How calculating Effort (TRIMP) will help you train better

• By Bruno F -
• September 14, 2020

Even the simplest exercises today use a huge amount of data when you use technology in your workouts. It is very important to use these data for the benefit of the athlete and their well-being. The Effort value of each workout is a good example.

Similar metrics can be found on other training platforms, such as TSS® on TrainingPeaks® or Effort® on Strava®. At TrainerPlan we call it Effort to make it as simple and less confusing as possible.

What makes the Effort calculation unique

By analyzing the variation of the heart rate in each workout and comparing this in relation to your maximum and resting heart rate, our algorithm generates a value that represents the Effort, or how hard the training has been.

The more time you spend closer to your maximum heart rate, the higher the score.

You can compare similar workouts and check how the Effort scores diverge, to get an idea of how the athlete evolves.

Our stress calculation algorithm is based on the TRIMP (TRaining IMPulse) concept, pioneered by Dr. Eric W. Bannister.

How to get the best results

To calculate the calculated Effort values, TrainerPlan needs the data of Maximum Heart Rate and Resting Heart Rate.

It is possible to add these values directly to the Athlete Profile in Profile > Physical Data and to be more exact, it is also possible to add it in each of the different Heart Rate Zones.

Plan the season using Effort

Starting today, in addition to being able to plan the season using duration or distance, you can also use Effort.

Add a maximum Effort value for each training period / cycle and have optimal load control over the season.