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How to use heart rate monitor and zones to improve your cycling
- By David Heatley
- Published 14-May-08
- General Training Tips
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David Heatley
David Heatley is the director
of Cycling-Inform and co-creator of the RaceRight Cycling Camp. He has
medalled at national and regional events in
Explaining the HR Zones
Cheap way to monitor your performance If you do a search on hear rate zones you'll get a large selection of HR zones with different values and number of zones. Enough to get really confused. It seems that everyone has a different opinion on the matter. As we are regularly coaching cyclists that just want to get on and train right without having to get a degree in medical science we keep our zones simple. I've found that these zones are very effective for the training required for cycling. They are slightly different to the ones that normally come as default with the polar heart rate monitors. At the end of the day no one HR zone system is better than another. The important thing is to decide on one and then stick to it. In the table below and the descriptions that Follow I describe the HR Zones that we use for our own personal training as well as the Remote Coaching program that we offer. This is one of the most effective ways of using your heart rate monitor to improve your cycling.
| Description | Intensity | Code | Zone | |||
| VO2 MAX Boosting | Very Hard – Can’t speak | O2 | 92 | - | 100 | % |
| Anaerobic Threshold Endurance | Hard – Difficult to speak at all | E3 | 85 | - | 91 | % |
| General Aerobic Endurance | Moderate – Talk in short sentences | E2 | 75 | - | 84 | % |
| Base Aerobic Endurance | Easy – Able to carry out conversation | E1 | 65 | - | 74 | % |
| Recovery | Easy – Able to carry out conversation | REC | 50 | - | 64 | % |
Cycling Australia official Heart Rate Zones
Rest <50% MHR
Any training done lower that 50% MHR is rest. This zone is not really training at all and is normally associated with very light exercise such as walking. This zone can be used during the transition phase of the training year.
Zone REC (Recovery) 50-64%MHR
This zone can be used for recovery rides on the bike. It takes discipline to Ride at this pace though!
Zone E1 (Aerobic Endurance) 65-74%MHR
This is the zone you will spend most of your time in. It is the zone used for base training and to build your aerobic base and your foundation for the season ahead. In practice you'll be training in this zone throughout the year as it builds aerobic power throughout the season. Training in this zone allows you to ride with a good average speed but without a great deal of perceived effort. If you're riding fast but not hard you'll most likely be in this zone. You should be able to maintain a conversation without taking deep or extended breaths. For this reason, this training is very effective when done with one or two training partners and whilst having a sociable chat on the bike.
Zone E2. (General Aerobic Endurance) 75-84%MHR
Be careful with this zone. Because this zone is still just below your lactate threshold, it will do little to increase your V02 Max or increase your lactate threshold. This zone is sometimes called the "no-man's land" training since it is too fast for an endurance ride and too slow to improve your maximum aerobic power or threshold. It is an important zone to train in but it's even more important that you manage the amount of time and how you train in this zone. This is because it is at the top end of the endurance zone and this it will tire you out if you train in it without proper control! Interestingly, it is the zone that you usually end up riding in when riding in a group! It's ok though in the specialization period before the start of racing and can be used as an introduction to interval training.
Zone E3. (Anaerobic Threshold Endurance) 85-91%MHR
This zone is critical to your success in bike racing. Training in this zone develops your ability to ride at lactate threshold. Train in this zone and you will be able to tolerate lactic acid in your muscles whilst maintaining the muscle contractions necessary to produce sustainable power on the bike. Use this zone to train for bridging across to a break, working in a break or climbing for an extended period of time. Training in this zone is hard! Train in this zone to increase V02 Max and Maximum Aerobic Power.
Zone O2. (VO2 MAX Boosting) 92-100% MHR
In this zone you are riding flat out. These intervals are probably best done on a trainer. If you do them on the road take care to keep your head up and in control of the bike! Typically you will only last seconds in this zone as your muscles fill with lactic acid and force you to recover. Use this zone to train for sprinting.
Some information for this article was sourced from Cycling Australia's Level 1 Coaching Manual for Cycling
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4 Responses to "How to use heart rate monitor and zones to improve your cycling"
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said this on 28 Jul 2008 2:49:22 PM EST
Hello David,
I am not quite clear about the difference between LTHR and VO2MAX. Could you explain please. Thanks. |
Author/Admin)|
said this on 28 Jul 2008 2:50:29 PM EST
Hi Norbert,
VO2MAX is generally the HR zone between 92-100% of your max HR where as your LTHR is the HR that you can maintain your intensity for. For example. Jump on your bike and after a good warm-up ride as hard as you can for 5 or 10 mins. Record your HR as you perform this 5 or 10 min effort making sure that you get your average HR. Your LTHR will be around the average HR for this effort. Use this as a guide as it will change a few heart beats either way from day to day. You will find that your LTHR will be around the top of E3 through to the bottom of your VO2MAX zones. Ideally you'll want to improve it so that you are able to ride around 92-95% of your max HR for a 5 min effort. If you are unable to do this now then it may take you several years to develop. Working on your LTHR enables you to improve your TT and handicap races. Hope that helps. Regards, David Heatley. |
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said this on 01 Oct 2008 8:04:23 PM EST
Hello,
Thanks for a very informative website. Yesterday I did a did a training session up a Spanish mountain, and it was somewhat a weired experience. My heart seemed to boost really high bpm's very early in the session, and during the hill I peaked at 195 - still without feeling much pain in my legs. I did a steady run up this 10% climb for about 15 minutes with heart rates from 180-195. Now, since I am 35 and my Max HR is 195 - I just wonder how I could perform so close to my Max HR without feeling shortness of breath or pain in my legs. It felt like I could go on for quite a while at this pace. Is this "normal" and what can I read from this in terms of my fitness? |
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said this on 07 Oct 2008 12:37:32 PM EST
Hi Chris, firstly I would check your Max HR value as it may be set a little low. Your max HR is best discovered by performing a max HR test. From the sounds of it you may have been riding somewhere in the middle of your E3 Zone. Either that or your HR can increase when you are dehydrated or riding in hot conditions. Hope that helps.
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