Basic Q concerning HR, cadence, and MPH

[Cusp]

Hello all,

This week officially started my cycling training. Mind you - before this week I had absolutely no stamina/endurance to bike for more than 2 hrs max. So to help train, I purchased a HRM and have been spinning at 65-70% max HR for various times. I did my first 1.5 hours NON-stop on a bike! Yay! haha.

Anyway ... here's my question.

1.5 hours was going at 65-70% and felt like I could spin longer. Just needed food to keep me going. I haven't used my HRM on the road yet (6 degrees oustide) ... but as one trains longer, would my gearing on the bike increase (thus higher speed) with the same heart rate as before I started training?

I'm just 'semi' confused b/c I've read that the 65-70% zone is good for endurance. If biking for 2/3 hours - do you stay in this zone so not to 'bonk' out? And b/c you trained - you can have a higher gear on the bike to allow you to go faster than someone who hasn't trained but maintain the HR to pedal for hours?

Higher zones have higher intensities ... but you can't maintain them for long, correct?

So in a typical ride ... do you stay in this zone (65-70%) ... randomly reaching higher zones for short times ... then dropping down to 65-70% zone? And is the HR increasing by the RPMs that you are pedaling or by the intensity of the gear (big gear/slow RPMs)?

Sorry if confused ... totally new ground for me and don't have the knowledge/terminology yet.

Thanks!

 

[wiredued]

Basing your heart rate on the 220-age formula is not an accurate gauge of intensity. You might want to fine tune it by doing a twenty minute TT and checking your HR during the last five minutes to find your threshold HR. My threshold HR is 172bpm that is 105% of FTP on the border between L4 and L5. My target intensity for SST 91%FTP Low L4 for twenty minutes gives me a HR of 159bpm during the last 5 minutes of the interval. If I don't eat anything for 3 hours before I workout 91%FTP gets 148bpm during the last five minutes. I describe 91% as the point where you can still take a swig from your water bottle but you have to take three quick breaths before it. 100%FTP is considered hour Power, L3 Tempo (always pushing to keep from slipping into L2) typical duration is 1 to 3 hours, L2 is a 4 hour or more pace (all day pace). Low Tempo 76%FTP up to 100%FTP is considered sweet spot training (optimum intensity for their typical durations). For me the best way to get L4 training is indoor on the trainer. Outdoor I tend to get L2-L3 on the flats and L5 or L6 on hills and not much L4 unless some one is pushing the pace up. For terminology Dr Coggan's book http://www.amazon.com/Training-Racing-Power-Meter-Hunter/dp/1931382794/sr=8-1/qid=1169999974/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-4432017-0624663?ie=UTF8&s=books
For fine tuning HR by power cheaply the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine or Pro trainer would help http://www.1upusa.com/kurtkinetictrainer.htm along with this speed to power calibration chart formula http://www.kurtkinetic.com/calibration_chart.php

Hello all,

This week officially started my cycling training. Mind you - before this week I had absolutely no stamina/endurance to bike for more than 2 hrs max. So to help train, I purchased a HRM and have been spinning at 65-70% max HR for various times. I did my first 1.5 hours NON-stop on a bike! Yay! haha.

Anyway ... here's my question.

1.5 hours was going at 65-70% and felt like I could spin longer. Just needed food to keep me going. I haven't used my HRM on the road yet (6 degrees oustide) ... but as one trains longer, would my gearing on the bike increase (thus higher speed) with the same heart rate as before I started training?

I'm just 'semi' confused b/c I've read that the 65-70% zone is good for endurance. If biking for 2/3 hours - do you stay in this zone so not to 'bonk' out? And b/c you trained - you can have a higher gear on the bike to allow you to go faster than someone who hasn't trained but maintain the HR to pedal for hours?

Higher zones have higher intensities ... but you can't maintain them for long, correct?

So in a typical ride ... do you stay in this zone (65-70%) ... randomly reaching higher zones for short times ... then dropping down to 65-70% zone? And is the HR increasing by the RPMs that you are pedaling or by the intensity of the gear (big gear/slow RPMs)?

Sorry if confused ... totally new ground for me and don't have the knowledge/terminology yet.

Thanks!

