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Workout Levels

Workout Levels are a metric within TrainerRoad that provide a way to easily compare the difficulty of workouts. Workout levels compare the relative difficulty of workouts within each energy system and training zone. They range from 1 to 10, with 1 representing an easy workout and 10 being a very difficult one. How are Workout Levels calculated? Workout Levels go beyond traditional metrics, like Training Stress Score (TSS) and Intensity Factor (IF). They utilize TrainerRoad AI's data-driven insights and incorporate nuanced factors such as repetition, interval length, and recovery time to quantify the relative difficulty of each TrainerRoad workout. The result is workout difficulty rankings that are based on real-world experience and easy to understand. Workout Levels are unique to TrainerRoad, using a formula derived from machine learning and based on our extensive data set. Where are Workout Levels displayed? The primary Workout Level for a workout is displayed on the workout profile alongside other workout information such as duration, TSS, and IF. You will see the workout level on all TrainerRoad workouts: Screenshot 2026-07-16 at 3.09.40 PM.png Workout Levels on the Calendar You will also see a workouts primary Workout Level in the upper left hand corner below the title of the workout when viewing an individual workout: Screenshot 2026-07-16 at 3.11.31 PM.png Primary Workout Level for an Individual Workout Note: The only structured workouts without Workout Levels are FTP assessments and custom workouts. When viewing a TrainerRoad workout you will also see the other Workout Levels targeted in any given workout in the Workout Levels chart below AI Predicted Difficulty. These levels show the performance targets for that particular workout relative to your current FTP: Screenshot 2026-07-16 at 3.18.07 PM.png FAQ How are these different from my individual Athlete Levels? Your individual Athlete Levels are a representation of your capabilities within the context of Workout Levels. Workout Levels are ML-driven quantifications of the relative difficulty workouts. Athlete Levels show your relative current abilities across Training Zones. You can check your Athlete Levels in your Career in the relative zone to check what difficulty of workouts are right for you based on your current abilities. Are Workout Levels always comparable? While Workout Levels do give you a good sense of how a workout might compare relative to another workout in TrainerRoad, Workout Levels are not strictly comparable even within one zone. How a workout feels to you can vary from one workout to the next based on the overall structure and duration of the workout. For this reason we recommend using AI Predicted Difficulty alongside Workout Levels for more insight into how your planned training might feel. Are Workout Levels personalized to each athlete? No. Workout Levels are assigned to a specific workout based on its difficulty and are calculated regardless of an athlete's abilities. Individual Athlete Levels are unique to each athlete. Your Progression Levels give you an indication of what workout difficulty you will be capable of completing. Will my custom workouts have Workout Levels? No, custom workouts do not currently have Workout Levels. Will Outside Workouts have Workout Levels? Yes. Every Outside Workout in the TrainerRoad workout library will have Workout Levels assigned to them. If you find an Outside Workout that doesn't have Workout Levels, please contact [email protected]

