Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

Hi

 

Need some help and direction please

 

I have a HR and spin in the gym and ride on the road for races etc...

 

It seems my max heart rate that I can get on the monitor is 182 and when I start it is around 90 - now a few weeks later when I really push I battle to get up to 182 again...is this because I am fitter or am I not pushing as hard?

 

Also for gym I tend to range between 140 and 175 is this good?

 

Ok I am over weight and ju7st getting back into the swing of things , some hints and tips will be appreciated

 

Posted

It means you more than likely tired from the previous weeks and that is why your HR is not going up.

 

 

 

For your gym it depends on what you trying to achieve there is now right or wrong. But in those zones you seem to be having a good work out.

 

 

 

 

Posted

You do not need to achieve your maximum heart rate to feel the satisfaction that you have had a good workout. There are a number of factors that determine your heart rate when you train.

1. Your level of fitness.

2. The efficiency with which exercise (You may have improved your technique with pedaling,running etc and need less effort to do the same amount of work)

3. Intensity with which you exercise.

4. Your level of rest. ie if you are overtraining or have not slept well than you heart rate will be higher. The same is true if you overexerted yourself the previous day.

5. Illness. You will have a higher heart rate if you have a cold or a flu(Although you should not exercise if you have a flue)

 

 

Im not sure which heart rate monitor you use. I have a polar which is able to do a fitness test. If you have that function, than use it. Its good to chart  your fittness. If you dont have this function than use the gym equiptment. Most cardio machines will have this function.

 

Another good indicator of your level of fitness is your average heart rate. try to compare your average heart rate whilst riding the same rout or the same level of exertion. As you get fitter, than the average heart rate will decrease.

 

Your resting pulse will also come down as you get fitter.

 

As you become fitter, that spinning class or that tough climb will become easier so you may get the impression that you are not pushing yourself hard enough. (Your max heart rate may also be lower)

 

I suppose if you are hard core, than you can go for a VO2 max test, or a lactacte threshold.

 

As per yor heart rate zones. Think of your heart rate like like a cars rev meter. Its good to open up the valves for a short duration but you will overexert yourself if you are at the max persistently. I usuall keep my Hr at 70-80% max most of the time while doing short bursts towards max.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

 

 

Posted

hey excellent feedback thank you all...

 

I will play around with the fitness test I do have a Polar and it does have this option...

Your level of rest. ie if you are overtraining or have not slept well

than you heart rate will be higher. The same is true if you overexerted

yourself the previous day.

 

LOL thought that was just the tablets Geek

 

Posted

Ok is there something wrong with my Polar or is it just not set up correctly and I am getting fitter:?

 

1) Rode MTB on saturday however had the calibration for the road bike: race was 20 km watch said I had done just over 10km....

2) In the gym I now average between 140 and 150 whereas before I was averaging between 150- 170 ?

 

Could my settings be wrong >? maybe magnet on mtb is wrong and the watch has a problem ...ideas ? suggestions?

 

Posted

mayb your getting fitter. .  I ignore the polar fitness test. .  not that accurate.

Best way to check fitness is get a route, ride it and check your avg speed and avg heart rate. . you can even take a few lapmarker in between for example longish hills.

either 2 things will happen;

you will ride the same speed with lower heart rate

What polar model do you have?

or ride a faster speed with same heart rate.

 

 

Posted

What average heart rate % do you okes race?  Im sure as different as we are, people will tend to be comfortable at different HRs, but I avg my MTB races at 90% more often than not.  Normal?

Posted

that can be normal. . depending on the length of the race

Womans heart rate ishigher than mens, I had her firend whos avg HR for an XC race was 199-200bpm.

For your HR max, is it the calculated or tested?

 

Posted

Naw, calculated, not pro-enough to warrant testing.  So at 26 thats roughly 194.  Resting is 49/50 something. 

 

Dont do massive long events, babbas lodge 70km, 2:57, 89% HR, with Dirty Harry 40km, 2:11, 90% HR.
Posted

You can test it yourself.

get flat road or a climb.

warm up,

start at a easy pace and increase your speed with a 2km/h at each minute.

when you cant increase your soeed anymore go as hard as you can for as long as you can.

this will more or less give you an ideaof your max.

I clocked 200bmm on a climb chasing a friend.

 

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Settings My Forum Content My Followed Content Forum Settings Ad Messages My Ads My Favourites My Saved Alerts My Pay Deals Help Logout