another turbo training plan question

Rouge Penguin

Apologies, but searching on the mobile is an arse. Finally got the bike on the turbo and gave it a go, will be great over the winter. At the month, I've only got a cadence counter, so how can I train with that until I can get the decent hrm I want?

Most plans seem to aim at HR's on turbotrainer etc.

Cheers all.....

Anonymous

Ignore it!

Pedal at your natural cadence, work off perceived exertion...

Try the www.thesufferfest.com for videos to watch whilst on the turbo, cheap and use perceived exertion as a guide as to how hard to go...

jermas

Short intervals - with all out efforts. HRMs aren't much use in this senario as the interval is over before your heart catches up.

Long intervals (2x20 etc) are harder to pace without a HRM - too hard an effort early on and you might not finish the later intervals. Too little effort and it's all too easy.

The trouble with "perceived effort" on the turbo is when you work up a sweat, it often feels like you are working harder than you actually are.

Maybe buy a cheap HRM. I find a simple monitor works just fine.

Anonymous

HRM here, 20 quid, comes with a bike mount too!

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.203-3529.aspx

Rouge Penguin

Thanks for the link, thatll do for the next 2 weeks.

So how useful is knowing your rpm on the road? Should you aim to maintain a 90
Rpm level through the ride? Ove never really looked at it, as I've always tried to improve my average mph over different routes.

You'd think riding would be as easy as point and pedal. .

Anonymous

I don't bother, I just ride at what feels natural. I occasionally do specific cadence but not often.

Rouge Penguin

Thanks ND. Went for a polar from amazon for the same. Now to read you 8 page thread for tips.

Anonymous

Good buy there!

Rouge Penguin

So how do you incorporate it into training?

Work out your MHR and ensure that youre working at 85-90% at all times?

So say on the road, you're scooting along at the level and have a incline, do you change up to keep the level down or accept you need to push on a bit and then settle down?

This whole thing is about keeping fit over the winter, not having to start from scratch and coming out of the dark almost ready for the L2B & Gran Fondo Dragonride (obv not without real outdoor riding).

Anonymous

Rouge Penguin wrote:

So how do you incorporate it into training?

Work out your MHR and ensure that youre working at 85-90% at all times?

So say on the road, you're scooting along at the level and have a incline, do you change up to keep the level down or accept you need to push on a bit and then settle down?

This whole thing is about keeping fit over the winter, not having to start from scratch and coming out of the dark almost ready for the L2B & Gran Fondo Dragonride (obv not without real outdoor riding).

Working out your maximum heart rate is very difficult indeed as it involves, well, pushing your heart rate to the max which is REALLY REALLY hard! You need someone with you to encourage you and make sure you're ok.

Most training plans/coaches use Threshold Heart rate which is much easier to test for. I had a lab test one and a short time later did the Carmichael one which (in very basic terms) consists of 2 x 8 mins Time trials and taking the average HR from the higher one of these.

The Carmichael test result was 1bpm away from my lab tested one.

Then you need to learn it wisely.

Differing levels of intensity for different length intervals...