during workouts.
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Firstly my I apologise on two counts, if I offended any software developers by using the term “simple” for the option to load a follow on workout and for being an “edge case” asking for a bit of “convenience”
I thought the idea of “Feature Request” on the forum was so that an idea could grow into what could be potentially more useful, productive and convenient for TrainerRoad users, before the software developers get involved, if TrainerRoad take on board the request. Not to be shot down on the first few instances by I am assuming are non TrainerRoad employees and given etiquette lessons on how you should present an idea to the software developers without offending them.
I do appreciate the tips that have been suggested as a get around to the feature request I posted but why have a get around, instead of a feature that makes the application run more seamlessly for the end user. Is that not an integral part of an application?
For sure, the request is valid. No denying that.
But Nate is a fan of discussion on these types of topics. Usually we end up with some variation on the initial theme that is better than the original suggestion.
But the comments are also used to consider the impact on development and use as well.
If you want to make a direct suggestion to TR and sidestep the discussion, here is an option for that.
I actually think this is a really good idea…to build onto it, it would be awesome if the user could bolt their standard warmup to the front of a workout (say, Pahrah or Laurel) and, if desired, have that warmup replace the native warmup in the workout…would be really good for people who need a little longer warmup or just want to standardize their warmup when they find what works best for them.
For example, I like to use the same warmup (a custom workout I created) before every race…would make sense for me to do that same warm up before workouts, wouldn’t it?
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I think the work-arounds described to you are being put out there as a short term solution. The descriptions of ROI and impact of this vs other development efforts are being used (perhaps inelegantly) to explain that you may need to get used to your short term solution.
The way I think of these things (I work in software development) is that there are many valid things for a given development team to work on. These vary from sales drivers, to defect resolution, to things to help out your support team. They also vary on size to complete as well as value added to the business.
All of us without exposure to the various priorities and complexities of the Trainer Road SDLC are making some assumptions here - but this type of item seems likely to be something of (relatively) small value and unknown complexity. As such it is hard to imagine it ending up in a release in the near future. Thus - the explanations about ways to get your desired functionality now are simply trying to make you a happy user while you wait to see if this will be implemented in the product
None of this is to say your request isn’t valid - I think that’s the part that maybe was missing from some of the earlier posts
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I’m just starting to load my plan into the calendar for 2019 and was thinking about the short warm ups. As I look at each of the workouts on the calendar, it would be nice to have the “extend warm up” feature available on the calendar. As I look at the short warm ups, I would really like to add 5 minutes to each one (mainly the 60 minute workouts). It would be nice to be able to click a feature on the calendar rather than waiting to start the workout before you are able to extend the warm up. I have to start the workout then get off my bike to get to my phone to extend the WU.
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I’d also like to throw in a request for this, or rather the ability to use the workout creator to combine two trainerroad workouts together. Yes, I can import one and recreate the second one but then I lose the great instructional text for the second workout.
As a new trainerroad user the text on form, breathing, etc… Is a great reminder and since all the workouts are new to me I don’t have any idea what is said in any of them.
-Kyle