heart rates

Raph

I recently got a HRM and wondered what were reasonable rates to train at?

I've been seriously unfit for a few years now and recently got fed up with it, so got back into rides of over 100miles, but cranking up decent speeds seems to be harder to get back into.

I was surprised today to find on a short 25mile ride I was hitting the 160-170BPM area on hills, and averaged 140 at the end, but only managed a measly 15mph average. It was very windy and cold and few other excuses but basically in my book that's still pathetic, yet heart rates can't go much higher than that without blowing a fuse. I'm 45 so I take it 175 is theoretical max.

So the other question is - is there a good way to maximise improvement? (with or without the HRM - it's a new toy but I'm happy to chuck it in the bin if it's not going to be useful)

I started trying to rescue myself from terminal unfitness about three/four months ago with some longish rides which went quite well, but since then I seem to be getting less fit, not more. There's been a sugarless caffeinless justaboutanythingless diet that the body's found a bit of a shock, and I've lost about a stone and a half, but I would have thought by now things'd start getting a bit better. I went to the doctor for the first time in about 20 years but all he said was a rather moronic "you're a fit young fellow etc..." cos I wasn't actually dead yet. Another doctor did me a blood test just in case I was going diabetic or something, but that came back normal. I reckon doctors don't find anything wrong with you unless you've got a leg missing, and even then you probably have to point it out yourself.

Anyone else had such a slow recovery after a period of unfitness? And any advice on getting out of it?

tonyrees68

ok this is taken from mens health mag last year and how to find your limits ,
this is your starting point 214 subtracked from 0.8 multiplied by your age .
For a 33 year old bloke thats 214-(0.8x33)
His max heart rate will be 187 beats per minute .
Once you have your max heart rate heres how to figure out your working heart rate .
Take your resting heart rate after you wake up (eg 55) then subtract it from you max;
187-55=132. Make that number in to a %
(eg 60% for a slow run ) by multiplying it by a decimal fraction; 132x0.6 (for 60%)=79
Finally add it back on to your resting heart rate ;79+55=134
Thats the working heart rate your aiming for .
60% - slow recovery run
60-70% long slow fat burning runs
70-85% intermittent fast bursts
85% half marathon rase pace
85-90% 5K-10K race pace
95% 400m pace
hope this helps a bit confusing at first but it makes sence when you try it out a few times
tony

farrell

Ignore that equation.....sorry TR68.

I'm 36 and my max is 207 in races and around 195 - 200 on tough hills

Do intervals (x3) on a hill. That way you'll find your real max. Make sure you're hydrated, fueled and warmed up first, otherwise you'll be seeing stars.

tonyrees68

no sorrys needed farrell just quoting a mag on the subject just thought id post it for some help

Ste_S

To be honest I wouldn't worry about heart rate if you've just started cycling again.

Just get out and ride lots, and most importantly enjoy cycling.

ut_och_cykla

Divide your training time into 80% steady but not silly slow, with a large chunk as one uninterupted long ride over vrying terrain. You might want to take something along to eat on this one - healthy snack, tuna sarnie etc.
The remaining 20% of your time (probably not more than 1-3 hours) try cycling beyond your comfort zone for periods of 5-10 minutes. Hill repeats, timed laps on a circuit that is not heavily traficked etc. Hard sessions that are at times quite unpleasant and have you gasping for breath. Use your pulse meter to track your progress adn as a guide but until you are certain of your max it can only ever be a guestimate and you can make great improvements by relying on a scale of exertion. Google RPE - there was one on this forum linked to power training but it gives you a good idea of how your breathing should be too.
Good luck
and keep cycling

Raph

"wouldn't worry about heart rate "

I'm not worried about it, it's just a general interest in the workings.

