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COROS launches web-based Training Hub: Free service for coaches and athletes
One aspect that makes Garmin, Fitbit, and Polar wearables more attractive for my usage is support for a web-based interface where I can set up training plans, create reports, and further analyze all of my data on something larger than a smartphone display. Granted, my Galaxy Z Fold 3 makes viewing the data on an app pretty great, but nothing beats a web-based interface and some big monitors.
COROS just announced its new Training Hub web-based platform, and in typical COROS fashion, it took things to the next level with a heavy focus on coaching and teams. Access to the platform is free and available to all COROS users, and I cannot say enough great things about how COROS continues to support its users with regular firmware updates and enhancements to its services.
See also: Best sports watch 2021: Garmin isn't your only option.
I just traded in my original COROS Vertix in order to upgrade to the Vertix 2, and it just arrived. I have only spent a day setting up a new training plan in the Training Hub, but I love what I see here from COROS and cannot wait to fully explore and implement the Training Hub into my daily routine.
COROS plans to open up the public beta testing of the Training Hub to the first 2,000 users who sign up for access (so if you are interested sign up now) with spots also available for 20 coaches who sign up and submit coaching credentials to COROS. If all goes according to plan and this public beta test is successful, then COROS plans to fully launch the Training Hub for all COROS users on 31 December.
The data in the training hub is collected by your COROS watch and then synced up to the COROS server and presented in an excellent interface in the Training Hub. Workouts and training plans you create in the Training Hub sync back to your watch too, which is going to help me considerably since I prefer having the large display in front with calendars open so I can schedule training.
The Training Hub currently has four main screens; Dashboard, EvoLab Metrics, Workout List, and Calendar. Click any of these at the top of the page to jump between the different views. The Dashboard has data summaries, including 7-day fatigue trend, 7-day running performance, recent workouts, threshold pace zones, personal running record, and much more. The EvoLab Metrics view has what you see in the smartphone app, but in a larger format with dropdowns to easily filter results. Data includes training load management, VO2 Max, resting heart rate, and more. The Workout List simply lists all of your workouts with options to filter the view.
Clicking a workout link will open up the details of that workout for further review. You can choose up to four metrics to show on the plot, follow the route image on the right as you move across the data timeline, and even add comments into the workout. The commenting and access is important for coaching. The Calendar view shows your calendar and all of the completed and planned workouts. You can create workouts and training plans using the buttons on the screen, and even better, you can then take a training plan and drag it right onto the calendar to have it scheduled.
You can view plans in progress and completed plans and easily duplicate a training plan and schedule it again. Workouts can be updated and even exported if you desire. A cool bar graph at the top can be filtered by training load, workout time, and distance, so you can quickly and easily gauge your progress. Future workouts in your training plan appear in shaded blue so you can quickly see what is coming in your plan.
Coaches will have access to their personal accounts and also access to view their athlete's calendars and workouts. Coaches can create training plans, assign the plans to athletes, leave comments, and view the team in the Dashboard view. The ability to see all of your athletes on one screen is a great feature. It's incredible to see this powerful coaching tool available for free.
As expected, COROS is never done with a product after it launches. The company plans to add in-app notifications of messages/comments from a coach, notes for calendar view, zoom section data, and coach/athlete pairing via easy to add buttons.