Comments on: How To Determine Your Target Heart Rate http://www.training4cyclists.com/how-to-determine-your-target-heart-rate/ Cycling Training Tips Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:02:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: steve http://www.training4cyclists.com/how-to-determine-your-target-heart-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-21283 steve Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:52:24 +0000 http://www.training4cyclists.com/how-to-determine-your-target-heart-rate/#comment-21283 I am a 49 year old male. I am active. I cycle about 3 times a week for a maximum of 60 miles and a minimum of 25 miles. I use a polar heart rate monitor. My average heart rate usally runs around 150-159. My maximum heart rate reaches 170-180. I am wondering if I am pushing my heart rate too high at 180. My brother, who is a year older than me, his average is lower than mine. I am concerned that my heart rate is getting too high. Should this be a concern or would this be consider normal. I am a 49 year old male. I am active. I cycle about 3 times a week for a maximum of 60 miles and a minimum of 25 miles. I use a polar heart rate monitor. My average heart rate usally runs around 150-159. My maximum heart rate reaches 170-180. I am wondering if I am pushing my heart rate too high at 180. My brother, who is a year older than me, his average is lower than mine. I am concerned that my heart rate is getting too high. Should this be a concern or would this be consider normal.

]]> By: Introduction to training with power meter http://www.training4cyclists.com/how-to-determine-your-target-heart-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-4985 Introduction to training with power meter Mon, 25 Jun 2007 09:27:32 +0000 http://www.training4cyclists.com/how-to-determine-your-target-heart-rate/#comment-4985 [...] Power meters like SRM, Ergomo and Powertap are very useful if you want to optimize your training and start getting better results. Before you throw away all your pocket money consider how serious you are with your training. If you find it very difficult to stick to a rigid training scheme, doing specific intervals in heart rate target zones, then a power meter might not be the best choice for you. If you think that analyzing your performances or registrating your training sessions is a waste of time, then you are probably not ready for cycling with a power meter yet. But if you get excited when you turn on your computer immediately after parking your bike, watching your heart rate file, then you will likely be even more excited about the data from a power meter. If you like to make training plans or have a cycling coach who works out plans for you, then a power meter will be a very powerful tool, which gives you opportunity to make better training plans. [...] [...] Power meters like SRM, Ergomo and Powertap are very useful if you want to optimize your training and start getting better results. Before you throw away all your pocket money consider how serious you are with your training. If you find it very difficult to stick to a rigid training scheme, doing specific intervals in heart rate target zones, then a power meter might not be the best choice for you. If you think that analyzing your performances or registrating your training sessions is a waste of time, then you are probably not ready for cycling with a power meter yet. But if you get excited when you turn on your computer immediately after parking your bike, watching your heart rate file, then you will likely be even more excited about the data from a power meter. If you like to make training plans or have a cycling coach who works out plans for you, then a power meter will be a very powerful tool, which gives you opportunity to make better training plans. [...]

]]> By: Scott McDiarmid http://www.training4cyclists.com/how-to-determine-your-target-heart-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-4857 Scott McDiarmid Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:05:30 +0000 http://www.training4cyclists.com/how-to-determine-your-target-heart-rate/#comment-4857 Hi, I've done a couple of Max HR tests over the years (I'm 40 now) which comes out at about 210 bpm. I guess my threshold is approx 185. Is there any specific research to indicate that high heart rates like my own are less efficient or hinder performance? Thx Hi,

I’ve done a couple of Max HR tests over the years (I’m 40 now) which comes out at about 210 bpm. I guess my threshold is approx 185. Is there any specific research to indicate that high heart rates like my own are less efficient or hinder performance?

Thx

]]> By: Coach Matt http://www.training4cyclists.com/how-to-determine-your-target-heart-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-719 Coach Matt Wed, 07 Feb 2007 16:57:02 +0000 http://www.training4cyclists.com/how-to-determine-your-target-heart-rate/#comment-719 Trevor - you bring up an important consideration - Max Heart Rate based calculations are inherently inacurate. The original 220-age calculation was completely arbitrary and not designed to be a performance based calculation. Each individual has their own heart rate max that doesn't often correlate to a MHR calculation. More important and relevant is your Lactate Threshold Heart Rate (LTHR). A simple way to estimate your LTHR (and develop training zones from there) is to do a simple breathing test. After a short warm up gradually increase your effort until you feel your breathing change to one that is slightly labored (need a breath between sentences) and you feel a slight "burn" in your legs. As soon as you feel that note the HR, back off and repeat to try to calibrate within a couple of beats - though anecdotal (you can also do a full fleged blood lactate profile) it is a good starting point for creating responsible training intensities> Think of it as below LT you have nearly limitless capacity, above LT you are on a short clock!! best matt Trevor – you bring up an important consideration – Max Heart Rate based calculations are inherently inacurate. The original 220-age calculation was completely arbitrary and not designed to be a performance based calculation. Each individual has their own heart rate max that doesn’t often correlate to a MHR calculation. More important and relevant is your Lactate Threshold Heart Rate (LTHR). A simple way to estimate your LTHR (and develop training zones from there) is to do a simple breathing test. After a short warm up gradually increase your effort until you feel your breathing change to one that is slightly labored (need a breath between sentences) and you feel a slight “burn” in your legs. As soon as you feel that note the HR, back off and repeat to try to calibrate within a couple of beats – though anecdotal (you can also do a full fleged blood lactate profile) it is a good starting point for creating responsible training intensities> Think of it as below LT you have nearly limitless capacity, above LT you are on a short clock!!

best
matt

]]> By: Heart Rate Monitor Guide http://www.training4cyclists.com/how-to-determine-your-target-heart-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-495 Heart Rate Monitor Guide Wed, 17 Jan 2007 14:23:57 +0000 http://www.training4cyclists.com/how-to-determine-your-target-heart-rate/#comment-495 [...] Be patient It is not necessary to use a special heart rate focused training program when you start to use it. As I said, just wearing the monitor for the first month is a very good education. I remember when I started to use a heart rate monitor for the first time back in the mid 90’s. At that time I had read some literature about general exercise physiology and heart monitors, but I lacked practical experience with the monitor. The result was that I made some target intervals for my heart rate which triggered the alarm system to beep most of the time. After a few of these rides I started to ride without target zones until I knew more about how my heart rate reacted during cycling. The lesson I learned was that you have to be patient and wait a while before you start doing intervals based on heart rate target zones. [...] [...] Be patient It is not necessary to use a special heart rate focused training program when you start to use it. As I said, just wearing the monitor for the first month is a very good education. I remember when I started to use a heart rate monitor for the first time back in the mid 90’s. At that time I had read some literature about general exercise physiology and heart monitors, but I lacked practical experience with the monitor. The result was that I made some target intervals for my heart rate which triggered the alarm system to beep most of the time. After a few of these rides I started to ride without target zones until I knew more about how my heart rate reacted during cycling. The lesson I learned was that you have to be patient and wait a while before you start doing intervals based on heart rate target zones. [...]

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