Heart Rate when racing

[suthers]

Hey,
I was just wondering, in the last month ive started doing TT's over 10 and 25miles, but I was wondering what HR people normally hold? Its just I seem to have trouble getting it high, normally it will sit at about 159-165, most ive ever got it during a race is 172 and id like to aim to have it at around 180ish. Im only 21 so it should technically be able to go at c.198ish. Im not using a TT bike atm but a road bike and im coming middle of the pack in TT's, just wondering if this is simply a case of not going fully balls to the wall or whether I need to do training to make my heart work at higher rates? Im fit, before i started cycling i rowed for 6 years at a high level and my resting HR is c.45 so is it just that my legs havent geared up to cycling yet ? Quite confusing, any suggestions would be appreciated!

Cheers!

 

[Globalti]

If you're getting to around 160 and coming in the middle, why are you worried? The more you try the slower it will beat because you'll just get fitter and fitter.

A resting HR of 45 is excellent and would explain why you can't achieve 198!

 

[Dan B]

Unless you actually know what your max is (and not by the 220-age thing, which is often complete rubbish) there's no point speculating about the numbers your hrm shows

 

[Will1985]

How hard are you pushing yourself and what sort of times are you doing?

I average about 184 during a 23 min hilly 10, but if I take it easy and do 26 it drops to around 170.

 

[Crackle]

Do you know your max HR, as Coruskate says the 220 - age thing is a bit hit and miss. The numbers will all be meaningless unless you know your actual Max HR.

 

[suthers]

Thanks for the replies, when i get home tonight ill go to the gym and try to max out my heart, i have a recollection of hitting 200 a few years ago when using the rowing machine but i cant rem precisely, i guess the best way is simply to sit on the bike and crank it up to max setting and keep going until exhaustion, although i have been doing this for 1 min on top level then 1 min on a few levels down alternating for ten mins in the middle of an hours bike session and it then only hits around 167ish.

 

[limey]

Your average heart rate for the TT is a more reliable indicator of the effort you are putting in and also your fitness level. The max HR may only have been there for a few seconds anyway. Your probably also right that your legs have not fully made the transition cos that takes time. If you are able to measure Cals/hr you will see that as a good indicator of effort and fitness also.

 

[Crackle]

There's some advice here about determining Max HR. A lot of people seem to say it's sport specific, though I don't understand quite how that can be.

I did my own by riding a 10 mile circuit, warming up, sprinting a few times and then at the end really going for it up a slight incline and each time I thought I couldn't give any more, going for it again and then again. If it doesn't leave you feeling ill and dizzy, you haven't tried hard enough

 

[jimboalee]

As per the webpage author keeps repeating, don't do any MAX HR testing without a qualified defibrillator operator nearby.

OK, so when you're out on a ride without a HRM round your chest, you've probably been there many times without knowing while climbing up the 20% hills.


Back in my day, we didn't know how fast our hearts were beating. We just got to the top of the hill puffing and panting with burning legs.

Now, in these times of minature electronics and gadgetry that can tell you what you want to know, exactly when you want to know it, HRMs are an ABSOLUTE NECCESITY for everyone.

With or without a HRM, you're legs are going to tell you if you have what it takes to win this race.
If you don't win, or even come close to the leaders, you're going to have to train harder.

So junk the HRM and train to lactose threshold and use a hill climb time or 10mile TT time to judge if you're ready for the next race.

 

[RedBike]

My heart rate will always go higher while running than cycling.

 

[limey]

The HR goes higher running because you are not sitting on a saddle supporting your body weight.
For over 10 years now I use a Polar HRM. Polar's fitness test (laying down calm for 3-4mins) estimates with surprising accuracy your max HR and your max Oxygen uptake which is what a serious sportsperson wants to know. The Polar HRM then uses this info to suggest training zones (own index). In practice you can almost never get to your max HR because lactic acid build up in the muscles prevents it happening. Max HR on its own is practically meaningless whereas max O2 is a combination of HR, volume pumped and lung volume. With regular exercise the vol pumped and lung efficiency improve which is why the resting HR falls. The Polar web site explains this and more.

 

[jimboalee]

The HR goes higher running because you are not sitting on a saddle supporting your body weight.
For over 10 years now I use a Polar HRM. Polar's fitness test (laying down calm for 3-4mins) estimates with surprising accuracy your max HR and your max Oxygen uptake which is what a serious sportsperson wants to know. The Polar HRM then uses this info to suggest training zones (own index). In practice you can almost never get to your max HR because lactic acid build up in the muscles prevents it happening. Max HR on its own is practically meaningless whereas max O2 is a combination of HR, volume pumped and lung volume. With regular exercise the vol pumped and lung efficiency improve which is why the resting HR falls. The Polar web site explains this and more.

The HR goes higher running because you are expending more kiloJoules per second than riding your bike.

Cycling at 30 kmh is more kCals/min ( directly proportional to Watts ) than slow running at 5 kmh.

 

[jimboalee]

The HR goes higher running because you are not sitting on a saddle supporting your body weight.
For over 10 years now I use a Polar HRM. Polar's fitness test (laying down calm for 3-4mins) estimates with surprising accuracy your max HR and your max Oxygen uptake which is what a serious sportsperson wants to know. The Polar HRM then uses this info to suggest training zones (own index). In practice you can almost never get to your max HR because lactic acid build up in the muscles prevents it happening. Max HR on its own is practically meaningless whereas max O2 is a combination of HR, volume pumped and lung volume. With regular exercise the vol pumped and lung efficiency improve which is why the resting HR falls. The Polar web site explains this and more.

Nope. You can get to your Max HR within four minutes of increasing intensity from aerobic to phosphorceatine, and then back into lactic.

I say this, but still believe MAX HR is not worth knowing. As previously explained, mucular hypertrophy is acheived in phosphocreatine and lactic exercise. Phosphocreatine can only be sustained for a couple of minutes and then you are lactic. NOW you know when to ease back.

 

[Crackle]

Yeah but unless you go and get a lab test, how will you know where this is. Besides, doesn't your lactic acid threshold train up. If you know your max HR, then you know, by rule of thumb, that at 85% of it, you're in the anaerobic zone. Most racing cyclists, will probably then know by experience how far in they can go and how long they can keep it up, no?

 

[jimboalee]

The human muscle is a remarkable thing. It is naturally lazy. Even mine. If it is not put under any strain, it will reduce in size to avoid wasting energy keeping it warm.
If it is used beyond its present capability, it will do the job, but complain later by getting sore.
If it is used to below the extent of its capability, it will lie back and relax after the session and not bother preparing for the next session, ie, not grow.

When it is used beyond its present capability and the owner suffers Delayed Onset of Muscular Soreness, it grabs some protein from somewhere and builds, just in case another session of over exertion happens.

If DOMS is experienced, it’s a sure sign that the muscle has been damaged, but when it's repaired, it will be stronger than before.

If, during the session, a burning sensation is experienced in the muscle, this is a sure sign lactic acid is being produced and the muscle's owner should ease off back to an aerobic exercise condition.
Alternating in-and-out of lactic and aerobic exercise without stopping encourages the muscle to build for endurance by extending capillarisation to previously unused fibres.

Can I assure you that if you don't get DOMS or feel a lactic acid burn, your muscles are not improving. On most bike rides, you should be subject to either or both of these symptoms.
If not, your muscles will get lazy again and could reduce their capability. Be warned!

Now tell me what Heart Rate has got to do with it?