TrainerRoad AI • Last updated on Jul 16, 2026

Athlete Levels

Athlete Levels are a dynamic, real-time representation of your fitness and ability to express your FTP across each training zone. They are measured on a scale from 1-10 to track your progress. Screenshot 2026-01-21 at 9.47.30 AM.png As you complete rides, TrainerRoad AI analyzes and adjusts these levels based on the relative difficulty of your workouts in each zone, as well as how successful you were in completing them. Where are Athlete Levels displayed? You can find your up to date Athlete levels on the Career page in the TrainerRoad website and the TrainerRoad app. Screenshot 2026-01-21 at 9.45.35 AM.png FAQs Why did my Athlete Levels change? - Completing Workouts Athlete Levels are determined by the level of recent workouts an athlete has completed in that power zone and how successfully they completed these workouts. If your performance warrants an adjustment to your Athlete Level, this will happen once the ride is completed and saved. - FTP Increase Athlete Levels automatically adjust downwards after an FTP increase. This is because two factors affect the difficulty of a workout: your FTP and the Workout Level. If either of these factors increases, the scheduled workout gets harder and vice versa. By reducing your Athlete Levels (and in turn, upcoming Workout Levels) we can offset the sudden increase in workout difficulty traditionally associated with FTP increases. As a result, we can more accurately serve you the right workouts for your current capabilities, to keep your training on track and ramp the difficulty of your workouts at a sustainable rate. - Time Off Your capabilities decline when you take time off the bike or don't train specific skills for extended periods. To reflect this, your Athlete Levels gradually adjust after time off, or after long periods without completed workouts in any individual training zone. The magnitude of these time-related adjustments varies from Level-to-Level because changes in different types of fitness occur at different rates. Why did my Athlete Levels stay the same after my FTP Decreased? Your FTP decreasing will result in easier workouts in itself since the power targets will be reduced. That means your Athlete Levels will not be reduced unless you continue to struggle with workouts at your new FTP. If you think you're capable of a more challenging workout than what's scheduled, you can use Workout Alternates to find a more difficult workout. TrainerRoad AI will adjust your future training based on your performance. Why didn't my Athlete Levels Change after Completing a Workout? Not every workout will change your Athlete Levels! If you complete a workout at or below your current level, and stuck to the power targets, you won't see an Athlete Level change.

TrainerRoad AI • Last updated on Jan 21, 2026

AI Predicted Difficulty

AI Predicted Difficulty gives you insight into how a workout is expected to feel. AI Predicted Difficulty is based on your recent training, recovery, and fitness level. This prediction helps you set expectations, pace properly, and make better decisions around fueling, rest, and training. What Is AI Predicted Difficulty? Every workout in TrainerRoad includes a predicted difficulty rating. This rating is calculated using TrainerRoad AI’s understanding of your fitness and fatigue, including: - Your recent performance in each training zone - Accumulated training load - Recent workouts, skipped rides, and added volume - Recovery needs and upcoming training demands Where You’ll See It Every TrainerRoad workout has an AI Predicted Difficulty. You can view a full breakdown of a workout's AI Predicted Difficulty when you select a TrainerRoad workout. You can also see a preview of the most likely RPE for that workout in the workout card for a scheduled workout on your Calendar. Screen Shot 2025-12-30 at 3.41.09 PM.png _For this athlete, Coy is predicted to be a moderate effort. _ You’ll see the predicted difficulty for any given workouts as one of six levels: 1. Easy 2. Moderate 3. Hard 4. Very Hard 5. Maximal Effort 6. Fail This prediction is personal. Two athletes with the same workout on their calendar can see different difficulty ratings based on how prepared they are to complete it and what training they have done recently. If a workout is predicted to feel Maximal Effort, but it’s not intended to be a key training session, that may be a sign that TrainerRoad AI is accounting for recent fatigue. Does This Affect My Training? AI Predicted Difficulty is informational. It doesn’t change your workout or plan by itself. However, it’s often used alongside other AI tools to help guide adjustments. If a workout looks harder than you feel like you can do today, you can swap it out for a Workout Alternate with a lower predicted difficulty! You can also use the prediction to help manage pacing, nutrition, and recovery in advance of the scheduled workout.

