Important Garmin beta update for latest models

Español

Español

Cambiar idioma

Garmin has released in recent weeks a couple of beta updates for its main models. Specifically, last week for the Fenix 7 and Epix and this week for the Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 955.

In these updates Garmin includes the new features that have been recently launched with the Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 965So right now all of these models are already on par in terms of performance.

This is what is added:

- Proportion of training load
- Running dynamics directly from the wrist, without external sensors
- Wrist pulse sensor swimming calorie calculation
- Some additional functions in sleep such as different schedules
- Some improvement in the interface, for example I have seen that the notifications behave somewhat differently.
- And generally some other changes here and there within the software.

The most important are undoubtedly the first two. A brief explanation of both? I knew that's why you came here...

Proportion of training load

First up is the Training Load Ratio. This new display and metric compares two pieces of data that already appear on the watch to determine if your training is being optimal, if you are pushing the load too high, or if you are losing training accumulation.

And how does it do this? Through two metrics
- Acute Training Load (ATL) in TrainingPeaks
- Chronic Training Load or Chronic Training Load, the classic TrainingPeaks CTL

The first is the short-term training load. It is an average of the TSS of the last 7 days.

The second is also the average of the accumulated TSS, but in this case over the medium term, 28 days in the case of Garmin (42 in TraningPeaks).

Therefore, what the training load ratio does is to compare one data with the other and see that the accumulated ratio in the short term is neither too high nor too low.

Ideally, when we are training for an event, this ratio should be positive, indicating that we are progressively increasing the load. If it is negative, we are losing shape. The optimal range defined by Garmin is between 0.8 and 1.5.

Of course, if you want this metric to be logical and meaningful, ALL your workouts must be recorded with the watch. Because if you do like me and go "floating" between different devices, you will find yourself in the same situation as above, there are no workouts and therefore neither the acute load nor the chronic load data will be valid, so the metric will be absolutely useless.

Advanced running metrics

The next new feature is the ability to have advanced running metrics directly from the wrist. In the past it was necessary to have an external sensor such as the HRM-Pro or HRM-Tri, although you can still use it as the source of these metrics to have more reliable data.

These metrics are things like ground contact time or vertical oscillation. The truth is that they are fundamental elements for power estimation, so since the last update the clock was already recording it, but not displaying it in any way.

But the truth is, after the number of years we've had these metrics, I've never really been clear on how to interpret the data and use it to improve training. The advantage is that now they will be available in every workout, whether or not we wear an external sensor.

And to make a brief summary, remind you that all this I have told you today corresponds to the quarterly beta update, so it will not yet reach all watches unless you sign up for the public beta.

Within approximately one month, as bugs are ironed out, these features will be released in the final version.

Any of you can sign up for the public beta and receive the betas automatically, simply go to your device settings on the Garmin Connect website and choose to be part of the beta program.

But keep in mind that it is just that, a beta version, and may be subject to problems and bugs. In fact it is the most normal thing, that's why it is a beta version intended to be tested.

In fact in my case, in this update, I had to reset the watch completely because it restarted when it was loading the maps. So keep that in mind for this one as well as for the future, it's not something you want to do the day before the marathon you've been training for for 4 months.

And with that... thanks for reading!