 

[Cusp]

Basing your heart rate on the 220-age formula is not an accurate gauge of intensity. You might want to fine tune it by doing a twenty minute TT and checking your HR during the last five minutes to find your threshold HR. My threshold HR is 172bpm that is 105% of FTP on the border between L4 and L5. My target intensity for SST 91%FTP Low L4 for twenty minutes gives me a HR of 159bpm during the last 5 minutes of the interval. If I don't eat anything for 3 hours before I workout 91%FTP gets 148bpm during the last five minutes. I describe 91% as the point where you can still take a swig from your water bottle but you have to take three quick breaths before it. 100%FTP is considered hour Power, L3 Tempo (always pushing to keep from slipping into L2) typical duration is 1 to 3 hours, L2 is a 4 hour or more pace (all day pace). Low Tempo 76%FTP up to 100%FTP is considered sweet spot training (optimum intensity for their typical durations). For me the best way to get L4 training is indoor on the trainer. Outdoor I tend to get L2-L3 on the flats and L5 or L6 on hills and not much L4 unless some one is pushing the pace up. For terminology Dr Coggan's book http://www.amazon.com/Training-Racing-Power-Meter-Hunter/dp/1931382794/sr=8-1/qid=1169999974/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-4432017-0624663?ie=UTF8&s=books
For fine tuning HR by power cheaply the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine or Pro trainer would help http://www.1upusa.com/kurtkinetictrainer.htm along with this speed to power calibration chart formula http://www.kurtkinetic.com/calibration_chart.php

Wiredued,

FTP is basically 'Lactate Threshold', correct? Which is roughly L4, correct? So your training off of your LT ... % of your LT? Not % of MHR?

 

[wiredued]

My last 20 minute TT was 248watts avg this is 105% of FTP (fuctional threshold power or hour power) 248 x .95 = 236w FTP (by knocking off 5% I have my estimated 100% FTP what I could sustain for an hour) . Then 236 x 91% = 215w target for 3x20 minute intervals. From this I get the levels of intensity that are based on 100% FTP. Lactate threshold is a range from 91%-105% of FTP.

12/18/06 FTP 236 watts
L1 Active Recovery <55% 30-90min.................130
L2 Endurance 56%-75% 60-300min...................132-155-177
L3 Tempo 76%-90% 60-180min.......................179-196(52x21-89rpm)-212
L4 Lactate Threshold 91%-105% 8-30min............215(52x21-94rpm)-232-248
L5 VO2Max 106%-120% 3-8min.......................250(52x21-101rpm/52x11-52rpm)-267(52x11-54rpm)-283
L6 Anerobic Capacity 121%-150% 30sec-3min........286(52x11-55rpm)-320(58rpm)-354(60rpm)
L7 Neuromuscular Power 151%-Max <30sec...........356-549-1050(1/27/07)35.3mph

From the calibration chart formula for the KK Road Machine I get this:

18.3mph=216.58w
18.4mph=219.10w
18.5mph=221.63w
18.6mph=224.19w
18.7mph=226.76w
18.8mph=229.36w
18.9mph=231.99w
19mph=234.63w
19.1mph=237.30w
19.2mph=239.99w
19.3mph=242.70w
19.4mph=245.44w
19.5mph=248.19w
19.6mph=250.97w
19.7mph=253.78w
19.8mph=256.61w
19.9mph=259.46w
20mph=262.33w

Wiredued,

FTP is basically 'Lactate Threshold', correct? Which is roughly L4, correct? So your training off of your LT ... % of your LT? Not % of MHR?

 

[NomadVW]

Wiredued,

FTP is basically 'Lactate Threshold', correct? Which is roughly L4, correct? So your training off of your LT ... % of your LT? Not % of MHR?

FTP does not equal Lactate Threshold.

 

[Yojimbo_]

Listen to Wiredued.

Just do the FTP test, and record your heart rate. You can then use that for guidance.

 

[Cusp]

Listen to Wiredued.

Just do the FTP test, and record your heart rate. You can then use that for guidance.

I don't have a power meter. My only tools at my disposal are a HRM and a 'spin bike' in local gym.

 

[wiredued]

If there is no way of repeating the resistance settings from day to day then just shoot for the semi comfortable hurt zone where you could still take a swig from your water bottle but need to take three quick breaths before it after twenty minutes of that your heart rate will correspond to 91% FTP plus or minus 5 bpm. Do 3x20 minute intervals at that intensity it is a good SST workout where optimum intensity and duration seem to meet. If you go without eating for 3 hours before the workout expect HR to be lower in my case 11bpm lower. I always have 1/5 Gatorade with 4/5 water and some raw honey mixed in for quick energy replacement as I ride. If you can't bring a big fan bring some extra shirts.

I don't have a power meter. My only tools at my disposal are a HRM and a 'spin bike' in local gym.