TrainerRoad AI • Last updated on Jan 21, 2026

How to Add Group and Solo Rides to your Training Plan

Following a custom TrainerRoad training plan doesn’t mean you have to stop doing the rides that made you fall in love with the sport. Do you have a local group ride that happens every week? Or maybe you just want to go on a solo ride on the weekends without worrying too much about following a structured workout. If you’ve ever wondered how to fit those rides around your training plan, we’ve made it easy. Now you can build those rides right into your training plan using Plan Builder! Not using a custom plan? Not a problem. You can scroll to the bottom of the article for steps on how to add Group and Solo Rides to your Calendar. How to Create a Plan with Group or Solo Rides Proceed through Plan Builder, on the desktop app, mobile app, or TrainerRoad website, until you reach the Training Schedule step. At this step, you’ll see a preview of what a typical week will look like in your training plan. Each workout can be set to a TrainerRoad Indoor Cycling ride or one of our three Outdoor Cycling options: TrainerRoad Outside, Group Ride, and Solo Ride. Choose which day(s) you want to do a Group Ride or Solo Ride. Each training day of the week has a “difficulty” associated with it: You'll see “Hard Intervals”, “Endurance”, “Easy Ride”, or "Hard Ride". If you swap a “Hard Intervals” day to be a Group/Solo Ride, it will change to a “Hard Ride”. Don’t worry about doing structured intervals that day, but try to go hard whether you’re riding in a group or on your own. And if that ride ends up being particularly brutal, Red Light Green Light will make sure you get proper recovery to avoid burnout. For days that call for Endurance or Easy Ride, try your best to do what your training plan would have prescribed. If you know your ride is going to be hard, we recommend scheduling it on a day that would have been “Hard Intervals”. You can also set the duration of Group Rides and Solo Rides in Plan Builder. From a short 30-minute ride, up to 5 hours long. How It Works Once added to your Calendar, you’ll see Group Rides and Solo Rides built right into your training plan! In place of Progression Levels, you’ll see the difficulty of the day on each workout. And when you open those rides, you’ll have training guidance on how to approach that ride based on the difficulty that the plan calls for. AllCopy.png If a Group or Solo Ride happens to fall on a Red or Yellow Day, they’ll adapt accordingly. Hard Rides will adapt to be Easy Rides, and any ride will adapt to a Rest Day. Screenshot 2024-07-03 at 14.42.02.png How to Replace Workouts with Group or Solo Rides You can replace TrainerRoad workouts in existing training plans with Group or Solo Rides, or vice-versa, right on the Calendar. To change a single workout on your Calendar, simply right-click on the workout you need to change and choose Ride Solo or Ride With a Group from the pop-out menu. To change one of your recurring weekly workouts, click on the plan or training phase annotation on your Calendar (e.g. the name of your plan on your starting date or your Base, Build, Specialty phase) to bring up the Training Plan Overview window. Hover over your Training Days and click Edit Weekly Schedule. You can also click "Edit Plan" to re-enter the Plan Builder flow until you reach the Training Schedule section. From here, you can change any training day of the week to be Indoor Cycling, or Outdoor Cycling with an option of TrainerRoad Workout, Group Ride, or Solo Ride. You can also adjust the duration of each day’s workout, and drag-and-drop each workout to any day of the week. After you’ve made your desired changes, click Update and confirm that you want to overwrite your original plan settings and any previous edits you’ve made. How To Add a Group or Solo Ride Without a Custom Plan 1. Navigate to your TrainerRoad Calendar. 2. Click on the day you want to schedule a Group or Solo Ride. 3. From the menu, choose either "Solo Ride" or "Group Ride" from the menu. 4. Set this ride to be a Solo or Group Ride and fill out the rest of the ride details. Note: You can schedule these rides to repeat in your Calendar, so you won't have to add a ride each week or month if it repeats.

