How to figure heartrate zones?

RacerChick

Hudson Valley Girl
Hey guys ...

I have questions and cannot seem to find the answers:
How does one figure their Threshold Heartrate? Max Heartrate?
The 220 - age = MHR doensn't seem to be accurate since weight and fitness level is not calculated :confused: Please Help!

RC ... :)
 

euphoria

Member
For LTHR try the 30 minute time trial:

http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/anaerobicthreshold.html

I dont have a powertap, but my coach does and he did an interval test with it. If you have access to one you could also do the 2 minute interval test. He made me up the watts each 2 minute interval by 20 and recorded my hr. Needless to say I have the aerobic capacity of a gnat but it was good test and looking forward to see improvements on the next test. I used to base my LTHR on calcuations, and found out that after the test from coach, it was off by almost 10 beats....
 
Last edited:

Kmoodymz3

New Member
You can do the 30 min TT test w/o a powertap.

Find a course which is relatively flat. A track is perfect, if you have one available. Warm-up as you would before a short race and then begin the time trial. Start your heart rate monitor immediately. This should be one with an average heart rate mode. The effort of this time trial should be racelike--give it all you have. Ten minutes into the time trial (20 minutes to go) hit the 'lap' button on your heart rate monitor so that when you finish you have your average heart rate for the last 20 minutes. This number is an approximation of your LTHR. The more times you complete this test and observe your heart rate relative to breathing in workouts, the more refined your LTHR will become.

I do this test at Sandy Hook which eliminates having to stop, especially this time of year. Just do it when the winds are light and/or from the West so it is a cross wind. I found this test to be very accurate for me once I got used to it. I have a Power Tap but can't use it now I've gone to disc brakes.

Once you have LTHR use one of the calculators available on-line to calculate rates. I like Joe Friel's:
http://www.performancetrainingsystems.com/newstips/tips_zone_finder.html
 

BiknBen

Well-Known Member
You can do the 30 min TT test w/o a powertap.

Find a course which is relatively flat. A track is perfect, if you have one available. Warm-up as you would before a short race and then begin the time trial. Start your heart rate monitor immediately. This should be one with an average heart rate mode. The effort of this time trial should be racelike--give it all you have. Ten minutes into the time trial (20 minutes to go) hit the 'lap' button on your heart rate monitor so that when you finish you have your average heart rate for the last 20 minutes. This number is an approximation of your LTHR. The more times you complete this test and observe your heart rate relative to breathing in workouts, the more refined your LTHR will become.

I used to do the exact same test on Route 29 between Stockton and Frenchtown, NJ. I found it to be a useful as any other method short of going to a training lab. Once you establish a LTHR, you can organize your trainig zones.

I also like methods that include your resting HR in the calculation. I have a relatively low resting HR. I find the calculators that include RHR in the formula to be helpful.
 

RacerChick

Hudson Valley Girl
You can do the 30 min TT test w/o a powertap.

Find a course which is relatively flat. A track is perfect, if you have one available. Warm-up as you would before a short race and then begin the time trial. Start your heart rate monitor immediately. This should be one with an average heart rate mode. The effort of this time trial should be racelike--give it all you have. Ten minutes into the time trial (20 minutes to go) hit the 'lap' button on your heart rate monitor so that when you finish you have your average heart rate for the last 20 minutes. This number is an approximation of your LTHR. The more times you complete this test and observe your heart rate relative to breathing in workouts, the more refined your LTHR will become.

I do this test at Sandy Hook which eliminates having to stop, especially this time of year. Just do it when the winds are light and/or from the West so it is a cross wind. I found this test to be very accurate for me once I got used to it. I have a Power Tap but can't use it now I've gone to disc brakes.

Once you have LTHR use one of the calculators available on-line to calculate rates. I like Joe Friel's:
http://www.performancetrainingsystems.com/newstips/tips_zone_finder.html

Thanks Karen, excellent info. This weekend I have two cross races, I think it might be a good idea to the test you spoke of. One problem is when I race cyclocross with HRM the readings scare me.

RC ... :)
 

Kmoodymz3

New Member
Yeah I have found it is best NOT to look at your HRM during cyclo-cross, but it will probably be a good test.

Good Luck and have fun, Ruth.
 
Top Bottom