How to read a PMC chart (the Performance Management Chart explained)

The Performance Management Chart (PMC) — three lines that show your fitness, fatigue and form over time — is the single most useful view in endurance training. Once you learn to read it, you stop guessing and start managing your training like the data it is.

What the three lines mean

• CTL — Chronic Training Load (often labeled “Fitness”). Your 42-day exponentially weighted average of daily TSS. It moves slowly. Rising = building.
• ATL — Acute Training Load (often labeled “Fatigue”). Your 7-day exponentially weighted average of TSS. It moves fast. Rising = you are in a hard block; falling = you are recovering.
• TSB — Training Stress Balance (often labeled “Form”). CTL − ATL. Positive = fresh, negative = tired.

Full math is in our CTL, ATL and TSB guide.

How to read each pattern

1. Steady build (good aerobic phase)

CTL climbs slowly. ATL rises with it, then dips slightly each recovery week. TSB hovers between −10 and −30. You are absorbing load.

What to do: keep going. Hold the pattern for 4–6 weeks, then either keep building or start sharpening.

2. Rapid ATL spike (overload warning)

ATL climbs faster than CTL. TSB dives to −40 or below. You feel heavy, sleep worse, motivation drops.

What to do: insert a recovery week (cut volume 30–50%) before you break. Pushing through here is how injuries and overtraining start.

3. TSB climbs toward race day (peaking)

CTL stays high while ATL falls. TSB turns positive. This is the taper working.

What to do: keep intensity, drop volume. Do not chase the “more is more” instinct. How to taper with TSB.

4. Long flat CTL (plateau)

CTL is stuck at the same number for 3+ weeks despite training. Either you are undertraining or you have stopped absorbing load.

What to do: check sleep, stress, nutrition. If life is OK, push one or two harder sessions. If life is not OK, back off and recover.

The numbers that matter

• CTL 60–80: solid amateur cyclist / runner. Race-ready for a half marathon or sportive.
• CTL 80–100: trained amateur. Marathon-shape fitness.
• CTL 100+: high. Top events require it; recovery between sessions matters more.
• TSB race day: +5 to +20 is the sweet spot. +30+ risks feeling sluggish; −10 risks going in tired.

Common mistakes reading the chart

• Chasing a high CTL. It is not the goal. The goal is the right CTL for your race, plus a positive TSB on race day.
• Ignoring the ATL line. ATL tells you what is happening now; CTL is a slow average. If ATL spikes, you need to respond.
• Misreading TSB as “fitness”. It is not. It is form — your current freshness. A very high TSB means you are rested and possibly losing fitness.
• Comparing your chart to others. Absolute CTL numbers depend on sport, history and weekly hours. Your trend matters more than the value.

TrainCurve shows the same chart, free

The PMC lives at the top of the TrainCurve dashboard. Every workout you log (FIT/TCX/GPX or manual) gets a TSS and updates all three lines automatically. Start free and watch your fitness, fatigue and form unfold in real time.