General Usage FAQs • Last updated on Aug 20, 2026

How to Analyze Ride Data

Dig into the details of your indoor ride, including power, heart rate, cadence, TSS, Intensity Factor, and more in the workouts ride analysis page. You will see a ride analysis page for both indoor and outdoor cycling workouts with full breakdown of the workout and the data from that workout. How to Find a Workouts Ride Analysis Page Step One: Log in to your account on the TrainerRoad website. Step Two: In the left sidebar, select Career and click Activity List. You can filter by activity type, filter by zone, or search for a ride by name. ride-analysis-01-activity-list.png Step Three: Click any ride from this list to open its Ride Analysis page. You can also open a completed ride directly from your Calendar by selecting the ride on the Calendar and then selecting View Details: ride-analysis-14-calendar-drawer.png Everything Included in the Workout Analysis Page The workout analysis page includes a few different sections. Here's what each section includes and how to drill into them: The Workout Graph The graph at the top of the page shows your ride from start to finish. Move your cursor along the graph to see target power, heart rate, and power for any moment in the ride. ride-analysis-03-graph-tooltip.png Within the workout graph you can click and drag across the graph to select a section of your ride. The metrics panel updates to show stats for just that selection, so you can check the numbers on a single climb, interval, or surge. ride-analysis-04-drag-selection.png With a section selected, you can also use the buttons above the graph to, zoom In to magnify the selected section, add Interval to save the selection as a custom interval and reset to clear the selection and return to the full ride view. From the workout graph at the top of the ride analysis page you can also find: 1. Legend toggles: Click the items in the legend above the graph to show or hide each data series, like heart rate or Normalized Power. 2. Key Metric Panel: The panel to the right of the graph summarizes the ride, including duration, average and max power, heart rate, TSS, Intensity Factor, and kJ. For TrainerRoad workouts, your numbers appear next to the workout's target numbers. 3. Workout FTP: The horizontal line labeled with your FTP shows how the ride's efforts compare to your threshold at the time of this workout. Intervals The Intervals tab below the graph lists every interval in the ride with its duration, Normalized Power, average power, heart rate, and cadence. TrainerRoad workouts list each interval by name. Outdoor rides list the laps recorded by your bike computer, plus any custom intervals you create. ride-analysis-06-intervals-tab.png Click any interval in the table to highlight that section of the ride on the graph. The metrics panel updates to show the stats for that interval. ride-analysis-07-interval-highlight.png How to Create Custom Intervals You can also create custom intervals for a workout using the workout graph at the top of the ride analysis page. Here is how you can create a custom interval: Step One: Click and drag across the graph to select the section you want to save. Step Two: Click Add Interval above the graph. Step Three: Give the interval a name, fine-tune the start and end times if needed, and click Save. Your custom interval now appears in the Intervals table alongside the rest of the ride's intervals. ride-analysis-05-add-interval.png Power Zones The Power Zones tab shows how much time you spent in each power zone during the ride. Click a zone in the table to highlight that power range on the graph. You can also click Add Zone to create a custom zone with your own power range, and the bottom of the table shows which power source recorded the ride. ride-analysis-08-power-zones.png Power Records The Power Records tab shows your best power for every duration within this ride, from short sprints to the full ride. For TrainerRoad workouts, the Prescribed line shows what the workout asked for, so you can see how your effort compared. Use the date range selectors to compare this ride against other time periods, and use the toggles above the chart to switch between Normalized Power, average power, and heart rate. To explore your all-time power records across every ride, see How to Analyze Power Records. Analyzing Your Outdoor Ride Data Outdoor rides have everything that indoor rides with a few additional metrics like: 1. Elevation profile: A gray elevation profile appears behind the graph. 2. Outdoor metrics: The metrics panel adds distance, elevation gain, speed, and average gradient. The tooltip also shows elevation and grade as you move along the graph. 3. Time or Distance: Use the toggle above the graph to switch the graph between time and distance. ride-analysis-11-outdoor-graph.png Rides with GPS data also include a map of your route with start and finish markers. As you move your cursor along the graph, a position marker moves along the route, so you can see exactly where on the road each effort happened. ride-analysis-12-outdoor-map.png What About Rides Without Power Data? If a ride has no power data, the power-based tabs are hidden and you'll see the Intervals tab only. You can still estimate the ride's training stress so it counts toward your training. Click Estimate TSS in the banner at the top of the page and rate the ride's intensity. For more detail, see How to Estimate Training Stress with Heart Rate Data. ride-analysis-13-estimate-tss.png More on the Ride Analysis Page - Post Workout Survey: The banner above the ride details shows your survey response, and lets you add or change one. Your responses help TrainerRoad AI adjust your training. Learn more in What are Post Workout Surveys? - AI Predicted Difficulty: For TrainerRoad workouts, this chart shows how difficult TrainerRoad AI predicted the workout would be for you. Learn more in AI Predicted Difficulty. - Workout Levels: For TrainerRoad workouts, you'll see the workout's levels and any Progression Level changes you earned. Learn more in Workout Levels. - Edit, Delete, and Download: Use the panel on the right to edit the activity's details, delete the activity, or download the ride as a .fit file. Analyzing a run instead? See How to Sync and Analyze Runs in TrainerRoad.

