At INSCYD, we’re constantly refining our testing technology to make our job as a coach or lab professional easier and more reliable. Our latest update to the Power-Performance Decoder (PPD) brings major improvements that save time, boost accuracy, and give you more flexibility—whether you’re testing athletes in the lab, remotely, or in the field. It especially addresses practical issues of carrying out and pacing the all out efforts - especially in running.
As Sebastian Weber, founder of INSCYD, puts it:
“The biggest improvement is the update of the protocol… you save a tremendous amount of time during testing while getting more accurate results.”
Here’s what’s new 👇
1. Shorter, Smarter Protocols
No more long 12-minute efforts. The new PPD Version 3 protocols are designed to be shorter and more flexible:
Two sprints (≈ 16–24 seconds each)
Two efforts between 3–8 minutes (anywhere in this range is valid—3, 5, 6, or even 8 minutes).
This flexibility means you can adapt efforts to your terrain, facilities, or athlete preferences without compromising accuracy.
In running, this also means you design efforts based on distance not time. Therefore is becomes easier to perform tests on a track or a measured road segment without relying on GPS data. Also it is often easier for athletes to pace themselves over fixed distance, not a fixed time. This increases test data quality.
2. Manual Effort Input (Bye-Bye GPS Issues)
GPS inaccuracies in running tests are a thing of the past. With the new Manual Effort function, you can enter distance and time (running) or time and average power (cycling) without uploading a FIT file.
This is especially useful for track-based or group testing, where all you need is a stopwatch and a measured distance.
3. Auto-Correction of Effort Selection
Marking efforts just got easier. When you highlight an effort, PPD will automatically scan the data in the approximity of your marked segment to find the most accurate segment. You’ll see both your version and the optimized one—and can choose which to use.
This ensures consistent results across different coaches and tests, even if the original effort marking was slightly off.
4. Accuracy Check with the New Traffic Light System
Testing accuracy is now instantly visible. With the Traffic Light System, each key parameter—VO₂max, VLamax, Critical Power/Speed—gets a green, yellow, or red indicator.
🟢 Green = Scientific gold-standard accuracy
🟡 Yellow = Typical lab testing accuracy
🔴 Red = Below lab testing accuracy (test should be reviewed or repeated)
This quick check lets you confidently interpret results and immediately see where improvements may be needed.
5. No Mandatory File Upload
Creating a PPD test just got easier: FIT file upload is no longer required. You can now complete a test without files by entering efforts manually.
Why These Updates Matter
Together, these updates deliver:
Higher accuracy thanks to double efforts for VO₂max and VLamax.
More flexibility in protocol design—adapt tests to real-world conditions.
Time savings for you and your athletes.
Greater reliability with built-in effort correction and validation checks.
As Sebastian explains:
“You don’t have to worry about hitting an exact duration anymore. Any effort between three and eight minutes works, which gives you much more flexibility—especially in running where GPS can be unreliable.”
Get Started with the New Protocols
All updates are now live in your INSCYD account.
And of course, if you have questions, our Customer Success Team is here to help—via in-app chat or at [email protected].
✅ Happy testing!