FTP using Heart rate

Trev The Rev

To quote Obree on power meters.

"My honest opinion on this type of equipment is that not only is it of no real use in real time training, it is another distraction from the path of true self improvement. I have the same opinion of computers for road use and heart rate monitors, but for one exception..............". He says heart rate monitors they are of use to limit effort on recovery rides.

Obree goes on to say, " these appliances complicate the job of training on the road and they are hard to use as instant feed - back training aids in that training environment.........these devises are equivalent to a car speedometer that tells you what speeds you did once you have stopped - interesting, but useless."

Heretical views if you are a Coggan devotee.

Pross

T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:

Im still not seeing how increased speed =increased power. Especially in Obrees setup where only speed is measured,there is no way to gauge gains.

Perhaps Alex could explain.

On the assumption that all other variables have been taken out of the turbo trainer (which to me seems quite a big assumption) then what else could alter the speed other than changes to the effort being made?

To me it seems like typical Obree though - a slightly eccentric way of overcoming a problem when there are easier, established methods of doing the same (in this case using a callibrated power meter). I like Obree for this approach to things but don't necessarily think it is the way for the rest of us to do things!

amaferanga

T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:

Im still not seeing how increased speed =increased power. Especially in Obrees setup where only speed is measured,there is no way to gauge gains.

Perhaps Alex could explain.

All Obree knows (assuming he has managed to keep all other variables constant) is that more speed means more power, but not how much more power (unless he knows the power curve of his actual turbo trainer - not a generic one for that make/model of turbo trainer as clearly that wouldn't be accurate enough for his needs).

amaferanga

you can't help but admire Obree's achievements, but as has always been the case, some of his views and opinions are just odd. He's doing everything he can to make a pseudo-powermeter from his turbo trainer, yet he claims powermeters are pointless. And then seems to claim that HR monitors are good for limiting effort on recovery rides, but power meters are not. Very odd views IMO. I can see why the Rev has a man crush on him.

Trev The Rev

amaferanga wrote:

you can't help but admire Obree's achievements, but as has always been the case, some of his views and opinions are just odd. He's doing everything he can to make a pseudo-powermeter from his turbo trainer, yet he claims powermeters are pointless. And then seems to claim that HR monitors are good for limiting effort on recovery rides, but power meters are not. Very odd views IMO. I can see why the Rev has a man crush on him.

I am not with him on his turbo measuring device. I can see why he does not like to use a power meter out on the road but I don't get why he prefers his magnetic turbo to a decent power meter. I thought it might be cost or calibration or reliability issues he has, but he makes no mention of that.

mattshrops

You do have to love mr Obree. But for me i would always add a few provisos to his methods/advice.

1) The guy does seem to be an obsessive engineer/inventor type who very likely takes great pleasure from coming up with an alternative solution.

2)Physically he is very likely a genetic freak(in the nicest possible way) -if he trained by juggling potatoes on a unicycle he would still kick our arses.

Alex_Simmons/RST

Trev The Rev wrote:

To quote Obree on power meters.

"My honest opinion on this type of equipment is that not only is it of no real use in real time training, it is another distraction from the path of true self improvement. I have the same opinion of computers for road use and heart rate monitors, but for one exception..............". He says heart rate monitors they are of use to limit effort on recovery rides.

Obree goes on to say, " these appliances complicate the job of training on the road and they are hard to use as instant feed - back training aids in that training environment.........these devises are equivalent to a car speedometer that tells you what speeds you did once you have stopped - interesting, but useless."

They are just normal comments from someone that hasn't made the paradigm shift from training by power to training with power.

Trev The Rev

Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:

Trev The Rev wrote:

To quote Obree on power meters.

"My honest opinion on this type of equipment is that not only is it of no real use in real time training, it is another distraction from the path of true self improvement. I have the same opinion of computers for road use and heart rate monitors, but for one exception..............". He says heart rate monitors they are of use to limit effort on recovery rides.

Obree goes on to say, " these appliances complicate the job of training on the road and they are hard to use as instant feed - back training aids in that training environment.........these devises are equivalent to a car speedometer that tells you what speeds you did once you have stopped - interesting, but useless."

They are just normal comments from someone that hasn't made the paradigm shift from training by power to training with power.

As I have said I don't understand Obree here and I agree with you. I have reasons why I don't like to train to or with power all the time but Obree has not explained in his book what his reasons are.

inspectorg69

Thnaks Alex, really useful!
Interesting conversation too.
Sadly I took my other half to the Etape Cymru and now she wants a carbon women's road bike to chase all those other guys with tight butt's!
So I won't be getting power measurements any time soon!