Heart Rate Monitor Training

[DWreck]

I just bought a heart rate monitor and have been doing a two week workout that was in MXRacer and have been on the second week for 3 weeks now. Does anyone have any advice on where to find good info on setting up a training program using one of these? I have been training on my mountain bike/ stationary bike depending on the weather. I am looking for a good fitness level for for MX/woods and maybe even a mountain bike race. It seems like most of the stuff I am finding is either for people who run or ride road bikes. Thanks

 

[Anssi]

The generic stuff (heart rate bands, intervals etc.) for any sport applies to mountain biking/stationary bike riding as well.

For real off-roading (where burst of power on huge uphills etc. and slow speeds in hard spots are required) on the mountain bike you will have a hard time really utilising the monitor since it is not very useful when it's hard to control your hear rate.

 

[TNUTT]

Here is a good program www.racingsmarter.com/training_chapter.htm.

Basically you want to do cardio for as long as your race or moto at an aerobic pace between 140-170 hbpm. It also has included is a weight training program. hope this helps.

Could you post the racer x program?

 

[Anssi]

Originally posted by TNUTT
Here is a good program www.racingsmarter.com/training_chapter.htm.

I would not consider sources that make blanket statements such as:
"According to research authorities riding a bicycle burns only 40% the calories as that of jogging and running. This means that there is an increase in the time factor of 2.5 for bicycle workouts over jogging or running."
exactly gospel.

That certainly would require some references to "research authorities", since you can ride a bike at a level where it uses the same amount of calories as running just by varying speeds (ok, at the very top of the scale you can burn more calories (nowhere near by a factor of 2.5, though, more like 1.1) by running but that will definitely be anaerobic and can only be maintained for maybe 1 minute).

Also, make sure you know your heart rate thresholds. They can vary considerably from those that are in the charts(usually be age). My resting heart rate is 39, but my maximum heart rate is also only 179 (I'm 27, so the charts would show like 195 MHR and assume about 50-60 RHR). I'm not in great shape despite that freakish RHR, since my aerobic threshold is only 115, and most programs would assume more like 130. I was tested on an ergometer with the tubes and electrodes and all that by real medical pros so the figures are reasonably accurate.

 

[TNUTT]

ANSSI

The doctors performed this test on you- did they give you your vo2 max?
I didn't realize that the formulas could differ or have such a great variance. the karvonen formula would give you a max hr 193.

 

[23jayhawk]

I know it's focused on running, but a great reference book is 'Daniels Running Formula', by Jack Daniels. I think it does a good job explaining the interaction of lactate threshold & VO2 max, and how to increase both of them.

In my case I run about every 3rd day, alternating between a long run (10 ~ 11 miles), speed work at a track (5 x 1000m intervals with 400m recoveries), and a 6 to 8 mile tempo run. I've been using Daniel's program for about 6 months, and it seems to be giving great results so far.

 

 

[DWreck]

Could you post the racer x program? [/B][/QUOTE]

Here it is:
WEEK 1
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Zone 2 for 1 hour (Tempo on flat terrain-30 minutes)
Wednesday: Zone 1 for 30 minutes; recovery ride
Thursday: Zone 2 for 1 hour; Tempo on flat terrain- 20 minutes
Friday: Zone 2 for 45 minutes; FastPedal on flat terrain for 10 minutes
Saturday: Zone 2-3 for 1.5 hours with fast group on rolling terrain
Sunday: Zone 2 for 1 hour; Tempo on flat terrain- 40 minutes
WEEK 2
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Zone 2 for 1 hour; Tempo on flat terrain for 35 minutes
Wednesday: Zone 1 for 45 minutes; recovery ride
Thursday: Zone 2 for 1.5 hours; Tempo on flat terrain for 25 minutes
Friday: Zone 2 for 45 minutes; Fastpedal on flat terrain for 10 minutes
Saturday: Zone 2-3 for 1.5 hours with fast rolling group on rolling terrain
Sunday: Zone 2 for 1.5 hours; Tempo on flat terrain for 50 minutes

 

[DWreck]

Explanations for the above:
Zones:
1.60-65%, easy riding, recovery training
2.65-70%, endurance base training
3.70-80%, aerobic capacity training
4.80-85%, lactate threshold training
5. 86%+, maximum aerobic training

Tempo= 70-75rpm
Fastpedal= 108-120rpm

This seems a little excessive to me but I am starting to feel much stronger on my mountain bike and have lost 11 pounds since January with little in the way of a diet change. Unfortunately I have been able to spend very little time on my dirt bike. (Weather/Work) so I am not sure how this is going to pay off but it can't hurt. I am just trying to figure out a way to do cardio 4 or 5 days a week, lift 3 times a week and ride on the weekend without running myself into the ground. Thanks for the advice so far. I appreciate it.

 

[fishhead]

dwreck

assuming you ride sunday, here is a possible schedule

Monday lite work out no weights zone 1 cardio
Tuesday heavy legs 3 sets 8 rep work with weight to failure
cardio work through zones on a 2 minute per zone cycle
wed heavy arms 3 sets of 8 work to failure and same cardio
Thurs light legs 1/2 of heavy weights 3 stes of 15 same cardio
friday light arms same cardio
saturday rest travel