Heart Rate Monitors and its Benefits
Previously publishedAs a Timex sponsored athlete, this is not only a very appropriate subject, but also a topic I had to learn the hard way with DNF's, being over trained and injured, about the importance of training with a heart rate monitor. But once I started to incorporate heart rate training, I not only moved to the next level and beyond, but I also developed a smart training plan that prevented overtraining and injuries!
I will never forget one of my first duathlons 10k/40k/5k. I was given the advice stay with the lead women on the first run no matter what. So, when at that time I could barely hold 6:30's per mile, I ran my first mile in 5:42. Because of my never having trained by heart rate, lack of experience, my efficiency, and a hot day, I lost the race in the very first mile. I ended up not finishing the first 10k of the race. I collapsed and rolled down an embankment where I found myself in an ambulance with heat stroke.
There were a lot of things that happened that day and inexperience was one of them, but also not knowing my body and not utilizing heart rate prevented me from finishing my first Duathlon. This was a turning point in my multisport career; and it was also when I started to train with specificity and purpose. Training with heart rate is the building block of my training.
There is more to utilizing heart rate than looking down at your watch and seeing a number though. There is science behind heart rate training. As stated in Joel Friel's The Triathletes Training Bible, the reason for multi-sport training is to "reduce the effects of fatigue that accompany maximal effort, and there are at least three physiological causes of fatigue for an endurance athlete:
• The accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles and blood;
• The depletion of carbohydrates-based fuel stored in the muscles and blood (which are glycogen and glucose) and;
• Failure of the muscles contractile mechanisms."
With that said, it is lactate threshold, the point at which your body is producing more lactate than it can get rid of, is the base line for dictating your heart rate zones. This can be done numerous ways, but the most accurate is getting a gas analysis and/or a blood lactate test done by a trained professional. (Please refer to The Triathlon Training Bible for self-test to find your lactate threshold)
So why should every workout have a purpose? Well, to start, the heart of training for multi-sport athletes is to become efficient through utilizing the proper energy production of fats and carbohydrates. To build on efficiency, varying the stresses of frequency, duration, and intensity is needed to accrue certain benefits which include being faster! So for a majority of athletes with a minimum time to train, MAKE EACH WORKOUT COUNT! Think of it as a pyramid. Your aerobic capacity is the base of your training and your fitness is uilt up from there. If you do not build a big enough "aerobic base" your pyramid could potentially fall over, and as the pyramid comes crashing down it could result in overtraining and injury. Many times athletes train too much in the middle (tempo) zones, not hard or easy enough. If you want to get faster it's not all about working harder, but it is about working smarter. There are 6 workout intensity zones to train. These zones are based upon Joel Friel's training zones in which I personally use and coach from. I will briefly explain each zone and the purpose for each.
• Zone 1 Recovery. Just as the name implies, it is most often found on the day after a Break Through workout, or periods of difficult training.
• Zone 2 Extensive Endurance. It is exercising at levels where you can hold a conversation. The goal here is to strengthen slow- twitch endurance muscles, thus being able to utilize oxygen more efficiently while teaching your body to conserve glycogen and glucose;80%-85% of LT heart rate.
• Zone 3 Intensive Endurance. More lactate production than the previous levels. Training in this zone is limited to the preparation or base periods; 86% - 87% of LT heart rate.
• Zone 4 Threshold. This effort is just below or slightly above the lactate threshold. The slow-twitch muscles and energy production systems are highly stressed and improvements accrue in the areas of lactate tolerance and removal; 88% - 91% of LT heart rate.
• Zone 5a/b Anaerobic Endurance. Intervals are done in this zone as intensity exceeds the LT. Fast-twitch muscles contribute greatly at this level; 92%+ of LT heart rate.
• Zone 5c Power. Just as it is titled it is pure power; which has limited value for multi-sport athletes. Duration of this intensity is a few short explosive intervals separated by long recoveries and maximal effort is required to realize a benefit.
As stated previuosly, your zones are based on your lactate threshold. LT levels are increased through proper training. So as you become more fit and efficient, you are able to bike/run faster at the same heart rate than previously. As there is a very important purpose to training by heart rate; there are also appropriate times in the training/racing season to not be a slave to your heart rate monitor, but rather use as a tool of information and go more by pace. The more you understand your body, heart rate and rate of perceived exertion the more you can understand it in racing. The longer the race, the more I emphasize following a plan by heart rate.
When it comes to duathlons, it is so important to race the first run conservatively so as to not to blow you race in the first mile as I did in my first duathlon. Every duathlon after my disaster, I raced by my Timex heart rate monitor, with my best finish 2nd woman overall in the 2005 Powerman Alabama. You can also determine your nutritional needs based on heart rate. In a race, if your heart rate is decreasing as you are trying to hold the same effort or rate of perceived exertion, you may be bonking and need to take in calories ASAP! If your heart rate is increasing as you are trying to hold the same effort you may be becoming dehydrated and need to take in not only fluids, but possibly electrolytes. Also, a constant elevated heart rate can be a sign of overtraining and if not responded to can lead to injuries!
In summary, multi-sport training is truly about training smarter not necessarily harder. As many athletes have families, full time jobs and a lot of responsibilities, train with purpose and make the most of your valueable time! Heart rate training is a big piece of reaching your potential as an athlete. So go ahead train HARD, but train SMART!
Yours in Training,
Heather Haviland
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Thursday, 22 December 2011 23:06
posted by CHRISTIE28Hewitt
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