[XC62701]

Hey guys I just picked up a Polar S150 HR monitor and I'm starting to play around with it. My first question is what should my maximum HR be? I've heard the old rule of thumb is 220 - your age? If that is the key then how do you figure out the HR zones for training? Z1 - Z5? So my max HR should be 193 (220-27) and what should my zones be? Any help would be great.

Ryan H.

 

[ferday]

the only way you'll find your true "max HR" is for someone to put a gun to your head...and mean it....

try locating your lactate threshold HR (the web is FULL of info on this one). here are some links, i just typed in google and haven't read them fully, so reader beware

http://www.velonews.com/train/articles/8217.0.html

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=405

 

[iamandy]

I think I got this from a post here a while ago:

1. Find average HR for 10 mile or 30 min time trial on flat road.
2. Take that average HR and divide by 1.01
OR
1. Find average HR for 3 mile time trial
2. Divide average HR by 1.04
OR
1. Find average HR for last 20 minutes of 30 min time trial on flat road.

Try these and see if you get similar results.

Remember, you will typically get lower number indoors than outdoors.

Pretty standard tests for finding LT.

 

[RetroS]

Here's what the little laminated card I keep in my gym bag for treadmill and spin class workouts has for your zones as published by:

Z1 Healthy Heart: 50-60% 98-117 BPM
Z2 Temperate 60-70 117-137
Z3 Aerobic 70-80 137-156
Z4 Threshold 80-90 156-176
Z5 Redline 90-100 176-195

Everyone is a little different naturally but these should put you in the ball park. Have just started using a HR as a training tool myself. Helps you focus and get the most out of limited time workouts and teaches you how to recover more quickly and manage your energy expenditures.

 

[BikeMk]

Hey guys I just picked up a Polar S150 HR monitor and I'm starting to play around with it. My first question is what should my maximum HR be? I've heard the old rule of thumb is 220 - your age? If that is the key then how do you figure out the HR zones for training? Z1 - Z5? So my max HR should be 193 (220-27) and what should my zones be? Any help would be great.

Ryan H.

Another way to measure max HR is to ramp up effort for several minutes (go up a slight hill rather than down) and then sprint until your vision blurs and you feel like you're about to collapse. You've got to be in a bit of shape to do this though, so if you're just starting out go with the approximation of 220-age. Everyone has different heart rates, so you'll want to max HR test yourself eventually. George Hincapie is like a hummingbird if I remember right. He sustains 180 cruising along. I hit 180 only in a very hard sprint.

 

[goat]

I do the lactate threshold test that I think can also be founf in the Joe Friel Mountain bike training bible. Then I refer to the chart and look at the bpm that are prescribe to my heart rate. These give me the zones.

 

[moab63]

To get a real max HR, you really need to do it

Hey guys I just picked up a Polar S150 HR monitor and I'm starting to play around with it. My first question is what should my maximum HR be? I've heard the old rule of thumb is 220 - your age? If that is the key then how do you figure out the HR zones for training? Z1 - Z5? So my max HR should be 193 (220-27) and what should my zones be? Any help would be great.

Ryan H.

during a race, and you will still have many variables, temperture , exciment and so on. Now what I started to do at the end of last year(season) , is to use the Dr,Billats protocol to set a VO2 max, for intervals the whole thing is based in sustainable power over time I then used the monitor to get numbers. What i like about her aproach is that is very easy to do, the actual workouts aren`t super long. But they are super hard. have fun:thumbsup:

http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon/bike/interval-training-the-scientific-way-000885.php