Seems I was at about 80% since the average was 140. I think once I know roughly what level of exertion corresponds to what heart rate then when people talk of percentages of max heart rate etc. it'll actually mean something. On every ride I get at least three or four hills where I go flat out - only the longest hills around here (Cotswolds, not exactly alps) induce that nearly-throwing-up feeling. In the past it's meant that on the next ride the threshold is a bit higher - but recently the threshold has stayed the same or got worse, hence interst in finding out whether it's actually useful or not to push the boundaries.

DIstance is never a problem - I know fit guys who do a 24 minute 10 but think over 100 miles is impressive whereas 100 miles is popping over to see my mate in Brecon, but I think I'd struggle to do even a 1/2 hour 10!

campagchris

Theres a good book out called the heart rate monitor book for cyclist's by sally edwards and sally reed try amazon or ebay well worth the money and for about £5

Johnny G

I agree with Farrell - do some hill reps at maximum effort and that will give your actual max HR. I'm 41 and measured 210 on my club hill climb.

The "210 minus age" type formulas only give an approximation.

Steve I

I wouldn't be too hard on yourself. Cold air is denser than warm air so winter rides do tend to be a bit slower. Mudguards and extra clothing add a little bit more drag. Averaging 15mph on a cold windy day is very respectable. I did 36 miles yesterday and averaged 15.7mph, it was cold but not especially windy. My heart rate averaged 132. A similar ride in the warmer months usually gives me an average of 16.5-17mph for the same heart rate.

Raph

"A similar ride in the warmer months usually gives me an average of 16.5-17mph for the same heart rate."

That's a typical average for me too in summer, sometimes for rides of 50-60 or more. Sounds like we're at a similar level - you don't live near Banbury or Oxford do you? I'm short of people to go on rides with!

...and yes there's a Banbury club, but as a musician I can never get it together on a Sunday morning after a late Sat night, and nobody seems to go out on weekdays, except the mega speedy dudes, and at least for now those are irrelevant to me!


Thanks for the book recommendation.

And by the way - "most importantly enjoy cycling" - Absolutely! I've never ever not enjoyed a ride. Even the worst cases of winching myself home against a howling blizzard or going jelly-legged miles from nowhere have always still left me with a smile that's really really hard to wipe off so I can not look like a grinning freak at my destination. Whatever pained expressions I might make while actually killing myself on some endless gradient, always turn into grins of moronic happiness. Getting changed into the right clobber for this time of year takes over half an hour and is a total bore, but once on a ride, whatever ride, in whatever sh1tty weather, is always like taking a dose of some supefying happy drug. Weird!

AndyChud

ok, the basic way to calculate your maximum heart rate is a simple equation: 220-your age. so or me, i am 16 so: 220-16=204bpm

despite this being the most popular method used, it is only a very general method and as you train, your maximum heart rate will increase over time with hypertrophy(as your heart grows) and so reducing your resting heart rate, but raising your maximum. for example, my own maximum is approximately 209bpm.

to work out yours, the best way is, as previously said, do some high intensity work to the max you can train. then, just when you peak, take your top heart rate.

Is your heart rate monitor a Polar fitness monitor? if so then you may find that you have the Polar fitness test programmed into your watch unit/heart monitor. this will calculate your VO2max. although not directly related to your heart rate, the higher your VO2 max, the fitter you are and so the higher your maximum heart rate is likely to be.

once you have an approximate maximum heart rate, working out your training zones(suggested heart rates at which train) is easy. your lower bound should be 60% of your maximum heart rate, and the higher should be 80%. This is for aerobic/non-sprint training only. If you want to do sprint work, then you should find your heart rate exceeding 80%.

I apologise if any of this is innaccurate, but it is what I have been taught at school so i hope this is of help to you. I also apologise if this i a little bit of a long-winded explanation.

Andy

Steve I

That's a typical average for me too in summer, sometimes for rides of 50-60 or more. Sounds like we're at a similar level - you don't live near Banbury or Oxford do you? I'm short of people to go on rides with!

Sorry mate, I live just outside Liverpool. Thanks for the offer anyway.