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Bike TT - setting HR zones for 1st workout

stanner6stanner6
in Community Forum 🏠

Hi everyone, I'm just finishing my trial membership and not clear about determining HR zones before getting into my first bike workout on the trainer tonight.

I did the bike TT on the trainer a few days ago.  My HR monitor showed an avg HR of 152, but as I watched the HR during the test, I was between 158-160 for most of the time that I would consider "work".  So I think that a better LTHR would be 158-160.  However, when I look at the Friel zones to try to calculate zones for my first workout, it seems like the workout won't be hard enough.  I'm wondering if I didn't push hard enough during the test.  The test felt like hard work to me, but I could have kept going at that pace for longer (not all day, but certainly at least another 10-15 minutes if not more).

The workout description is 2x6' (2')@95-100%/Z4, remainer of workout @ 80-85%/Z3.  If the 2x6' @95-100% is supposed to feel like pretty hard work, where it is a challenge to sustain for 6' at a time, trying to hold a HR of 158-160 (or 95% of that) will only be moderately challenging.

Any recommendations for setting the HR zones for my workout?

Comments

  • Al TruscottAl Truscott

    When I started with EN, I was an "HR athlete". What I would do was take the steady state HR I would see in the last 5-10 minutes of my bike TT, and plug that into the data tool as my LTHR. Under "Training" on the far left of the menu above, select "Data Tool". Then, under "Tests", select "Add Bike Test". Put in the numbers asked for. Then, when doing the OS workouts, again on the Data Tool page, under "Tests", select Zones, and use the numbers you see there as your HR targets. They are not strictly speaking Friel Zones; forget Joe's package of Zones, and go with the EN generated ones.

  • Nate ParadyNate Parady
    Shaina, I am new to biking and it took me a couple of tests to really learn how to take the test. It was more mental for me than anything. It wasn't until my 3rd test that I was able to push hard for the entire 40 minutes. I was DONE after 40 minutes... I could not have held that pace for any longer without taking a break. Also, keep in mind that although the workout of 2x6 at z4 may sound easy these workouts will gradually build up to harder levels and will also have a cummulative effect on your body(and mind). The high intensity has a way of sneeking up on you.
    Good luck.
  • stanner6stanner6

    Thanks for your responses.  I can't access the data tool yet, it looks like I don't have full access to the site (my first month payment just went through today).

    I think for today's workout, I will try using a LTHR of 160 and keep in mind that the workouts will get progressively harder over the weeks.  image  I did my 5K run test yesterday, so who knows what my legs will feel like when I actually get on the bike later.

    Once I have full access to the site I will plug my HR into the data tool and use those zones to guide my workouts.

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