FTP Test & Heart Rate
penski
Posts: 124
Hi All,
I'm wondering if I am truly pushing myself during the FTP test (Short test in Zwift). My heart rate averages and generally doesn't exceed about 150.
Should it be higher? I am 30YO male, currently extremely unfit.
I'm wondering if I am truly pushing myself during the FTP test (Short test in Zwift). My heart rate averages and generally doesn't exceed about 150.
Should it be higher? I am 30YO male, currently extremely unfit.
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Comments
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Nobody can tell you what your HR should be. The important thing is whether you were riding at the right level of intensity, but only you will know the answer to that...0
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Nobody can tell you what your HR should be. The important thing is whether you were riding at the right level of intensity, but only you will know the answer to that...
That's fair enough, but heart rate can be an indicator of intensity too. What general heart rates do others frequently see during their tests?0 -
Nobody can tell you what your HR should be. The important thing is whether you were riding at the right level of intensity, but only you will know the answer to that...
That's fair enough, but heart rate can be an indicator of intensity too. What general heart rates do others frequently see during their tests?
Other people's heart rates are irrelevant to you. If you want to know your MHR or THR, do a test - but comparing yours to others is a waste of time.0 -
We arent all built in the same factory you know!0
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Mine will finish in the 170-180 range in such a test (I'm a 47 year old male), but as said each person's MHR is their own. You can't really get it from a formula (certainly not 220-age).
If you do the 20 minute test properly you should wonder whether you'll make it, but manage to hang on to the end. Just.
If you finish thinking "well that wasn't so bad", you probably didn't go hard enough. If you fail to finish, or "fly and die" (whre your power really drops off in the latter part of the test) dial it back a bit next time. 0 -
Recent test. Average HR 182 max 193. I'm 31
That's interesting - when I was fitter, during football after some sprinting I would reach 200 (about 2 years ago). Obviously no relevance to a 20 minute cycling test, but so far, none of the work out sessions in Zwift (6 week beginners programme) has allowed me to exceed 135BPM, I think not being used to FTP (having only done the test for the first time a few weeks ago), I really undersold myself during those initial tests.
This data will be interesting to look at, please keep your replies coming.0 -
If it's as hard as you can go for 20 minutes it is what it is. Whatever you do, don't compare yourself with others based on HR.
Its your number. Not anyone else's.Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
ABCC Cycling Coach0 -
This data will be interesting to look at, please keep your replies coming.
You might as well ask for people's shoe sizes while you're at it - the info will probably be more useful.0 -
As said, you have to ignore other people's values.
Use Perceived Exertion if anything. Google it.
If I test or do a nasty workout like Long Scream, then I test/ride with the power meter on, and on purpose do not wear a HRM.
I am NOT interested in knowing I am probably killing myself.0 -
if you've hit 200 while running i would guess you should be at least 180 on the bike, if you ride a 2-3 min hill flat sticks what does your HR hit?0
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For your age 150 would be unusually low, especially if you have hit a max of 200 in the past few years, as others have mentioned 170-180 would be expected. Illness or fatigue can put a lid on your HR but in your case I'm guessing that it is probably due to a suboptimal indoor set up, do you have a large fan and a cool room? Does your HR go higher on the road?0
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last did the test a few years ago, not keen on doing it again, however should I? Does a few years mean a loss in max rate that would change my zones? Zone 2 and 3 probably doesn't matter as they are fairly wide, but 2*20s might be killing me un-necessarily.0
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last did the test a few years ago, not keen on doing it again, however should I? Does a few years mean a loss in max rate that would change my zones? Zone 2 and 3 probably doesn't matter as they are fairly wide, but 2*20s might be killing me un-necessarily.
max heart rate doesn't really matter if your now using power but you need to be sure your getting a true ftp number, HR will be helpful but you will get to know where your heart rate is in relation to power over time anyway0 -
but 2*20s might be killing me un-necessarily.
Like NapD said earlier - providing you are completing the session and you actually aren't dead, then the level was probably about right.0 -
As soon as I got my PM i stopped using the HR monitor. Occassionaly I put it on for a controlled turbo session to check nothing unusual is going on.0
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I do 20 minute tests on the road generally when I have to rush home like tonight. My motivation tonight was the frightful weather. Even though this was all I could give my heart rate was 145bmp average peaking at 162 bpm.
every time I have done one of these my heart rate has been around 140 to 145 bpm maybe I could go a bit harder but I also start cold with no warm up so it is not an ideal test.
HR monitor is very useful with a power meter you can spot quickly if your heart rate is elevated a sure sign of fatigue. I saw this this morning and soft pedalled for recovery it worked as managed the above tonight (best ever effort).http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.0 -
Do you adjust zones based on a test like that?0
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I am not sure what you mean. For zone hr was lower on the first five minutes which is mostly down hill and then it picked up. Power was fairly constant though well as good as i can get on a rolling course.
My post was to indicate a hard effort does not have to be at a very high heart rate. Ftp is your hour pace. That means a heart rate you can sustain for n hour two. I'm 40 and my max hr is 170 bpm.http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.0 -
I do 20 minute tests on the road generally when I have to rush home like tonight. My motivation tonight was the frightful weather. Even though this was all I could give my heart rate was 145bmp average peaking at 162 bpm.
every time I have done one of these my heart rate has been around 140 to 145 bpm maybe I could go a bit harder but I also start cold with no warm up so it is not an ideal test.
