Using CoachCat
Frank Overton
Using CoachCat, is a lot like working with a human coach - you need to tell your coach what's going on in your life. Tell and Ask CoachCat what's going with your training. Plus answer CoachCat's questions and ask your own.
One big caveat is that there are some things CoachCat cannot do, yet. CoachCat is good at text based custom training plans for example but cannot 'put' those onto your calendar in a day-to-day format. Use our custom plan builder first and then use CoachCat for adjustments.
Here are nine examples of common coaching tasks and questions that CoachCat can help you with - just like a real coach would.
1. What if I miss a workout?
2. What if I get sick or injured?
3. What if I am not following one of the FasCat training plans?
4. How do I add races to my training calendar?
5. How do I add group rides and events to my training calendar?
6. How do I add vacation days to my training calendar?
7. How do I add Rest Days to my training calendar?
8. What do you do if “CoachCat is taking longer than expected?”
9. How do you know if you are FtFP’ing? (following the plan)
Step 1 is to tell your CoachCat whatever you need in the chat window. CoachCat answers you immediately and you may ask an unlimited number of questions (and not be annoying)
What if I miss a workout?
Life happens but that’s OK - this is exactly what CoachCat is for. If you know you are going to miss a workout or know you can’t ride as long, this is what CoachCat specializes in. Here’s an example:
“I am going to miss my workout today, what should I do?”
Say “Yes” to CoachCat’s question so that the proposed changes are added to your calendar 💪
Notice how CoachCat, suggested an off day but then just didn’t move the workout tomorrow because doing a sweet spot workout on a Friday will add additional fatigue to the athlete for the longer planned endurance rides on the weekend.
What if I get sick or injured?
Tell CoachCat right away and get daily recommendations for what to do and more importantly what not to do. We have trained CoachCat with over 20 years of our coaching knowledge and expertise for how to handle training again following various injuries and illness. Tell and Ask is our # 1 recommendation.
What if I am not following one of the FasCat training plans?
You may ask for daily custom workouts. You may also tell CoachCat to put your group rides, your events and even the days you can’t train on your calendar.
This is what we call the ‘no training plan, training solution’ - or in other words a do it yourself training plan. This way you can design your own weekly and month training plan. You may even enter your A #1 goal event months in the future and work backward from that event. If you do this we we would recommend you use our custom plan builder to at least get a template for the framework of how we would approach the training for your goal event and then you may use CoachCat for plan revisions and you yourself may even move workouts, rides around with a simple tap of the finger > drag ‘n drop of the workout/ride to the desired day.
How do I add races, group rides, vacation and days needed off to my training calendar?
Easy, just tell CoachCat in the chat window, here’s a real world example :
“I have a gravel race on April 6th and a Zwift Group Ride on Wednesday the 3rd. The Zwift group ride is for 1 hour and its fairly hard. The race will be 3 hours - will you add those two rides to my training calendar please?”
If you are following plan you may still use this feature but be sure to delete the workouts that were previously on your plan so that you don’t have two workouts per day. Use the pencil icon n the upper right of the app to delete workouts. Very soon CoachCat wlil be able to remove workouts for you! (so you do not have to manually delete)
And then the deleted workouts for a custom plan revision!
On Sunday morning - check your Optimized status (sleep & HRV) and CoachCat will consult with you for a ride revision based on your fatigue from the gravel race the day before! Incredible!!
How do I add vacation days to my training calendar?
Same as adding group rides and races, tell CoachCat in the chat window?
How do I add Rest Days to my training calendar?
Same - tell CoachCat in the chat window. You can even add cross training workouts like running, xc skiing, weight lifting, yoga - anything.
What do you do if “CoachCat is taking longer than expected?”
Even cheetahs need to slow down once in awhile. Two things - we are training CoachCat to run fast forever and check back in a few minutes and ask, ‘how about now?”
How do you know if you are FtFP’ing? (following the plan)
See those green circles and pills on your training calendar? That’s your Consistency Calendar. If the day turns green, that means you consistency followed your plan and therefore ‘FtFP’ed”.
To us, consistency means doing something everyday to improve. Taking your planned rest days is consistency. Performing your 12 minute Foundations "no back pain ever" on your recovery days is being consistent. Riding, in any amount - just getting on the bike is consistency.
Consistency/FtFP hack tip: if you miss a workout - have CoachCat make the day you missed a recovery day and it turns greens. Just be sure to move your other workouts around and try to complete them accordingly!
Stay consistency for the whole week and all 7 days form one green row. Stay consistent for the whole month and all weeks, all days are green - that’s the ultimate!
Just a reminder, CoachCat gives you:
- A Custom Plan
- Custom Workouts
- Plan Revisions
- Group Ride, Races, Rest Day and Days you Can’t Train, Additions
- Instant Ride and Wearable (Sleep and HRV) Analysis
- Automatic FTP Detection
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Download the CoachCat where the First Month is FREE, and then you can save 43% for the whole year! Data analysis is instant, training plans are custom and our CoachCat will revise your plan when work, weather, time aka "life: gets in the way. We will also auto detect your FTP 💪
Road Racing Intervals
- Increase your functional and race-specific power output
- Includes Sweet Spot, VO2, Anaerobic, Threshold
Road Race In-Season
- Weekend racing and group rides with weekday training and recovery
- anaerobic efforts like criss cross, Over/Unders Sweet Spot, Threshold
Foundation : 3 Weeks
- Perfect for all cyclists beginning off season training
- Raise your CTL and the all-important muscle tension intervals
Phil Gaimon's Strava PR Plan
- Perfect Plan for Those with Less Training Time, starts at 15 minutes per day
- VO2's, 1 minuters, Tabatas, threshold, suprathreshold, and even Sweet Spot
