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Heart rate training??

(8 posts)
  • Started 9 years ago by Baldcyclist
  • Latest reply from adamthekiwi

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  1. Baldcyclist
    Member

    Santa brought me a new toy, good of him to make a special journey at this time of year.

    Anyway my new watch has a basic heart rate monitor which tracks your heart rate all day, and shows you the range during the day. It also lets you know what your average heart rate for a workout is, and some fun was had this morning trying to make the display go faster.

    All of that is very well, and I probably have some starting points now, basically all that money to tell me something I already know, I'm fat...

    Resting: 55.
    Max this morning: 185 (although maybe a wee bit more there I think)
    ave for 1hr45 workout: 155

    So hive mind, where is a good place to learn all about heart rate training, and "zones"? etc.?

    Ta

    Posted 9 years ago #

  2. wingpig
    Member

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerobic_exercise

    Covers the "zones" thing without trying to sell you anything (else) or telling you that you're doing it wrong before you've started.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  3. Coxy
    Member

    I'd be vary wary on trying to calculate you HR zones by anything other than some kind of measurment such as Functional Threshold do-dah.

    The usual estimate (220-age) should be 172 for me. But it's actually 202!

    The British Cycling website is quite good.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  4. PS
    Member

    Think you're right, Coxy. There must surely be some big natural variances in heart rates, depending on all sorts of factors. I think the highest I've ever seen mine was 187 (and it's not touched 180 this year), whereas I have similarly aged, similarly fit pals who talk about 200.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  5. panyagua
    Member

    I'm interested in this too having recently acquired a HR monitor for my Garmin, and I came across
    this document on the British Cycling website, which explains how to carry out a Threshold Test. I've yet to attempt the test though - need to find a suitable route.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  6. condor2378
    Member

    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/heart-rate-monitor-training-for-cyclists-28838/

    The 220-age is rubbish IMO. I'm 36, max should therefore be 184. Actual (recently via testing) is 200. HR training is a good tool but you have to work out what your own personal zones are.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  7. amir
    Member

    I have a heart rate monitor but gave it up in favour of natural interval traning e.g. up and down hills, between cafes ... - being a better experience and generally making me happier.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  8. adamthekiwi
    Member

    Calculations for Max HR are almost all a broad guess based on bell curves (and then not very accurate), but HR is a reasonable proxy for power output, so it can be a very useful tool. As Coxy points out, the British Cycling website has useful information.

    I do my threshold tests on the Alloa-Dunfermline path, but that's because it's on my route home from work. It's perfect (certainly at the times I often ride it) as it's just shy of 18 km, very nearly dead straight and, apart from a rise to a road and subsequent drop at about the 6km mark, it's a gentle and fairly constant upward incline (if heading East). Easy to get warmed up and then do 30 minutes at full tilt - and then get the train home, because I'm gubbed!

    Posted 9 years ago #

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