A Machine That Can Write a Custom Training Program: Exercise Plan Builder Module Part Two: Performance Lab s AI Plan Builder User Experience: *= Unique to Performance Lab Introduction Performance Lab s unique AI Plan Builder requires only 5 steps (2 minutes) to build a plan. A more technical version with more detailed questions is also possible. The 5 steps include questions plus a weekly schedule assistant tied to various plan building algorithms that develop a highly customised plan for a user with the flexibility to set exercise around their personal schedule. Depending on how each question is answered influences different components that build the plan. This means a user has access to over 270,000 configurations of programs that are more personalised and fit more precisely into their lives*. Setting Your Plan Up This is a white label product and the sample screens below can be adapted to any customers branding and user experience. The interface can also be audio based. (e.g. Amazon Alexa) Setting a Goal, Date and Options a) Goal: There are currently 3 different activities where Exercise Plans can be derived; walking, running and cycling. Each has many goals that can be set. Here are the current goal choices for running (A) and cycling (B): 1
Figure 1. Performance Lab Demo System Showing Goal Selection for Running and Cycling.. Note: Long and Short Fitness are fitness plans designed to train when not aiming for a specific event or to be used in a training build up prior to embarking on an Event based plan. (e.g. Short Fitness Plan, Rest, 10km Plan) b) Date: You can set any date for a program that must be longer the 6 weeks and cannot be longer than 14 weeks. The minimum program length is based around the minimum advisable preparation runway and over 14 weeks leads to what appears to be nervous system suppression in most people. c) Options: Workouts can be in time or distance (metric/imperial) and can have the recommended hills or have programs without hills depending on the geographical location. In most cases the options remain as default and don t need to be changed. Here are the choices for a walking program where a user can choose between Walking for Distance (A) or Walking for Health (B) with different goal distances: Figure 2. Performance Lab Demo System Showing Walking Goal Options. In Walking for Health, there are also options to choose to improve fitness, do a more weight loss orientated program or a blood pressure reduction program: 2
Figure 3. Performance Lab Demo System Showing Further Walking Goal Options. Setting your Experience Level: A user can choose their experience level or ARDA has algorithms not shown that can automatically detect the experience level during exercise. Figure 4. Performance Lab Demo System Showing Experience Level Selection. Setting a Starting Capacity: The user chooses a Starting Capacity which is the longest distance that they can exercise comfortably without getting injured. 3
The Starting Capacity is used as the Longest workout in the first week (below) and then other shorter workouts are also loaded in with special algorithms to handle rock bottom values and workouts ratios versus the longest workout: Figure 5. Performance Lab Demo System Showing Starting Capacity Selection. (i.e. Choose the Longest Duration that you can Comfortably Run Now.) Choosing your Long Day: Next the user chooses the day where they have the most time and energy to train for their Long Training Day, in this case it is Sunday, but any day during the week could be chosen. The system also recommends the number of days off that it thinks a user of the experience level and goal requires, in this case it s 3: Figure 6. Performance Lab Demo System Showing How the Longest Training Day of the Week is Selected. Choosing your Rest Days: Now the user begins to choose the days where they have the least time and energy to exercise as Rest Days. The Plan Builder then automatically builds the most optimised Microcycle* (Bompa, 1994) for the week. This optimisation involves getting the correct workout to rest balance and moving workouts 4
