PappaBear Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 Hi guys and gals! I'm a newbie regarding heart rate training and racing. When doing a race, is there an ideal heart rate to try and maintain? Does this differ for road and mtb? Please advise! Thanx!
Red Zone Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 Sorry PappaBear there is no easy answer to this. HR varies (sometimes greatly) from person to person. You need to establish your max, which you can do by either a test (Sports Science Institude / Bike MAx etc..) or if you can take the punishment do it yourself. The science of HR training and racing is a bit complex and if you are serious it is worth getting a training guide from the web / bookstore or see a coach or someone at Sports Science Institude / Bike MAx. I train all over the HR spectrum depending on what I am doing that day and racing - well - as hard as you can for the distance.
Canaris Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 THE ideal hr is just under your lactic threashold ( which is a theoritical number where everything starts to fall apart). To determine this is simple. run a 10km race flat out and take the average HR for the last half. (or 20 minutes). THE ideal then is to stay bellow this when you can. (not always possible in race conditions) but if you cross this line constantly then you are maybe in the wrong break. There are many training theories out there, but there are two ideas that you must note. On long rides you should never ever get close to this HR, and secondly during intervals and hill climbs you should try tro bet above this HR for the full interval.
GIRR Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 Find out what your threshold is.Train at around 50-70% of that for endurance and above it for anaerobic training.
Earp Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 Go have a look at www.markallenonline.com I have used this to good results. For me anyway...
Li Mu Bai Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 go visit Robbie McIntosh and get your Lactate Threshold tested. Best in any situation is to race just below this threshold - then you keep going and going strong. If you race for too long over the LT you simply wilt - all the energy in your muscles will be used up as you will have pushed too hard.when training you should be pushing just over and then just below your LT so that you actually raise it, thus allowing you to manage faster riding without falling apart.
Earp Posted January 23, 2008 Posted January 23, 2008 HI Rude. <?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />I am not sure that those in the know will agree with you. Apparently it has been tested that once you have gone over your LT and therefore anaerobic you cannot go back to aerobic for 7 to 9 hours. This means that if you are planning on doing a short racing where you can sustain aerobic activity for almost 3 hours that is ok but if you are looking at doing some more endurance events that will be 6 hours plus then better aerobic efficiency is what you are looking for. To be more aerobic efficient means that you need to do sustained efforts in your aerobic zone (long rides of 5 to 7 hours) and over time you will see that you get faster while your rate stays the same (this also works for running and is great for IM). You are now more aerobic efficient. There are other factors in a training program like this such as combining speed work etc into it but that is a little of the topic at this point.
widget Posted January 23, 2008 Posted January 23, 2008 I find my ideal heart rate is when its beating.!! Further than that, I dont worry about it. ................but seriously guys, its not that important, just go and do the thing, unless you put dinner on the table with your cycling results, its just amateur sport, dont let all the gadgets and technology take over and ruin it for you.
PappaBear Posted January 23, 2008 Author Posted January 23, 2008 I agree with you widget, but still would like to improve while enjoying the sport. Especially with my super competitive mtb buddies!!!!
widget Posted January 23, 2008 Posted January 23, 2008 I agree with you widget' date=' but still would like to improve while enjoying the sport.Especially with my super competitive mtb buddies!!!! [/quote'] - I know the feeling mate.!!I know the feeling.!!
nitsckie Posted January 23, 2008 Posted January 23, 2008 Ja, I agree, the gadgets just show you how bad you riding after all
Andrem Posted January 25, 2008 Posted January 25, 2008 Just bought a Polar and going to give it a go. I'll let you know in a few months...
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