Appreciate your thoughts, training with heart rate monitor

[koro]

Hi,

I have limited time to get out on my bike, hence a turbo (which I enjoy).....

46 year old male, been on my bike for about 18 months. As I previously mentioned in a previous thread, I try to get 2/3 times a week on my turbo for an hour, keeping at about 90rpm ( I can just about keep that going), So I bought a HRM from Aldi, seeing if I could be a bit more scientific (tongue in cheek). I entered the 220 minus age bit, and have been just playing with it these last few days. My resting heart beat seems to be 55.

Anyways, today I went out on the road and did my usual 30 mile loop, average 16.3 mph. Its got a 25% climb and 3 other steep enough hills, ( I know its all relative... not too scientific). Just going at my usual hard, but comfortable pace, (trying to spin at 90, not much left to be able to go any faster) The flats I am at 75% of MHB, The lumpy bits it goes up to 80%. The killer climb, is at 95%, any less effort and I would fall off my bike...

Having googled, I have got myself into confusion. With the numbers I have given, am I doing enough to be able to say its a good workout, or should I be doing more (not sure how) or even am I doing to much?

Appreciate your thoughts.

Cheers

 

[Crackle]

You won't really be able to work out your zones without knowing your actual Maximum HR. The 220-age formula is notoriously innacurate. You can use your HR monitor for a bit and see what your max HR recorded is when you are really going for it and then take that figure or you can do a self-test on your turbo or on the road. That said, your numbers don't sound too far out.

 

[edindave]

What are you hoping to achieve? Get faster, stronger?

You're certainly getting a good workout.

But if you want to get faster and stronger you need to push harder than "my usual hard, but comfortable pace" perhaps a couple of times a week, and in between that just go out for easier, recovery rides.


It depends what you want to get out of it. If you just do the same thing over and over again you will get more efficient at it but you will plateau, in terms of performance gains.

 

[koro]

Thanks for your response`s,,,

I`m hoping mostly to be able to get up hills quicker .... What I am finding is that (before I got a hrm) once I get into my rythm I can keep going at a fair pace. As soon as I get to a lumpy bit, I slow up. Going up steep hills, once I`m in my "pace" I can keep going, but it is slow...

If I try and get out of my hard and comfortable, I basically `blow up... very quickly` So the idea was perhaps getting a hrm, I may be able to train in such a way as to get me through this `barrier` And it does feel just like one..

I realise at 46, I am not going to be no speedy, it just frustrates me on hills, how with max effort I`m still slow..

How close to maximum heart rate is it safe to train to?

Thanks Again

 

[screenman]

Dr. Philip Maffetone

Try reading what some of this guy writes, if you get a chance.

 

[edindave]

94%

Only kidding

I don't know if there is a safe limit. The maximum on your HRM is probably not extremely precise, but you'll have noticed that you can't sustain it for very long. You will stop naturally as your muscles run out of oxygen (or something scientific) a long time before your heart packs in.

Get up hills quicker by going up them quicker.
Get out of the saddle for 30 secs, in the saddle for 30 secs; share the work between the different muscle groups, don't just spin in the saddle the whole way up.
Look at interval training on the flat too. Flat out for 2 mins, easy recovery pace for 30 secs, repeat half a dozen times... that sort of thing. Search the forum and google for training programs.

 

[Edge705]

HR monitors are great for two reasons they help you pace your ride and they keep you informed if your working in your aerobic or ana robic areas both of which are great at determining your fitness

What you need tio do is get out on the bike and ride how you normaly ride look at your heart rate when your comfortable on the bike ie you dont feel like your pushing it or your doing a pace your very comfortable maintaining

For example I know if I keep between 150 and 160bpms on my HR I will be much fresher further into the ride so if I knew I had a hill to negotiate I wouldnt want to be exerting too much energy before I hit the climb so i would make sure I never wentout of the 150-160 area BTW thats my aerobic zone

If I go abiove 160 leaning to 170bpm Im using up valuable energy and I know I will suffer later in the ride therefore I avoid this zone if Im doing longer rides that is until the last thiord of the ride where Im happy to be in the zone

Lets give you one final example say you wanted to maintain a pace of 16mph and you hit a headwind therefore you need a bit more effort however that effort is going to raise your heart rate and deplete your energy stocks much quicker with an HR you would ease off or drop gear and not worry about the mph as with a speedo sometimes you can get carried away with pride i.e: trying to maintain an mph jsut because you dont want to join the less than 10mph club

Your zone is based on your level of fitness so you won't get to know that zone without doing a few rides and seeing which zones your comfortable in and which your pushing it in

Friend of mine hates HR's but for me they are a great aid to training and pacing myself

Inm no expert but I done a fair bit of research Ive been using them for years and I find its easier to pace yourself with an HR than it is with just a speedo but thats mee not everyone needs an HR to be bike disciplined

 

[HLaB]

220minus age is cr@p btw, using that I'm 22, I somehow don't think my passport says that However, I prefer to ride free and how I feel and only occasionally bother with a hrm and only fit it out of curiosity ( I ignore it on the ride). Having said that others do use them rigorously and it seems to work for them, I'd rather not worry that my HR is 99% at that crucial bend

 

[VamP]

220 - age is a generalised guideline, which by definition will not fit every individual, and some individuals are significant outliers. Having said that, it is nearly bang on for me.

Rather than try and build a training program from advice cobbled together by disparate people on an internet forum, I would urge you to read up on the theory as well - it will enable you to tailor the training program to your own needs, and be more efficient in using your time.

A good starting point is the excellent Smart Cycling by Arnie Baker, which has a whole section dedicated to HRM and turbo based training plans.

 

[koro]

Thanks guys for your responses, I will source out Smart Cycling..