closer or further away from each other depending on their interference levels. A user can override the recommendations if their schedule can t accommodate the suggestion. This means the plan is configured for the maximum absorption of training for time spent exercising in a format that most closely matches the user s preferred schedule: Figure 7. Performance Lab Demo System Showing How the Rest Days for the Week are Selected. Final Program: With the final program, the user feels like they have written their own personalised program to fit in with their schedule going through 5 simple questions. Here is what they did: They wrote a complete 6 to 14-week training program with every workout detailed, aimed at a specific goal, that is based on a weekly schedule that they set up (long day and rest days) to suit their personal schedule, which has an optimised weekly work- rest balance automatically set up for maximum return (absorption of fitness) for time spent, * that starts today, at the training volumes that they have the capacity to start at so no time is wasted and contains all the recommended types of training to engage in, all within 2 minutes. Here is their plan with all its smart features: 5
Figure 8. The Final Training Plan Based on the Selections Demonstrating All the Advanced Periodization Methods Used. Each workout has specific commentary on what the workout is and how to approach it. 6
Figure 9. Graphic Showing How a Specific Workout can be Viewed and the Information on the Workout that is Available to the User. Export to Real Time Exercise Device The program can be exported to the ARDA real time engine or another device for use while the user is exercising. Our demo app provides an idea of the possibilities: Left: Today s Workout Description ready to go, just push the runner button and start running. Middle: The Training Program containing all workouts in the build-up. Right: PL s proprietary automatic Training Zone calculator. * 7
Figure 10. Screenshots Showing from Left to Right; The workout for today (left), the Full Training Program (middle) and the Automatically Calibrated Training Zones for Use in the Plan (right.) Why is Having a Sophisticated Training Plan Builder Important: We are not all the same. Here is what happens to two people on similar Training Plans and how their bodies reacted to the training. In Figure 11, Runner One s reaction to the Training is for fitness to go up while Runner Two s body became fatigued and physical ability gradually deteriorated. Figure 11. Cardio Performance Change Versus Training Distance. 8
It is important when writing exercise and training plans, that the plan matches the user s ability as closely as possible to create the best fitness gains and experience. Training Plan s that are too easy are boring and Training Plans that are too hard are painful and unsatisfying. Performance Lab s Plan Builder is specifically designed to provide the maximum fitness gains and experience. See: Making Your Plan Fit into Life: Adaptive Planner Module Exercise Plan Builder/Adaptive Planner Technical Exercise Plan Updater Module References: Recovery Strategies in Training Plans: Microcycles and Mesocycles: Ackland J. 2000. Personal Best, Secrets to Success in Sports from Beginners to Winners. Auckland, New Zealand: Reed Publishing. Chapter 10, p.97-107. Hausswirth C. Mujika I. 2013. Recovery for Performance in Sport. Champaign (IL) U.S.A.: Human Kinetics. Chapter 3, Overtraining Prevention; p. 24-25. Bompa T. 1999. Periodization, Theory and Methodology of Training. Champaign (IL) U.S.A.: Human Kinetics. Chapter 7, Training Cycles; p. 165-191. Janssen P. 2001. Lactate Threshold Training. Champaign (IL) U.S.A.: Human Kinetics. Chapter 5, Overtraining; p. 151-155. Periodization: Ackland J. 2007. The Complete Guide to Endurance Training. 3 rd Edition. London, U.K.: A & C Black Publishers Ltd. Chapter 4, Training Subphases; p.48-64 Bompa T. 1999. Periodization, Theory and Methodology of Training. Champaign (IL) U.S.A.: Human Kinetics. Chapter 7, Training Cycles; p. 165-191. Joyce D, Lewindon D, et al. 2014. High Performance Training for Sports, The Authoritative Guide to Ultimate Athletic Conditioning. Champaign (IL) U.S.A.: Human Kinetics. Chapter 18, Planning a Performance Program; p. 247-257. Use of Strength Endurance: Ackland J. 2007. The Complete Guide to Endurance Training. 3 rd Edition. London, U.K.: A & C Black Publishers Ltd. Chapter 5, Manipulation of Training Principles; p. 73-74. Taper: Mujika I. 2009. Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance. Champaign (IL) U.S.A.: Human Kinetics. Mujika I. et al. 2012. Endurance Training, Science and Practice. Spain: Inigo Mujika S.L.U. Chapter 8, Tapering for Optimal Endurance Performance. p. 75-83. 9