Heart Rate

Alright, I have a heart rate monitor that I use when I ride my bike. However, even though I have one, I probably don't use it as I should. Honestly, I don't really know how to get the most out of it.

I started doing some searching online today and I checked and discovered a few things.

Today my resting heart rate is:

48 bpm
191 max hr

60-75% = 133-155
85-90% = 169-176
VO2 Max = 176-191

I am both impressed by these numbers and saddened a little bit. Usually when I ride I hang right around the 145-150 mark. I can hold those numbers for a long time. However, the things that I know I need to work on is intensity. I try doing some intervals on the rollers and very rarely can I get my heart rate up to 160+. I can, but I seriously feel like I am going to die. On that note, I found a couple training programs to help that out. I need to do more interval stuff and work everything harder.

I found these trainer plans HERE!

Aerobic power 1 (50 minutes)
15 minutes - Warm up (increasing intensity)
5 x (4min high intensity + 2min low intensity)
5 minutes cool down

This program is designed to increase your maximum oxygen consumption. It gives you 20 minutes at a very high oxygen consumption, but it is not designed to be ridden to completely exhaustion. Your VO2 max will gain improvements even at a more comfortable pace. It is, however, still important to push yourself very hard during the intervals. In the resting periods you should maintain an intensity at about 60% of VO2 max.

Aerobic power 2 (49 minutes)
15 minutes - warm up (increasing intensity)
5 x (40 sec. very high intensity – 20 sec. low intensity)
3 minutes recovery
5 x (40 sec. very high intensity – 20 sec. low intensity)
3 minutes recovery
5 x (40 sec. very high intensity – 20 sec. low intensity)
3 minutes recovery
5 x (40 sec. very high intensity – 20 sec. low intensity)
5 minutes cool down

This program is also designed to increase your maximum oxygen consumption. You work with a slightly higher intensity during the intervals than in the previous ‘Aerobic Power 1′ program. You will also gain increments in your anaerobic capacity. You can expect results after only a couple of training sessions. This program really rocks.



Anaerobic power 1 (50 minutes)
15 minutes - warm up (increasing intensity)
5 x (60sec. maximum intensity + 6 min. recovery)

This program is designed to increase your anaerobic capacity. During the intervals the body is exposed to enormous amounts of anaerobic metabolits. After only a few of these sessions your body will be better to work at an anaerobic enviroment. This skill is primarily used in competitions, where jumps and sprints demand anaerobic efforts. This art of training is very exhausting and therefore it should primary be used for competition preparation.



Aerobic power 3
10min warm-up
3min (semi-high intensity)
2min low intensity
8 x (3min high intensity + 2min low intensity)
5min cool down

This program gives you 24minutes at very high aerobic oxygen consumption. Your aerobic engine will love this program and you will be glad that these tough intervals are separated into short 3minutes bursts. It is though important to maintain some intensity in the recovery periods since that will help you to recover faster.

Aerobic power 4
10min warm-up
3min (semi-high intensity)
2min low intensity
4 x (6min high intensity + 4min low intensity)
5min cool down

This program also gives you 24minutes at very high aerobic oxygen consumption, but it will be tougher for you to maintain the same power outputs as in ‘Aerobic Power 3’ since the intervals are twice as long. If you compete in time trial events this program is good for pacing control training.

So, if I start doing some actual training programs to help out my cycling season, I would assume that I should do these no more than twice a week so I don't overtrain. Just a guess.

Why can't cyclists have training plans like runners do for 5K, 10K, half and full marathons? I've run a marathon and the training plan from runnersworld was awesome. It seems that cycling coaches want money for their training programs. I suppose we can thank Lance for that.

Also, it is really weird looking at George H on a Giant bicycle. He should ride a Trek...