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The Training Balance

Successful endurance training is about finding the right balance between stress and recovery. Stride helps you manage this balance through three key metrics: Load (fitness), Fatigue (tiredness and form).

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Load: Your Bank Account

Load represents your current load level. Think of it as your “fitness bank account” - the cumulative training you’ve done over the past 42 days. It is NOT your fitness as other platforms suggest. A higher load does not equal a higher FTP. It’s a sign of the long term stress you are putting on your body and what your body is managing.

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How Load Works

  • Calculated from: a two month exponentially weighted average of Training Score
  • Increases when: You train consistently
  • Decreases when: You take time off or reduce training
  • Rate of change: Slow - takes weeks to build or lose significantly

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Building Load Safely

The usual rule: Don’t increase Load by more than 5-7 points per week to avoid injury and burnout. Some athletes can exceed this, but it’s not recommended.

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Progressive Load Building

  • Week 1-4: Build slowly, +3-5 Load/week
  • Week 5-8: Moderate building, +5-7 Load/week
  • Week 9-12: Consolidate gains, +2-4 Load/week
  • Week 13: Recovery week, maintain or slight decrease

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Load Targets by Athlete Type

Athlete LevelTypical Load RangeWeekly HoursDescription
Beginner20-403-5New to structured training
Recreational40-605-8Training for fitness/fun
Enthusiast60-808-12Regular events/races
Competitive80-10012-15Racing seriously
Elite Amateur100-12015-20Podium contender
Professional120+20+Full-time athlete

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Fatigue: Your Recent Effort

Fatigue shows how tired you are from recent training - calculated as your 7-day average Training Score.

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Understanding Fatigue Patterns

  • Spikes quickly: Hard week = high fatigue
  • Drops quickly: Easy week = low fatigue
  • Daily fluctuation: Normal and expected
  • Relative to Load: Compare to your fitness level

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Fatigue Guidelines

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Fatigue Relative to Load

  • Fatigue > Load: You’re training hard, building fitness
  • Fatigue = Load: Maintaining current fitness
  • Fatigue < Load: Well rested, ready for hard efforts

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Absolute Fatigue Levels

  • Under 40: Very fresh, might be detraining
  • 40-60: Normal training, well balanced
  • 60-80: Hard training block
  • 80-100: Very hard training, monitor closely
  • Over 100: Risk of overtraining, consider rest

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Form: Your Performance Readiness

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Reading Your Numbers

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Advanced Strategies

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Periodization Using Load/Fatigue

Base Phase (12 weeks)
  • Gradually build Load from 50 to 80
  • Keep Fatigue between -10 and -20
  • Focus on volume over intensity
Build Phase (8 weeks)
  • Maintain or slightly increase Load
  • Fatigue can go to -25 during hard weeks
Peak Phase (3 weeks)
  • Maintain Load
  • Fatigue rises from -15 to +5
  • Race ready at end

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Using Form to Guide Training

Form RangeTraining Decision
Below -30Take rest day, risk of overtraining
-30 to -20Normal hard training, monitor fatigue
-20 to -10Balanced training, ideal for most days
-10 to 0Fresh, good for intervals or testing
0 to +10Peak form, race or maintain
Above +10Too fresh, losing fitness, train more

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Building Load Too Fast
    • Leads to injury or burnout
    • Stick to 5-7 point weekly increase
  2. Chronic High Fatigue
    • Never recovering properly
    • Include regular easy weeks
  3. Chasing High Form Year-Round
    • Positive Form means you’re not training enough
    • Reserve for important events
  4. Ignoring the Numbers
    • Feeling terrible with “good” numbers? Rest anyway
    • Numbers guide but don’t dictate

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Recovery Strategies

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When Fatigue is Too High

  • Take a complete rest day
  • Do active recovery (50% FTP or less)
  • Reduce workout intensity by 10-20%
  • Focus on sleep and nutrition
  • Consider massage or stretching

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Planning Recovery Weeks

Every 3-4 weeks:
  • Reduce weekly volume by 40-50%
  • Keep 1-2 intensity sessions but shorter
  • Add extra rest day
  • Let Form become less negative
Remember: Fitness is built during recovery, not just during training. Respect the recovery process!

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Next Steps

Understanding Metrics

Deep dive into all Stride metrics

Training Plans

Follow structured plans that manage Load/Fatigue for you