Get up and running with Xert in minutes. Use this checklist to set up your account, sync your history, and start training today.
▶️ Prefer video? Watch Scott’s step-by-step walkthrough: New User Quick Start Guide
1) Create your account
Register & activate your account by confirm your email.
2) Connect Your Apps & Devices
In the profile creation wizard, connect the apps that you use for training (Garmin, Zwift, etc.) so your completed activities sync automatically to Xert for analysis.
We strongly recommend pairing Strava for syncing your historical data & establishing a baseline.
Related article: Integrations Overview & Data Flow
3) Import Your Activity History
In the final step of the setup wizard, you’ll be asked to import recent activities. This helps Xert establish your Fitness Signature (TP, HIE, PP) and your current Training Load, so your recommendations are accurate from day one.
Option A (Recommended): Sync from Strava
We strongly recommend syncing from Strava, since it’s the fastest way to pull in your recent training history and “dial in” your baseline fitness.
- Trial accounts will import the last ~3 months
- Premium subscribers can request additional historical activities after subscribing
Related article: Sync Historical Activities from Strava to Xert
Option B: Upload files manually
If you don’t use Strava, you can upload recent .FIT files using Upload Files. During your trial, Xert will analyze your past 3 months of activity data. You can sync older data if you subscribe later.
Option C: Start without activity history
If you don’t have historical data (or prefer not to sync yet), choose “I don’t have data. Ask me questions instead.” You will be asked to enter:
- Estimated FTP (if you know if from another platform)
- Max Sprint Power (optional, but helpful)
- Weekly Training Available and estimated weekly training time (in hours).
Xert will use this as a starting point and refine your signature automatically as you upload new activities.
4) Verify Your Fitness Signature
After your activities have been imported & processed, check that your signature looks reasonable:
- How does your Threshold Power relate to FTP estimates from other platforms?
- Is your Peak Power roughly equal to your max 1s power?
If your recent history lacks hard efforts, it's possible that Xert may underestimate your fitness. Quick fix is to do a few short sprints + one longer hard effort to help Xert establish your signature.
Related article: How to Verify Your Fitness Signature — and what to do if it seems wrong
5) Choose How You Want to Train
By default, Xert starts you on Continuous Improvement using Xert Adaptive Training Advisor (XATA), with a focus around 6-minute power. It’s a solid “all-around fitness” starting point—and you can change it anytime.
Xert offers two main training approaches:
- Xert Adaptive Training Advisor (XATA): Daily, adaptive recommendations based on your current readiness and training needs. Great if you want flexibility and don’t want a fixed calendar plan.
- Forecast AI (XFAI): A forward-looking plan that places future training targets in your calendar based on a Goal, Event, or Race. Great if you want a visible plan and a target outcome.
Related article: Choosing the right training plan (XATA vs Forecast AI)
6) Do Today’s Training
Open the Today page and follow your daily Low / High / Peak XSS targets. You can complete them by:
- Structured workout: send a workout via Workout Players (best experience: Xert EBC)
- Free ride: outdoors or virtual—ride normally while aiming for today’s targets
- Magic Buckets: real-time guidance that turns any ride into an adaptive workout
Related article: Magic Buckets Overview
7) Review Your Ride & Track Progress
After your activity syncs to Xert, open it to see what it actually did for your fitness.
- Start with the MPA chart to understand where the ride got hard, where you recovered, and whether you hit a Breakthrough or Near-Breakthrough.
- Track longer-term trends in the XPMC and Fitness Planner to see how your training load and signature evolve over time.
Need Help?
Search the Xert Help Center, ask for community support in the Xert Online Forum, or open a support request with our helpful support team.
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