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Accurate way if finding heart rate threshold

rob39rob39 Posts: 479
edited December 2016 in Training, fitness and health
Just been given a heart rate monitor but don't trust the 220 - age method for finding the threshold. Whats an alternative and how to calculate zones

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  • imposter2.0imposter2.0 Posts: 12,015
    rob39 wrote:
    Just been given a heart rate monitor but don't trust the 220 - age method for finding the threshold. Whats an alternative and how to calculate zones

    220-age is not intended to give you 'threshold' - it is intended to approximate your max HR, except it is not an accurate guide.

    Is it max or threshold HR you are trying to establish?
  • cougiecougie Posts: 22,512
    Google how to do a max heart rate test?

    Depends on how you're going to train really.
  • rob39rob39 Posts: 479
    Mean't max
    Turbo workouts over the winter, sweet spot, threshold, GCN and Bikeradar turbo workouts. Lose weight and improve endurance
  • napoleondnapoleond Posts: 5,992
    Pay a visit to www.sportstest.co.uk for mega accurate heart rate zones.

    Otherwise Google the Carmichael test for threshold heart rate.
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • rob39rob39 Posts: 479
    So max heart rate 181 bpm after a 30 min test. 10 min warm up 20 min at steady cadence 90 rpm last minute flat out. How do your work out the zones %. I'm 48 and carrying some excess baggage.
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    What plan are you using ? There are a couple of different zone calcs so make sure you are using the same scale.

    Simple one is just % of your MHR.

    More complicated is as a % of your MHR - RHR.
  • denkfauldenkfaul Posts: 39
    rob39 wrote:
    So max heart rate 181 bpm after a 30 min test. 10 min warm up 20 min at steady cadence 90 rpm last minute flat out. How do your work out the zones %. I'm 48 and carrying some excess baggage.

    Do you know what your average HR was for the last 20mins of the test? This will be your threshold rate, and you can plug this into various online calculators which will tell you your zones.
  • buckmulliganbuckmulligan Posts: 1,031
    Do you have a link to the workouts you're planning on doing? Do these have a guide to determining your HR zones?

    To cut a long story short, zones are meaningless without an associated training plan. It's all very well and good establishing that your Z4 is x bpm to y bpm, but how you implement those i.e. the workouts that say z mins at Z4 with w mins rest, then they're pretty much useless.
  • rob39rob39 Posts: 479
    jeeeez this is getting more complicated by the second lol
    Plans are the Bikeradar vids sweetspot and HIIT fat burner and GCN vids endurance 60 mins and 40 min ones
    As for average it was probably 170 175. It was a basic HR monitor no plug in unfortunately.
    Basically training for the Gran Fondo in April in the 14-16 mph 45-49 age group. Really want to get to the top level of this.
    My current average is 14 mph overall and did this doing a 95 mile charity run.
  • imposter2.0imposter2.0 Posts: 12,015
    How many hours a week are you riding at the moment?
  • rob39rob39 Posts: 479
    At the moment out on the road x1 1 1/2 - 2 1/2hrs hilly route, and probably on the turbo x2-3 times a week shift dependant. I work 12hr shifts 7 days over 14
  • rob39rob39 Posts: 479
    Worked out my zones
    Z1 106-115
    Z2 115-132
    Z3 132-145
    Z4 145-157
    Z5 157-166
    Z6 166-177
  • imposter2.0imposter2.0 Posts: 12,015
    Lot of zones there - what intensity levels do they represent?
  • Alex_Simmons/RSTAlex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    HR training "zones" really only need:

    Recovery (below endurance level)
    Endurance (70-77.5% of HRmax)
    Tempo (77.5-85% of HRmax)
    Threshold (85-92.5% HRmax)

    If using a threshold HR value, then just multiply those HRmax ranges by ~0.9

    Of course use actual HR values for you, not formula derived values. Then if in practice you find them too easy or hard, simply adjust them up or down accordingly.

    Anything above threshold level isn't really worth "zoning" with HR since efforts at such levels are pretty much over by the time HR enters the "zone", or if HR gets up very quickly then you've gone out way too hard.

    IOW HR is inadequate for assisting with or recording the nature of supra threshold efforts.
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • rob39rob39 Posts: 479
    The zones actually came from a bikeradar article on max heart rate from January this year.
  • imposter2.0imposter2.0 Posts: 12,015
    rob39 wrote:
    The zones actually came from a bikeradar article on max heart rate from January this year.

    There are lots of ways of interpreting zones, but as Alex implies, that's probably too many and you only really need three or four maximum. There's a risk of overcomplicating things otherwise.
  • Alex_Simmons/RSTAlex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    Imposter wrote:
    rob39 wrote:
    The zones actually came from a bikeradar article on max heart rate from January this year.

    There are lots of ways of interpreting zones, but as Alex implies, that's probably too many and you only really need three or four maximum. There's a risk of overcomplicating things otherwise.
    I think at last count I recall something like a dozen different ways of defining HR training levels or zones. Reality is there is so much slop/variance in HR response that attempting to narrow them down tightly is applying a false sense of precision.

    IOW you can pretty much do just as well with a reasonably tuned perceived exertion meter.
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • OnTheRopesOnTheRopes Posts: 460
    Why not invest in a good book on the subject https://www.amazon.co.uk/Total-Heart-Ra ... =joe+friel
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