HR monitor is very useful with a power meter you can spot quickly if your heart rate is elevated a sure sign of fatigue. I saw this this morning and soft pedalled for recovery it worked as managed the above tonight (best ever effort).
low heart rate is also a sign on fatigue!0 -
Baseline (resting) HR maxHR and time to recover baseline are all also useful. If I read correctly you tested ave HR. Ave HR thru the test is only moderately useful but if you did then 150 average is usually a pretty good effort. However HRmax of 150 would be generally fairly low for someone in their 30's. As you get fitter you should see your Baseline (resting) HR maxHR and time to recover baseline reduce and maxHR increase (slightly) but ave HR thru the effort may well stay the same or increase very slightly. Changes in HR are generally very slow with time as they are indicating changes in your core physiology.0
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There seems to be something slightly odd about the OP's numbers. Reaching only 75% of his running MHR seems pretty low..
If you stand on the bike, does your HR go up? What cadence are you reaching on your FTP test? I wouldn't worry unduly about it but the ratio of riding to running seems quite low. You could also try running again to see if your running MHR is now lower.ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0 -
To throw my experience with HR and running. When doing a 5k race which only works out a few minutes less than a 20 minute FTP test my HR sits between 180 and 185 for the whole time whereas on the bike there is no way I can keep it up there. 170 - 175 is roughly where my FTP test sits as an average and im suprised if I go higher than 180.0
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Hi All,
I'm wondering if I am truly pushing myself during the FTP test (Short test in Zwift). My heart rate averages and generally doesn't exceed about 150.
Should it be higher? I am 30YO male, currently extremely unfit.
If you don't know whether you were pushing yourself in the test, I strongly suspect that you weren't pushing yourself hard enough. You should KNOW that you have pushed it in a 20 mintute FTP test.
My better half takes the pee endlessly when I let out an involutary pathetic death groan as I reach 20 minutes on the turbo.0 -
I suspect you are all correct, and I haven't pushed myself to the max. Although I felt fatigued with 5 minutes to go, I was able to increase my FTP by 20-30W in the remaining 20 seconds.
I will do a beep/MSFT test and see what happens with my heart rate. I will also do an all out standing sprint on the bike to see what I get there.0 -
I suspect you are all correct, and I haven't pushed myself to the max. Although I felt fatigued with 5 minutes to go, I was able to increase my FTP by 20-30W in the remaining 20 seconds.
I will do a beep/MSFT test and see what happens with my heart rate. I will also do an all out standing sprint on the bike to see what I get there.
If you really want to find your max heart rate on the bike, I'd suggest that you find a local hill that takes you a couple of minutes. Ride up it at your hardest pace, just as you feel like you are close to failure, sprint for 30 s or so. Max heart rate efforts are very hard. Psyche yourself up for it.
The beep test is running, right?
If you're not sure about pacing for the 20 minute test, you could take your overall average pace for your previous test (which includes your extra burst at the end), then take that average pace as your starting pace for the next test. If you can still raise the pace in the last half or 5 minutes of the test, then do so. Repeat the process. That way you'll gradually ramp up and you'll get a good feel for the effort you can sustain over 20 mins. It's really not easy. You should be chuffed when you complete these sessions and have pushed yourself.0 -
I suspect you are all correct, and I haven't pushed myself to the max. Although I felt fatigued with 5 minutes to go, I was able to increase my FTP by 20-30W in the remaining 20 seconds.
I will do a beep/MSFT test and see what happens with my heart rate. I will also do an all out standing sprint on the bike to see what I get there.
If you really want to find your max heart rate on the bike, I'd suggest that you find a local hill that takes you a couple of minutes. Ride up it at your hardest pace, just as you feel like you are close to failure, sprint for 30 s or so. Max heart rate efforts are very hard. Psyche yourself up for it.
The beep test is running, right?
If you're not sure about pacing for the 20 minute test, you could take your overall average pace for your previous test (which includes your extra burst at the end), then take that average pace as your starting pace for the next test. If you can still raise the pace in the last half or 5 minutes of the test, then do so. Repeat the process. That way you'll gradually ramp up and you'll get a good feel for the effort you can sustain over 20 mins. It's really not easy. You should be chuffed when you complete these sessions and have pushed yourself.
The only time I've seen what I believe to be my max HR is either during a lab test or in a race on the track. Never seen within 5bpm elsewhere.
And the zones extrapolated from that max HR bear no resemblance to my proper ones obtained through lab testing.Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
ABCC Cycling Coach0 -
Low heart rate is not always a sign of fatigue my heart rate is always low. When I am fatigued I normally see my heart rate elevated not the other way around.
The few times I have hit max heart rate on the bike is races where I have blown up on hard hill efforts trying to keep up with all the young light whippets it does not happen when training.
Your 20 minute test needs to be at a fairly constant effort. Try to keep the cadance constant too as well.
FTP is just a number though. The test is meant to show progression and to give you some idea where to pitch interval efforts. You won't be riding intervals though always at your FTP as what you can manage day to day varies.http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.0 -
I read somewhere the fitter you are with training, the lower your max heart rate will be and that if you go untrained for a while your max heart rate will increase again. I guess it's to do with cardiac stroke volumes between the trained and untrained heart. One way to find your MHR is run up and down a steep hill with repeats while wearing a heart strap. Beep test is also good. Your max bike heart rate will be lower slightly. Training is all about numbers.0
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Penski, out of interest, do you know your cadence for the FTP test? What tends to be your 'limiter' when testing, do your legs burn or is it more heart/lungs?0
