How can you get your heart rate up during trainer rides?

Brian Smith

My biggest issue with the trainer indoors is that I have difficulty getting the heart rate up to the zones necessary for the session.  Recently I have opted for a higher cadence than I would usually ride, and a really easy gear, that seems to be the only way I can get the heart rate up past zone 3.  Issue is I feel like I am just spinning without resistance at all...any suggestions?

Tim Sullivan

Zwift races! If you race your HR will be through the roof. There a lots of races to choose from and you will work really hard

Francis Picard

Shutdown the fans and create a sauna, but dont forget to increase the fluids if you go that way

Al Truscott

That's why power meters were invented...

Brian Smith

@Tim Sullivan
I wish I could make the team rides, maybe some day...I am sure I would get blown away with you speed demons...ha

Brian Smith

@Francis Picard
Last time I turned off the fan I lost about 4 pounds in an hour, but yeah I guess my heart rate skyrocketed...I was just toast the next day.

Brian Smith

@Al Truscott
Hey Al, I heard you were handing out power meters, can I get next in line... :-)  A Power meter is the next purchase planned when my wife lets me buy more toys that is...

Tim Sullivan

@Brian Smith join whenever you can. Sunday Zwift rides don't start hard. Ride as long as you want.

Regardless of that try some races on your own. Take a look at one of the races on zwiftpower.com that happened today and look at the HRs. Here is the link. 

https://www.zwiftpower.com/

Brian Smith

@Tim Sullivan
Thanks Tim, I will take a look at it and try to get on board one of these rides...

Doug Johnson

Hi Brian,

 I think the first thing to do is make sure that you have your HR zones dialed in correctly.  Have you tested recently?  If so, was your test outside and are you now trying to apply those HR numbers to your indoor riding?  A lot of people will have significantly different numbers outside vs. inside.  The other thing to keep in mind is that as we get fitter our HR typically decreases for the same amount of work that we do.  For this reason it’s important to have an accurate estimate of your HR zones so that you can always be getting the most benefit.

 Some other things to keep in mind…HR lags behind the work that you’re doing.  So it may take several minutes of Z3 work for you to get into that zone.  From my own experience my Z3 HR zone is roughly 150-160.  It may take 10+ minutes of riding at my Z3 power until my HR actually gets up to 150.  YMMV

 For this 2nd reason, it is always a good idea when we are training to be aware of our RPE.  You should be able to get to your Z3 HR real quick by doing Z4 work but you’re burning matches and not necessarily getting the training adaptation that you are looking for.  (This also helps in the event that you have a technology failure during a race.  You will know what your race pace is supposed to feel like so when your HR dies you shrug it off and KMF.)

 A couple things to consider…Trainer Road.  It provides you with virtual power based on the “power curve” of the trainer that you are using and the speed of your rear wheel.

 I believe Zwift may provide the virtual power too with a lot more visual stimulation and the added benefit of seeing other riders, group rides, races and more. 

 You could also track your speed and distance on your trainer during your test and use that information to help determine your training zones.

Just be mindful that if you have a wheel-on trainer the precision of tracking speed/distance and using virtual power is highly dependent on you inflating your tires to the same pressure every time and applying the same force with the resistance unit every time.

Brian Smith

@Doug Johnson

You have given me a lot to chew on here and I will take a deeper dive into it all.  I just did a bike test recently, and oh was that fun..ha  I train a lot inside on a trainer at night tome after the kids are in bed, so I always test inside as well to keep things constant.  Currently on a Wahoo Kickr, love it by the way...I will take a look at some of the options you mentioned above and see what I can do to step it up...

Overall though, regardless if I am getting the heart rate as high as I need it on specific rides/runs, I have noticed a huge increase in fitness and my resting heart rate has lowered a lot, my zones have moved up, etc...so it seems that overall the EN way has helped to this point, more than any other plans I have used in the past...Thanks again.  Brian

John Culberson

Indoor training takes away some of the upper body and core muscle work required to balance and "rock" a bicycle that is not statically fixed to a trainer. Standing gets my HR up, but it feels pretty unnatural, and I don't like putting my bike from through all that torque... although its probably much stronger than I am.

Robert Sabo

Brian do you come from a running background?  My TP HR is much lower on the bike then the run and Power is  a better metric to work on bike strength when you cardiovascular strength is good from other sports.

Brian Smith

@Robert Sabo I ran competitively when I was young, but then switched over to another sport that I played in college, but I have always ran, Until two knee surgeries limited that, yet I am one of the old school roadie types for the last 30 years, that seems to be my solitude. I of course will eventually train with a power meter, but that investment is on hold for a bit, as I am still looking into the best option for me, crank versus pedal and which will be the right fit for me.

@John Culberson   I too am not a big fan of the trainer, but unfortunately life gets the way and I have to do most of my week rides on the trainer at odd times.  I have my road bike set up on the trainer and keep the tribe for outside, just easier so I do not have to set it up each time.

Brian Smith

Well after all that was said and done above, I did the bike test this evening on the trainer, usual slight disappointment as I am only ticking up one or two points on the zones, but I will attribute that to doing it only on the trainer, as I want to be consistent so I will continue the bike tests that way.

On the heart rate side, I was able to get it up a few more points during the test, but what I did that worked for me was a total solution based on a lot of feedback above, most notable change was I did a 20 plus minute warm up before the bike test this time to really break a good sweat and a consistent heart rate, then a short 2 minute break before the test, and then I was able to get the heart rate to high zone 3 and mid zone 4 for the bike test this time.  Thanks all that sent through what worked for them.