Spinning Heart Rate

Are you saying you gave up using a computrainer with a powertap for an HRM and a spinning class?😕

cbjesseeNH said:

The CompuTrainer and PowertapPro wheel languish at home, sadly.

One strange thing I discovered about HR is
when riding in the drops, head down, into a Force 10 gale...I would swear I am on the redline because I cannot go any harder.
But I look at my HRM and apparently I am 20-25 bps below what I think I am. Bloody crazy.
One rider of vast experience tells me it's because I am bunched up and my lungs are cramped- diaphragm can't expand to full capacity.
So if your bars are in the next time-zone, you would be stretched out in a Chris-Boardman position. Your O2 intake would be much better.
Just try different things and see what does it for you.

Yeah. I'm up and out the door at 430am and home 7pm, so time to ride my PT-equipped bike outdoors or on my CT weekdays is shot. It's a 50min commute if I leave 430am but a 2hr+ commute if I leave at 630am due to traffic.

So I hit the gym a block from work for a one hour 6am spin class on the way in or a 45min spin class over lunch.

I used to get up at the same time and ride outdoors or on the CT for 90min and be at work by 830am, but that was when the commute was different. The only difference is another 10mi down I93 into Boston - but that extra 10mi can take an extra 60-90min. The Big Dig helped traffic in Boston, but not getting to Boston. This job isn't forever, but probably a few years.

So my real rides are weekends and days off.

wiredued said:

Are you saying you gave up using a computrainer with a powertap for an HRM and a spinning class?😕

I spin in 1 hour classes when weather or darkness keeps me indoors weekdays (about half the year).

With a good insturctor, HR can be pushed up a high as they would be outside for similar endurance levels. Whether legs, quads, etc. get the same workout is up for debate.

You should at some point in the workout hit the 85-92% anerobic zone for at least short bursts, much like you would attacking the top of a hill or sprinting. But you can work in the zone of your choice by adding resistance, spinning faster, or "jumping" even if the instructor is doing something less vigourous -- it is your workout.

For example, today with an instructor who was doing mostly "hills" (with bad music) I averaged 72% including the warm up and cool down time, but spent most of the 8 minute "climbs" at around 80%.

Just don't let them have you doing moves which you would never do outdoors, like pushups on the handlebars.

cbjesseeNH said:

I moved indoors weekdays due to a long commute to a new job and take Spinning classes at a local gym. I'm using a Polar HR monitor (S610) set to % MaxHR and try to keep below 90%, having seen all that info saying exercising in the 90-100% range risks injuries.

Knowing from this forum that HR relates to effort, position, cooling, hydration, etc., I'm wondering if % MaxHR is any guide at all on the Spinning bike. My position is set to keep my seat/pedal dimensions close to correct but the bars are then pretty far off. So position is poor.

No fan, booming tunes and usually plentry of water in a room that's dim, cool but not cold.

Any thoughts on how to maximize Spinning workouts via HR? I see Joe Friel has a new HR training book coming out soon...

The CompuTrainer and PowertapPro wheel languish at home, sadly.

. I'm using a Polar HR monitor (S610) set to % MaxHR and try to keep below 90%, having seen all that info saying exercising in the 90-100% range risks injuries.

lots of guys hear up into 905+ regularly... was this info on the forum?