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Discrepancy between HR & Power Zones

Josiah GarrisonJosiah Garrison
in Coaching Forum 🧢

Hi Coach-

I'm having a hard time interpreting what HR to be at b/c the plans seem to be written for power only. For example: "MS:...75-80%/High Zone 2 - Low Zone 3". 

Looking at percentages:  75-80% of power IS low Z2, high Z3 but 75-80% of HR would be high Z1/ low Z2. Or if looking at zones "Low Zone 3" corresponds to 89% of HR but only 80% of power. 

Bike HR Zones
Low High
Zone 1 (65%-78%)
0
0
Zone 2 (78%-89%)
0
0
Zone 3 (89%-93%)
0
0
Zone 4 (93%-99%)
0
0
Zone 5 (100%-102%)
0
0
<a id="dnn_ctr588_View_lbSaveBikeHR" title="Save To My Profile" class="dnnPrimaryAction" href="javascript:__doPostBack('dnn$ctr588$View$lbSaveBikeHR','')">Save To My Profile
Bike Power Zones
Low High
Zone 1 (<70%)</td>

0
0
Zone 2 (70% - 75%)
0
0
Zone 3 (80% - 85%)
0
0
Zone 4 (95% - 100%)
0
0
Zone 5 (110% - 120%)
0

It would be very helpful to have a separate HR plan just like for testing.  

Comments

  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    Josiah this nomenclature has been a part of EN for seven years. I think maybe the issue is that you want 80% of HR to be 80% of Power? Or rather, you are looking at this as a measurement of intensity exercise vs a "amount of work done" exercise?

    We have found that riding in Zone 3 power wise yields a heart rate in the percentages outlined. You can choose to have power or HR saved to your plan page, so maybe do that and just follow that guidance?
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    The heart rates zones are "Joe Friel Heart Rate Zones." Please Google. The short story is that this is a very common method of (1) testing lactate threshold heart rate and (2) assigning training zones from this LTHR. More importantly, this system has been around for a long time, applied across a wide range of training plans and systems, so that when RnPnEN say "Zone 2," we can usually count on most people being within the ballpark of speaking the same language, until you can do an HR test, set zones, etc. 

    The power zones are our zones, I guess you can say. More specifically, these zones mean something, in that they are generally the power efforts that are dialed info for different triathlon distances:

    • 65-70% = Zone 1, a slower Ironman effort
    • 70-75% = Zone 2, Ironman effort
    • 80-85% = Zone 3, generally half Ironman effort
    • 95-100% = Zone 4, generally short course effort
    • > 100% = Zone 5, just very hard 

    And so when you're dialing in each of these power zones, you could say that you're also improving your Race Distance X Specific Fitness...but that's another conversation.

    Most importantly this division / separation / they don't exactly match way of determining HR and Power training zones just works. As Patrick said, it's worked for thousands of EN athletes since 2007, as these zones have also been adopted within other systems, I suppose. 

  • Josiah GarrisonJosiah Garrison
    Maybe a better title might have been "understanding how to train w/ HR". I'm with you guys on the theory and I generally "fudge" the #s to fit in the HR box but I'm still confused on how to precisely translate the training plans. IE if plans says 70% or Z3, do we just always assume it means power and manually convert that to HR? EN rocks! Thanks guys.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Posted By Josiah Garrison on 28 Aug 2014 08:55 AM


    Maybe a better title might have been "understanding how to train w/ HR". I'm with you guys on the theory and I generally "fudge" the #s to fit in the HR box but I'm still confused on how to precisely translate the training plans. IE if plans says 70% or Z3, do we just always assume it means power and manually convert that to HR? EN rocks! Thanks guys.

    Very simple. If you have HR and not power/pace, than just pay attention to the Z3/Mod-Hard stuff and completely ignore the percentage stuff. 

  • Josiah GarrisonJosiah Garrison
    Hi Rich- Got it. So how much for a power meter? Is it too late to learn to use/ install one for IMAZ?

    Exorcise through exercise.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Posted By Josiah Garrison on 28 Aug 2014 09:05 AM


    Hi Rich- Got it. So how much for a power meter? Is it too late to learn to use/ install one for IMAZ?



    Exorcise through exercise.

    Please contact me at rich@endurancenation.us, not in the Micro Forum. Yes, you have time to learn, but it will take some work.

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