You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I've set up and Elite Direto trainer with an old Inbred of mine, primarily for cardiac rehab. and it comes with a 1 year subscription to Elite's own "[url= https://www.elite-it.com/en/products/app-software/my-e-training ]MyETraining[/url]" (although you still have to pay on top for some features). Since the trainer itself was costly I thought that it would make sense to give it a go but it's fairly bewildering (poor built in help and some Italian text associated with built in training programmes).
I've done a Fitness Test which, despite sweating like a pig, sadly puts me very solidly in the Sedentary category (although after 3 heart attacks and a resulting 14+ months of associated relative inactivity probably shouldn't surprise me).
It looks like I also need to do something called an FTP Test but after that I'm rather flummoxed. Are there any good online resources that will give me a good grounding in using the App and creating fun training programmes?
My main purpose is to get me through the Winter (I'm now painfully susceptible to the cold & have Reynaud's Syndrome on top of the heart disease) and to give me confidence to get out on my bike.
The Elite app isn't that friendly, generally I only use to do a "calibration test" once in a while after using the basic "levels" resistance program for 10mins+.
https://www.rgtcycling.com/pricing/ still looks to have a free version, but I've not tried it in a while.
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/membership/article/20181205-Zwift-member-benefit-0 gives you full access for 7 days, including their FTP tests and workouts.
Is it wise doing ftp tests with heart problems? There are various ways of estimating it but the short ramp tests will properly max you out.
I know there are folk on here who train hard after having heart issues, so they can hopefully advise.
I've found a card with a KinoMap code in the packaging although it doesn't say how long it's for; perhaps I have a look at this at some point.
Is it wise doing ftp tests with heart problems? There are various ways of estimating it but the short ramp tests will properly max you out.
I don't know to be honest, I'm very new to trainers and the plan was simply to improve my health & confidence enough to get back out on the real bike; perhaps I should give the FTP test a miss 😕
To be fair the Elite app is crap, Zwift on the other hand just works and it's not exactly expensive.
I guess these are individual rides rather than a training program perse, but there are some pre-built workouts already in myEtraining classified as intervals, endurance etc which you can use based on your FTP. You can also just write your own workouts by just inputting power and duration using their app, you can alter the % difficulty while it is in progress. You could make them based on these sorts of workouts, you might need an idea of your FTP but there is always the difficulty adjuster https://whatsonzwift.com/workouts/less-than-an-hour-to-burn/emilys-short-mix/.
If you're not looking to have a really hard session (or don't want to do an FTP test because of your heart problems - for reference most people say if you have done a 20min FTP test you should feel like vomitting by the end) then I think myEtraining is probably the least appropriate kind of training software. A fun training program doesn't really exist! I only used it for short, hard intervals (30-60seconds at approx 115% of FTP) as part of a 45-60min workout which obviously involves a lot of stuff at or close to maximum heart rate.
If you don't get on with Elite try a free trial of one of the programs where you have something to look at. I like Fulgaz where you watch a video of a real road and the trainer resistance is adjusted as the gradient of the road changes - Rouvy and BigRingVR are similar and have free trials too - you should be good for a month or two. Bit more entertaining and as I don't have the time or discipline to stick to a regimented training program its good to just throw on and ride. Fulgaz is only £10 a month if you like it.
I wouldn’t use it for training on a ongoing basis, dull as dishwater. Get Zwift or another option like RGT, that app was free I’m not sure if still is.