HR training on the bike
I am just wondering if there is anything else I can do with my bike training without spending $1500 on a powertap? I've been doing HR training and it's been discouraging because I can't see "real" progress like those training with power. I want fancy %'s to brag about! I did my bike test last week and my HR zones went down so if I went off of that I wouldn't be pushing myself as hard as I had the prior 8 weeks. I loved seeing results with running (vdot 33 to 36!) and it encourages me to keep training hard. I find myself avoiding my bike now because I feel like I'm not progressing. How do those training with HR handle this? Should I go more off RPE instead of HR zones? Is there some other gadget I can buy to measure power that won't have me going to the poor house?
I'm a newbie here, any help is appreciated!
Comments
I got mine through Excelsports.com - PT Elite with DT Swiss wheel last year for something like $925 shipped to my doorstep.
Several thoughts: If you are training for an Ironman, it seems like things are an endless money sump - $700 for the race, and equal amount sfor lodging there, for EN coaching, for wetsuit, for aGPS watch and shoes, then 4-5 times that for a bike. When does it STOP?! you are asking. And what is mandatory and what is discretionary?
If you can still afford another $1000, get a powertap, so you can easily use it on road and tri bike. If you've come to the end of the budget, you may be able to get some positive feedback which is less precise, but still feels good. If your trainer has a set resistence, keep it at the same resistence, and keep your HR in the same range, and see if you can ride in a bigger gear. Alternately, same gear, faster speed is also a sign of progress.
Each time you do a test, your HR zones may change, and you have to start anew.
Sara - I've used a PM since joinging EN, but for a 3-week period last year I was without it and relied on RPE alone. I don't like relying on HR - too iffy a measurement on bike - so I usually ignore it on the bike. I pay attn to HR always on the run.
The way I thought about it was - "what is the highest effort I can put out for the length of the intervals in the main set without dropping my perceived effort for any one interval" or a "steady hard effort". I would say I'm not working hard enough if my legs aren't tired after each interval (feeling the lactate buildup) and if I am not wondering whether I can hold the same effort for the entire next interval.
Note - when using RPE for first time I was worried about not working hard enough so that resulted in me putting out too much power (once I got my PM back I matched my RPE to real #s), especially the first interval, and probably put me in VO2 work when I was trying to do FTP work (this resulted in slight injury too - so you have to be careful). So now I would add to that phrase "without totalling killing myself" - which I would save for the V02 work.
I think today, after many more hours on bike w/PM, my RPE is honed in a bit more and I would do a much better job of using RPE to differentiate between FTP and V02 work and just easy Z1/Z2 riding. Between that an HR analysis - I could find the right "working" zone. And in the end, even us PM guys eventually just know approx what wattage were putting out w/o even looking - we know if were doing steady Z3 work or belting out Z5 stuff w/o a PM in our face. Its a game I play all the time - guess my wattage based on RPE. So there is alot of advantage to understanding your RPE (especially when you forget your PM on race day!).
If you remember what it felt like when you did your HR FTP test - then you know what FTP level feels like for "x" amount of time. Try to get there for every interval (95-100%).
I'm guessing you could use some other metrics like mph/distance to measure each interval effort (e.g, I covered x distance in x time, now try to beat it or match it for next interval) - but I'm sure you'll get more technical analysis from the Haus.
But avoiding your bike will certainly not HELP in any case !!!
Thats my 2 cents.
Sara; I have been with EN only a bit over a year....did my first IM last year (12:15)...all with HR on the bike...I think Power is great...would love to get a PowerMeter...but I honestly don't believe I need it to continue to improve...Power guys (&gals) often have bad tests and see their Watts go down as well...its an "over time" kinda thing I believe and if you are workin' it inside with HR per the plans..you will see it outside...now...having said that...I do think there is something about how you drive your HR that can make a difference...and this year I am playing with that...and that is varying Z4 HR via Low Gear/Lower RPM (65-75) v my normal higher gear/High RPM (90-100)....there is a functional strenght parameter that I think you have to work with differently with HR v Power...Power guys see it because it is all about Power at the pedals...not cardio exertion. (though they parralel)
Any of you Power guys chime in ...I may be way off but it seems to be making a difference for me this year.....
This may not matter to you Sara...but if you decide to stick with HR...this may help and you should feel confident that you can make HR work work for you.
Hey Sara,
2011 is was first triathlon season, and I am not doing IM in near nor long term.
I trained this year on the bike only by HR, and I got fairly well along before I joined EN, after that I agree measuring progress is/was an issue to me as well.
I have no powermeter on my bike (and I have sub 1000$ Roadbike).
Like Al said ... I started this year before my EN time to measure my improvements only on the trainer, by looking how my avg speed improves for a given/known resistance level. Used my garmin FR60 to record my speed in the intervals. Not very scientific but if you watch you tire pressure etc. the values are useful to compare.
As I joined EN, I did invest in a new trainer (tacx bushido, 500€) which actually measures power and allows me to program my workouts. To be honest once I have saved some money (2013) I will invest 3k$ in a TT Bike with a PM solution. But for now i am in OS and i am happy with my setup now.
Maybe this helps.
Stephen,
Used is a good option too that I didn't think about. Thanks for bringing up that idea...
Al-Great ideas of how I can measure improvement playing with gears, tension, etc...
Pete-Thanks for the feedback on RPE, I think it will be beneficial to hone in on that.
Joseph-good point to look at playing with gears too, I am still trying to figure out if I should go high gear and speed or low gear and speed. Been doing low speed and hard, it gets my heart rate up faster
Kai-It's nice to know I'm not the only struggling with the issue of measuring progress.
Thanks again!
Between selling stuff in the garage and buying a used PM, most people can find a way to make power happen. The simple truth is that it will completely change how you train and race.
Paul, hit me up about that wheelset. I'm sure I can get you a better deal through Wheelbuilder and these guys are the highest volume PT builders in the world. They know their stuff.