Cant get my HR up

[ouzo]

A strange thing happened to me this morning. I struggled to get my HR to stay above 60%. Now for me this is very unusual 'cause I normaly struggle to keep it down. <br /><br />Heres the story.<br />On Thursday evening I jumped onto the trainer and did an hour keeping my HR between 60 and 70 %. To do this I had to have my resistance on the lowest and my cadence between 70 and 75 rpm. On Friday morning I did 30 minutes and the story was the same, low resistance, cadence between 70 and 75.<br />On Sunday I whent riding with a pal who is not very cycling fit so I told him to set the pace and I'll follow (I needed a long slow ride). througought the whole ride (42km) my HR only whent above 80% twice.<br /><br />So anyway, I jump on the trainer this morning wanting to do another 60-70% ride. I slowly start warming up but notice my HR does not want to go above 55%. I change to a harder gear, nothing, I change again and then increase the Cadence to just over 80. And only then did my HR start to move above the 60% mark. I sat like this for 30 minutes even reaching a cadence of 110 rpm. Only then did I near the 70% mark.<br /><br />My question is this, was this just because of the crispness in the air this morning, or was because of the low intensity rides that my body is rested and is now performing properly. Or did my fitness miraulously increase over night and I can do the Tour de France tomorow and kill Armostrongs times. (hahaha I wish)

 

[Rhodent]

Jeez Ouzo, I can't decide if this is bragging or a serious question. I wish I had problems like this :'(<br /><br />Seriously though it does sound worrying, I take it your legs were tiring out before the HR got up? Are you sure it wasn't somthing obvious like your trainer breaking?

 

[ouzo]

[quote author=Rhodent link=board=19;threadid=2532;start=#21768 date=1035193650]<br />Jeez Ouzo, I can't decide if this is bragging or a serious question. I wish I had problems like this :'( [/quote]<br />I little of both. But actually I'd like to know the reason incase it IS something to worry about or better yet something to brage about<br /><br />

<br />Seriously though it does sound worrying, I take it your legs were tiring out before the HR got up? Are you sure it wasn't somthing obvious like your trainer breaking?<br />

<br />This is the thing, my HR normaly goes through the roof before my legs get tired, but cause the HR was not going up and the legs were not telling me enough, I could have gone on all day.<br />Dont think the trainer was broke cause it was on the lowest resistance on the Thursday, Friday and this morning, meaning that there isnt much resistance anyway<br /><br />

 

[Vo2]

I would'nt worry about it. Rather that than battle to get your HR down. You are probably just well rested and feeling good. Whats the bet you will be back to "normal" before the end of the week?

 

[ouzo]

Ok you can stop panicking now. I havent turned into the next Lance Armostrong over night. Seems it must have been a rest thing. HR was back to normal this AM.<br /><br />Also, finished my first tin of Cytomax on the Weekend and pickedup what the Nutrition Shop recomended as the SA equivelant. Replenish. It's supposed to be 90% as good as cytomax and alot of people are changing due to the loew price R115 vs R370 for Cytomax.<br /><br />I'll try it out. If it's no good I'll swich back to Cytomax.

 

[Lab_Rat]

Sometimes you also just have an awesome day when everything gels.<br /><br />It happened to me 2 weeks ago when I was training with a group, and to make it more unreal, I had got home from a bachelors party at 4am, and went to ride at 5am. HUH?? I think I was still ****** when I rode. HR stayed down and I was seriously fast on that day. hehehe. me thinks I'll party more often. ;D ;D

 

[2LAP]

Any strange HR response is a warning sign! But just to confuse matters, sometimes the HR can be a little jumpy. Best thing to do is keep an eye on your recovery and health when you notice a dodgy heart rate response.

 

[ltsop]

I had a similar problem this morning. When I started my warmup, my HR wasn't really responding. During my workout, it didn't want to go above 80% of my max. Here I am pushing 53x12 @ 80rpm, and my HR wants to stay low. My legs were telling me to stop, and my HR was telling me to push. What do you listen to? Legs or heart?

