Training with a Heart Rate Monitor

[randyspann]

- I came across this article http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/heart-rate-monitor-training-for-cyclists-28838/ "Heart rate monitor training for cyclists". Anyone training using a HRM? My take on this article is that I typically train at too high of 'zone'. And that I would have greater results, training for endurance, if I trained at a lower 'zone'. ie. long easy rides with 10 minutes of 'high intensity' per hour.
The article seems to make a lot of sense. Just wanted to hear others take on the subject. I know Maria trains with a coach, I wonder if she uses similar ideas in training.

 

[Andrew 1973]

I don't train, but I do ride with a HRM

I am on medication that greatly slows my heart rate to as low as 44bpm resting. If I get much above 89bpm I am maxed out, so it's important for me to monitor myself closely.

 

[mickjordan]

HR Trainng

Training with a HR monitor is better than nothing but you have to be aware that your heart rate can vary considerably from day to day depending on the temperature, when you last rode hard, etc., so you have to interpret the HR a bit. A power meter is a much more accurate way to train but, unfortunately, rather expensive at present. Still, I always use the HR monitor when I am doing intervals on the trainer and it helps me avoid overdoing it and keeping close to my lactate threshold.

 

[psychling]

HR Zone Training - It's Working

Three out of four training rides this week were on the indoor trainer.

Two days ago I did 28 miles and 3,750 feet of climbing on my local training route. I forgot my Garmin 500 so I couldn't collect ther data. However, I transited the course in the fastest time yet: 2:10:00.

Having done several HRZ indoor training sessions lately I had a pretty good sense of my heart rate during the outdoor session. I'm pretty sure the HR average was about 125-135 bpm (pushing into HRZ 3).

Taking the advice of my good friend Mike Cash I used the many incline ascents as `intervals' in order to get the best out of them. It `primed' my effort. But I still found myself coasting (albeit, coasting fast) on the descents while the HR dropped significantly

Today I put in 3 hours on the trainer and maintained a heart rate of 111 (low end of Heart Rate Zone 2 for me). It's working. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/243660556. After the indoor training session I felt a sense of fatigue and leg soreness that I just don't get on the mountains. (This is a good thing).

The combination of outdoor and indoor training with the Heart Rate Zone method is certainly giving me a much higher calibre of training.

 

[BobD]

HR training

Randy: Many thanks for the article suggestion. I started using HR monitoring for the first time this season after many years of riding. My plans are to use it during Winter training.....indoors and outside.

Dan: I really appreciate your ongoing posts re: training.....your blogs are particularly helpful/inspring....fun to read.

I just started a book by Sally Edwards & Sally Reed: Heart Zones Cycling. At least for a newbie regarding HR training.....I find it to be very helpful. Although I have been riding for a long time, I have never taken training seriously. I think that my turning 60 y.o. this Spring and desire to ride a Silvio longer distances and with greater enjoyment on the hills of New England has lead me to appreciate the need for decent training AND weight loss.

I plan to have a Silvio by the end of the year.....am psyched.