Training with HR using zones.

[triharderjames]

Hi all,

When setting training zones using % Max HR do people use their max HR from the bike or a higher cardio activity such as running? This topic has been up for discussion and wanted some other comments on this.

Thanks in advance

 

[Nigel Doyle]

Normally when you calculate your HR zones for a bike you do a short 10 or 20 minute time trial going as hard as you can for the entire duration. You won't and shouldn't max your heart rate. You then get an average HR for that time trial. This is your functional threshold. Your HR zones are then a percentage of this figure. for example my maximum heart rate is 171 but my average HR over a 20 minute time trial test is 160. It's then normal to take off about 5% from this amount. That gives me a functional threshhold / zone 4 HR of 152. That figure of 152 is supposedly the figure I could maintain over a 1 hour test, something like that.

Do a Google or Youtube search on Youtube functional threshold tests. There's tons of information out there.

 

[triharderjames]

Thanks for that Nigel. I'm aware of FTHR and currently use that method but have been reading some of the Peter Read manual who uses the % of max method and am currently debating it with an old school cycling friend of mine!!