PerfectPace’s intelligent training-plan algorithm

PerfectPace took another step towards the future with its intelligent training plan algorithm that is based on proven methods from sport science. It takes into account your individual fitness level, your available training time and your seasonal goal.

100% science

A PerfectPace training plan is 100% based on scientific findings. Every single activity that is placed in your calendar is there for a reason. The first step is to calculate the macro cycle of your season. This consists of four blocks that are spread over the year:

  • General preparation phase
  • Specific preparation phase
  • Competition phase
  • Transition phase

These phases define the rough content of your training, like base endurance- , strength- or speed training.

The meso cycle, which is the interplay between training-, recovery- and tapering weeks, will be placed within the grid of the macro cycle. But the meso cycle might also contain single sport specific training blocks that put special emphasis on just your swim, bike or run performance.

Finally the micro-cycle defines the placement of the actual trainings in your calendar. The algorithm has to follow certain rules for the sequence of the sport types as well as the intensity and duration. But this is not all, the athlete’s training stress has to be monitored at all times. Over-training as to be avoided but at the same time the training needs to be demanding enough to create a training stimulus.

100% individual, tailored for you

Stundenplan um die Trainingsverfügbarkeit setzen zu können

Before just a single training gets placed in your calendar, our artificial intelligence will take a close look at who the training plan is for. Your current fitness level will be considered as well as your goals. No need to mention that the training for a sprint distance triathlon looks significantly different than the training for an Ironman. A sprint specialist doesn't need the high volume training but instead has to focus on short and fast activities.

One very important aspect about a training plan is the athlete’s available training time. Most of us have a work and family schedule that has a higher priority. With PerfectPace, you can mark your available training times in a time table that the algorithm will respect. This way the long endurance rides will not be placed on the weekends no matter what but only if you are available.
Even training pauses caused by injury or sickness should be entered in the time table. After a long break the algorithm will start the training again gently until you are ready for higher intensities.

Adaption to changes

You may miss a training because of last minute changes in your schedule, but this is not a problem for your training plan. If there are minor deviations from the plan, nothing is going to happen. However, if you miss several trainings in a row, the plan will be adapted. The plan will also be adapted if your performance levels improve. Of course, you don’t need to worry that you plan is going to change all the time because you are not following the plan 100%. The activities of the next two days are final and the algorithm does not change those, so the app doesn’t tell you to ride your bike when you are on the way to the pool.

Safe

Our algorithm makes sure to avoid over-training. Especially in the beginning of a season, the training starts with moderate volumes. It is important to increase the training volume throughout the season. There are recommendations at which rate the volume should increase from training week to training week and with which volumes the training should resume after a recovery week. A common mistake is to train with high intensities already during the winter months. This leads to an early top-form which is gone by the time of the competition.

PMC red

The Performance Management Chart on the right shows a classic training mistake. The training goes on and on, without a break and at high intensities. The training impulse balance is in the deep red already. This increases the risk for injury or getting sick. With PerfectPace, your performance will rise to the maximum level that is possible with your available training time, but also considering the balance of recovery and training.

Trainer vs. algorithm

Many athletes ask themselves, if the training plan of an algorithm can be as good as the plan from a trainer. We are 100% certain that this is possible. We believe that in the future trainers will use algorithms that support them in their work, that check for certain patterns in the training and the performance of athletes that otherwise might stay hidden because a manual analysis would be too time consuming.
The biggest advantage of an algorithm right now is that it is 100% objective. It follows the training methodologies recommended by sport scientists and monitors your improvements.