Cycling Workouts made easy with Training Peaks IQ and Garmin Connect

Fine tuning Garmin for a cycling training session

With the addition of Workout Builder in Training Peaks I have found it very helpful to be able to give my coaching clients specific workouts based on their FTP (power) numbers. With the addition of the Garmin Connect IQ app is the ability to have these workouts downloaded directly to their Garmin device (Edge 520,820, 1000, 1003, Forerunner 735) and walk them through the specific workout step by step on their Garmin device. Instead of having to write your workouts down on a card or keep looking at your phone your Garmin will have your workout loaded and walk you through it step by step.

To use the Training Peaks Daily workout app, you will need to have the Garmin Connect Mobile app installed on your phone and have your compatible Garmin device paired with the Connect Mobile App.  If you already uploaded your completed workouts to Training Peaks through the Connect mobile app and the Garmin Connect Auto sync, then your device is already paired.  You can find more information about pairing your Garmin device with your phone in Garmin’s support center.

Here is how it works:

  1. This only works for workouts written with Training Peaks workout builder using either power or HR and pace for running workouts. It does not work if your workout is based on RPE.
  2. You need to get Garmin Connect on your smart phone
  3. Connect or pair your Garmin product (be sure you have the updated firmware on your Garmin device. Edge 520-V 11.10, Edge 820-V 6.30, Edge 1000-V 12.10, Forerunner 735- V 7.20) to your Garmin Connect via Bluetooth on your phone and Garmin.
  4. Once your device is paired to Garmin Connect mobile app you need to download the Training Peaks Daily Workout IQ app from the Garmin Connect IQ App Store. You do this by selecting the IQ icon or menu on your device to see your available IQ apps.

    On your Garmin
    On your Garmin
  5. Once your Training Peaks Daily Workout IQ app is installed on your device you need to authorize it one time to access your Training Peaks workouts through Garmin Connect mobile app.6.   On your phone enter Training Peaks user name and password to authorize the app.

    Training Peaks login on Garmin
    Training Peaks login on Garmin
  6. If you want to do a workout that is scheduled that day when you sign in to Training Peaks it will automatically download that workout. If you want to do a workout from a previous day you can always look in your workouts under Training on your Garmin and find the workouts that have been downloaded from your Training Peaks account.

    List of workouts on Garmin
    List of workouts on Garmin
  7. Pick which workout you want to do and load the workout. Hit Ride. Your Garmin may ask you which activity profile to launch the workout with if you have multiple profiles on your device.

    Multiple Activity Profiles
    Multiple Activity Profiles
  8. It then will walk you through as many steps as there are in the workout with the recommended power, HR or pace guidelines.
    This workout is called 40//20's
    This workout is called 40//20’s

    While doing the workout it will show you what zones you should be in for each step of the workout and shows in green if you are in the required zone, yellow if you are below and red above.

    While doing the workout you see the step time remaining, power zones and at the top what is the next step in the workout
    While doing the workout you see the step time remaining, power zones and at the top what is the next step in the workout
  9. After your workout hit save and it should automatically download to TP if you have your TP and Garmin Connect accounts synced.

If you want to chat more, send me a note.