Artificial Intelligence (AI) analyzes vast datasets to uncover hidden patterns and generate actionable insights. It has already started to make its way into numerous online training tools including FastCat, Trainer Road, Humango, TriDot and Athletica.

With a wide variety of cycling data (HR, power, cadence, distance, elevation, pulse ox and glucose) now easily captured for analysis, AI has the potential to surpass human based coaching, yet both approaches have their strengths and weaknesses.

AI’s Advantages:

  • Data analysis: AI excels at crunching vast amounts of data from wearables, training logs, and weather conditions. This allows for personalized training plans that adapt to a cyclist’s individual strengths, weaknesses, and progress.
  • Objectivity: AI removes human bias and emotional attachment, providing training recommendations based solely on data and performance.
  • Accessibility: AI-powered coaching apps are often more affordable and accessible than hiring a human coach, making training guidance available to a wider range of cyclists.

AI’s Disadvantages:

  • Lack of intuition and experience: Human coaches have years of experience and intuition honed through working with different athletes. They can recognize subtle changes in form, technique, and mental state that AI might miss.
  • Limited motivation and support: AI can’t provide the same level of personal encouragement, emotional support, and real-time feedback as a human coach. This can be crucial for staying motivated and overcoming challenges.
  • Data rich, information poor: Focusing solely on data can neglect other important factors like a cyclist’s mental well-being, external stressors, and environmental factors that human coaches can consider.

Human Coaches’ Advantages:

  • Experience and intuition: Good human coaches can draw on their experience and knowledge to make adjustments based on a cyclist’s individual needs and preferences beyond just data. Yet, finding a “good” coach can be hit or miss…
  • Motivation and support: Human coaches can provide personalized encouragement, feedback, and support, which can be crucial for staying motivated and overcoming challenges.
  • Holistic approach: Human coaches can consider the cyclist’s overall well-being, including mental health, nutrition, and external factors, to create a more holistic training plan.

Human Coaches’ Disadvantages:

  • Cost and availability: Hiring a qualified human coach can be expensive and not easily available to everyone.
  • Subjectivity: Human coaches can be biased by their own experiences and preferences, potentially leading to suboptimal training plans.
  • Limited data analysis: Human coaches might not be able to effectively analyze and utilize the vast amount of data available from wearables and training logs.

Your best bet? Human coach using AI

For the time-being, as AI continues to improve the best coaching scenario likely lies in a hybrid approach that combines the strengths of both AI and human coaches. It is what the top WorldTour teams are using.

AI can handle quick data analysis to create/update a personalized training plan, while human coaches provide motivation, support and personalized adjustments based on their real world experience and intuition. This collaborative approach should lead to optimal training and improved performance for cyclists at all levels.

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