Intervals - how to hold heart rate

chrisjohnsen

Hi.
I have a question regarding hard interval sessions, like 30/15 x 12 (x3) at 90-95%. What is the best option for holding the heart rate above 90% for all 3 sets? I seem to not being able to hold all the way through the last set. Is it best to do for example 30/15 x 9-10 (x3). Or just keep at it an wait for better fitness and strength?

Hope the question was understandable...

Regards, Chris

imposter2.0

Hold the effort - not the HR. HR will not track reliably much above 90% anyway, so don't worry about it.

mummybear007

Hi, Pretty much everyone i know now works off Power... Have you thought about changing over?? I know when i do intervals with just heartrate i can`t hold more than 90%... Maybe worth thinking about getting a power meter...?

imposter2.0

If you can't hold the HR number, then maybe the HR number is too high, or maybe it is incorrect (ie you have not calculated your HR levels correctly). Training with power is no easier. Either way, you still have to train at a number or effort level you can maintain for the duration of the interval, or interval set.

simon_masterson

Why are you doing the intervals?

AK_jnr

Is that 30 secs on 15 secs off?
If so you cant do those intervals to HR. Your heart is way to slow to respond to short intervals. Perceived effort and or speed on the turbo (if its consistent) is the best way if you dont train to power.

mummybear007

I get you have to hold an effort.. From what i`ve been told when you train with power its alot more accurate than heartrate.. apparantley the effort is alot smoother and measured.. ??

simon_masterson

mummybear007 wrote:

I get you have to hold an effort.. From what i`ve been told when you train with power its alot more accurate than heartrate.. apparantley the effort is alot smoother and measured.. ??

A power meter measures (funnily enough) the power output it sees. Your heartrate is subject to other factors and does not change in the same linear way or at the same rate as power output does, therefore measuring power output is much more effective for this application.

markhewitt1978

chrisjohnsen wrote:

Hi.
I have a question regarding hard interval sessions, like 30/15 x 12 (x3) at 90-95%. What is the best option for holding the heart rate above 90% for all 3 sets? I seem to not being able to hold all the way through the last set. Is it best to do for example 30/15 x 9-10 (x3). Or just keep at it an wait for better fitness and strength?

Hope the question was understandable...

Regards, Chris

Understandable yes but I think you're getting the wrong end of the idea really. Your intervals need to be holding a specific power level, your HR is just your bodies response to the output and is far too laggy or variable to use for interval work.

You can get a power meter, or if using a turbo trainer there's ways to estimate it.

whoof

You can do intervals with HR but they need to be relatively long 3 or 4 minutes on to 1 & 1/2 minutes off. As your heart rate lags behind power output after one minute of your off I would start winding up the effort so you are at your required output from the start of the interval. There are a lot of external factors that can influence your HR, for instance it will be higher if you get hotter, therefore do your intervals in a well ventilated area with a fan to cool you. However, with experience you can get used to these factor and realise that although your have the same HR as say last week perhaps you can give it a bit more this week.

As others have said power is better but if you don't have access to power measuring equipment or the funds to buy some then HR is a lot better than feeling alone, that's measuring your effort by feeling not loneliness.

Also as above why are you doing intervals and what do you hope to achieve?

g00se

90%-95% of what? Is that a percentage of threshold HR or max HR?

I'm assuming max - and the intervals are 30sec/15sec . In which case, you're going VO2-max/anaerobic work. As others have said, you're heart rate won't get that high during a short interval, you'll hit the recovery interval as it's still rising. Power is the best way for short intervals - but that's expensive kit. So you'll need to use PE - perceived exertion.

For 90-95% of max, that's level 9 out of 10. Can't talk, legs on fire, lungs bursting. Think of 10 out of 10 as someone trying to run you down in a truck.