 

[Anthony_Doman]

Just my 2c worth:<br /><br />Have you checked your HR monitor or transmitter belt or both?<br /><br />Something similar happened to me with my Cateye MSC2DX. My HR was way down without any apparent explanation. Wet the contact area a bit and it was better, but still far below what I would have expected. A new battery eliminated the symptoms (the Cateye transmitter belt has a user-replaceable battery). <br /><br /><br />BTW, I have not encountered anything like this with the household's other HR monitor, a Polar M21. <br /><br />

 

[Old Timer]

Ouzo<br />I also guess a fault with the HRM or chest belt. You don't say what HRM you are using. I have a Polar S710 and I usually have it showing % of HRmax. It has a setting for programming in HR max. Could be it's accidentally set too high? This morning I found myself doing 90% while cruising. Found later that the HRmax had set itself too low. The S710 has an option to estimate your HRmax but I usually disconnect it as it estimates way too low. Seems to apply particularly to old guys. : ie 220-73=147 whereas I guess it's about 165. HRmax gets lower as you get older.

 

[ouzo]

[quote author=Old Timer link=board=19;threadid=2532;start=#22200 date=1036524702]<br />Ouzo<br />I also guess a fault with the HRM or chest belt. You don't say what HRM you are using. I have a Polar S710 and I usually have it showing % of HRmax. It has a setting for programming in HR max. Could be it's accidentally set too high? This morning I found myself doing 90% while cruising. Found later that the HRmax had set itself too low. The S710 has an option to estimate your HRmax but I usually disconnect it as it estimates way too low. Seems to apply particularly to old guys. : ie 220-73=147 whereas I guess it's about 165. HRmax gets lower as you get older.<br />[/quote]<br />not a HRM fault (Polar S510 B.T.W.). It seems it was just a good day when everything worked well together. I have yet to have a repear of it.

 

[2LAP]

[quote author=ltsop link=board=19;threadid=2532;start=0#22170 date=1036464679]<br />I had a similar problem this morning. When I started my warmup, my HR wasn't really responding. During my workout, it didn't want to go above 80% of my max. Here I am pushing 53x12 @ 80rpm, and my HR wants to stay low. My legs were telling me to stop, and my HR was telling me to push. What do you listen to? Legs or heart?<br />[/quote]<br /><br />I think you should use common sense hear, if you think that there is something wrong just take it easy for a few days. At the end of the day your legs are giving you negative signals and so is your heart rate by giving you a strange response. Dont worry about taking rest, it is usualy the case that riders don't rest enough! More training may make the situation worse. :'(

 

[IS1]

What you guys are describing is a CLEAR sing of muscle and liver glycogen depletion, that is low glycogen stores. If you checked your lactate you would see that it is difficult for it to stay up. Your brain can only use glucose for fuel. When your glycogen stores are very low the body &quot;senses&quot; this and sonce it is important to preserve it for the brain, less muscle glycogen will have to be degraded in your liver and muscle. It happens to be that Adrenaline (epinephrine) is one of the major activators of glycogenolysis (glycogen breakdown) as well as the main heart contraction activator. Your body is slowing down the adrenergic activation (adrenaline) to preserv glycogen and this will be noted in your heart rate as well. <br />Why you have low glycogen levels?. 2 possible things:<br /><br />1-Low Carbohydrate diet. (check it out). If you have been training and competing hard and haven´t replenished your glycogen stores good enough you´ll be in this situation. Also if you are dieting while training or competing.<br />Also if you fast before your ride you will see that.<br /><br />2- Overtraining. Muscle overtraining will cause a reduction in your muscle´s capacity to store glycogen. You could be in a vicious circle here.<br /><br />Try to rest for 2-4 days spining easy and increase your Carbos in your diet. You will see that your heart rate goes back to normal.<br /><br /><br />Good luck.