Performance Analytics • Last updated on Jul 29, 2026

Why did my Athlete Levels Adjust after an FTP change?

Changes in FTP may result in changes to your Athlete Levels. This helps ensure that you are still on track for your goals and events and getting the right workout every time. Your FTP is a deciding factor in how difficult your workouts are. If your FTP increases, the scheduled workout get harder. If your FTP decreases, the difficulty of your workouts may lower. My FTP went up, but my Athlete Levels reduced - why? When your FTP increases, the workouts you were completing at your prior FTP may be too challenging at your increased FTP. By adjusting the Athlete Levels, we can offset the FTP increase and serve you the right workouts for your current capabilities. This keeps your training on track and ramps up the difficulty of your workouts at a sustainable rate. My FTP went down, but my Athlete Levels stayed the same - why? Because the power targets will be reduced when your FTP decreases, an FTP decrease will result in easier workouts in and of itself. Because of this, your levels will not be reduced unless you continue to struggle with workouts at your new FTP. If you encounter any potential issues or have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to our Support Team at [email protected]. My Athlete Levels reset to 1s - is TrainerRoad AI adjusting my Athlete Levels correctly? This is most likely due to an FTP increase. Because your Athlete Levels drop when this happens, this can sometimes result in all of them being reset to 1.

TrainerRoad AI • Last updated on Jan 21, 2026

How to use AI Training Simulation

The AI Training Simulation lets you see how adjustments to your training work in real time. Whether you need to change the duration of an upcoming session, swap out a workout, or add a long weekend ride to your schedule, this feature will give you a clear view of how changes made to your plan impact your training. What Is the AI Training Simulation? The AI Training Simulation is a four week view into your training. It shows how every change you make, whether it’s a completed workout, a skipped day, an added long ride, or a rest day influences your upcoming workouts, predicted fatigue, and even your FTP. You’ll see this window highlighted on your TrainerRoad calendar, updating live as TrainerRoad AI recalculates your training plan with each change that you make. Screenshot 2026-01-21 at 8.38.54 AM.png How to use the AI Training Simulation Inside the AI Training Simulation Window, you’ll notice dynamic, real-time updates that reflect how TrainerRoad AI is managing your training. Every completed workout, added ride, or calendar adjustment can change how the next four weeks unfold. 1. Plan Your Training When you add a training plan to your Calendar with Plan Builder or add TrainerRoad workouts to your Calendar TrainerRoad AI will make changes to your planned workouts using your current fitness, fatigue, and training goals. This selection updates instantly when changes happen. This includes completing a ride, adding upcoming outside rides, missing workouts, or making any sort of changes to your schedule. You’ll see workouts automatically update across the Simulation Window. 2. Monitor Rest and Recovery TrainerRoad AI continually monitors your training load and recovery needs to prevent unproductive fatigue. TrainerRoad AI uses yellow and red highlights on your Calendar to indicate where you might need to back off or take extra rest. - Avoid Intensity days indicate mild overreaching. You may see an easier workout assigned on a day with a yellow highlight to allow for recovery. - Recommended rest days suggest higher levels of fatigue. On these days scheduled workouts may be swapped out for full rest days. - Screenshot 2026-01-21 at 8.46.49 AM.png 3. Track Changes to Your FTP If your next AI FTP Detection falls within the four week Simulation Window, you’ll see a projected FTP value based on your current trajectory. This forecast helps you understand how your training affects your FTP. It’s especially useful for gauging whether your recent efforts and upcoming plan are aligned with your goals. Screen Shot 2025-12-30 at 4.37.19 PM.png 4. Know Your Upcoming Workouts Difficulty Each workout includes a predicted difficulty rating based on how TrainerRoad AI expects it to feel. This rating is based on workout design as well as your recent training and performance. Ratings include: Easy, Moderate, Hard, Very Hard, Maximal Effort and Fail. When you open up any given workout in TrainerRoad you will see each rating with how likely that workout will feel for you in each given difficulty zone. Screenshot 2026-01-21 at 8.41.52 AM.png Knowing your workouts predicted difficulty can help with pacing, nutrition planning, and managing expectations before key workouts. Frequently Asked Questions How do I know if I’m in the AI Training Simulation? The AI Training Simulation Window is always visible on your calendar as a highlighted 28-day block starting from today. Any workouts inside this window are actively managed and updated by TrainerRoad AI as your training evolves. What happens when I skip or change a workout? TrainerRoad AI instantly recalculates your plan. You’ll see upcoming workouts update one by one to reflect your new fatigue level, fitness adaptations, or recovery needs. This includes changes to intensity, duration, and workout type. What are the yellow and red highlights on the Calendar? These are recommended rest days and avoid intensity days. - Avoid Intensity = mild fatigue. TrainerRoad will put a yellow highlight on an avoid intensity day and may adjust upcoming workouts to be easier. - Recommended rest day = higher fatigue. You may see recommended rest days appear on days where red appears in your Calendar. Why is my predicted FTP changing? If you’re scheduled for an AI FTP Detection within the Simulation Window, TrainerRoad AI will show a forecast of what your FTP is expected to be by that date. You might see changes after completing or skipping workouts as well as making any changes to your upcoming schedule. Do I need to take any action on these updates? Nope. TrainerRoad AI handles everything behind the scenes. But if you want more control, you can always modify, replace, or restore workouts and the AI will adapt accordingly.

