Heart Rate Training, witch way do you monitor?

[Robrider]

Stay away from any zone calculations taking HRmax into account. Here is a good guide to set HR zones: http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2009/11/quick-guide-to-setting-zones.html In an ideal world, HR should be used as an indicator of physiologial response and fatigue. Power is a better, less variable way to gauge training efforts and allows you to monitor progress and plan more exact training sessions (intervals).

 

+100

[Robrider]

I subscribe to Joe Friel's training theory which basically means your training zones are based on your Lactate (or anaerobic) threshold heart rate (LTHR). This makes sense to me since you won't train or race at your MHR, To determine training zones you need to know your Lactate Threshold or (Anaerobic Threshold) Heart Rate. To work this out do a time trail run or ride as follows: (Don’t do this when you’re tired or in adverse conditions. This must be done solo, not with a group) Warm up 15-20 minutes then start a 30 min time trial. Lap your watch after 10 minutes. Your average HR for the last 20 min should be your LTHR for that particular sport. For running it should be around 7-10 BPM more than cycling. For swimming about 7-10 BPM less than for cycling. Then work out your training zones as a % of LTHR using this table to get you BPM for each zone. It will never be exact so you may want to repeat it periodically. Check the attached table for training zones based on the above.

 

Agreed.

[Cheese]

Now that you know how to do it. Use Fittrack.co.za to keep track of your improvements . assist you with motivation and to see yourself improving.

But you still need to do the hard work and do it the clever way.

[HappyMartin]

Agree with the posts above regarding setting zones by lactate threshold. Max HR is not much use.