TrainerRoad AI • Last updated on Jan 21, 2026

Why is AI FTP Detection Only Available Every 28 Days?

Changes in fitness take time. The physiological process that drives changes in your functional threshold power (FTP) can take months of training, recovering, and getting faster, as your body gradually adapts to repeated training stress. This is why AI FTP Detection isn’t available more often than every 28 days. Updating your FTP too frequently isn’t only unnecessary, but doing so can actually have negative impacts on your training. That’s because structured training is based on the principle of progressive overload, in which carefully chosen workouts incrementally increase in difficulty to appropriately challenge the right physiological systems and build your fitness. Frequent FTP changes can disrupt the pace and magnitude of this progression and can prevent you from completing key sequences of workouts you need to reach your goals. In other words, using AI FTP Detection at intervals of 28 days or longer doesn’t just reflect the gradual pace of changing fitness. It also helps you get the most out of your training and makes you faster. What if my Abilities Change Within 28 Days? FTP is not the only measure of your fitness. Between AI FTP Detections, your Progression Levels monitor your progress and track subtle changes in your abilities from day to day, even when your FTP doesn’t meaningfully change. Progression Levels track your capacity to express your current FTP in different training zones at any given time. For example, increasing your ability to hold steady power within your VO2 Max training zone from one minute to three minutes at the same FTP demonstrates significant progress and is reflected by changes in your Progression Levels. Progression Levels allow TrainerRoad AI to customize your training each day, ensuring that your workouts always match your changing needs. Whether you crush a breakthrough workout or take some unexpected time off, your Progression Levels will respond, and your training will adjust to keep you on track for your goals. Simply put, your abilities will change between AI FTP Detections in ways FTP alone can’t accurately reflect. Progression Levels have you covered, working hand-in-hand with AI FTP Detection to track every change in your fitness, whether big or small, up or down. I Didn’t Accept my Recent AI FTP Detection. Can I Get a New Detection Sooner Than 28 Days? If you keep your current FTP instead of accepting AI FTP Detection’s results, the newly-detected FTP will still be available for you to accept at any time during the next 28 days. Simply click the AI FTP Button from your Account Settings or from any FTP Test, and you’ll again be presented with the option to accept it, along with a countdown to when your next detection will be available. If you haven’t accepted your newly detected FTP and something happens to significantly decrease your fitness within 28 days (for example, if you take extended time off the bike), AI FTP Detection will automatically adjust your still-available prediction downwards to make sure you get the right workouts and power targets. This will prevent you from accepting a too-high FTP, and it won’t affect the 28-day countdown until your next detection is available.

TrainerRoad AI • Last updated on Jul 16, 2026