I'm still considering what to buy, before I buy ... What are you doing exactly with your monitor? Are you using motorcycle riding in conjunction with the monitor? --
I began using a concept 2 rowing machine today. It is the closest thing I have to emulating riding short of riding. It will kick your butt in short order. Good stuff if you haven't tried it. I'll continue my regular routine as well mixing in the rower now.
Are you watching your HR on that concept 2 rower? -- Fitness sorts of joins us all at the hip .... I mean, we all pretty much have the same engine to start off with... And even with drugs involved, you still gotta put in the work to get results.
I keep my heart rate around 150-160 and keep it there for 30 minutes. My heart rate at rest is rarely over 58.
Those numbers sound pretty intense ... Those rowing machines look like hard-core stuff to me now ... That leg work would take me down quickly ... I'd go with any machine before pure running... Running is just too hard on the body .. What are you calling at rest? Anytime during the day just sitting? Or once early in the day? - During a recent 6 minute race I did, about lap 2 I took a moment to think about my HR and what might be happening ... It seemed out of control even though I was trying to keep it down slightly by taking the edge off my ~speed and holding an inside line... Not sure what was happening with my riding but can't say I was one-with-the-machine ... All the leg work I was doing was taking a toll on everything else (I think) plus a few other things to be determined were zapping me ... Chaos was the word it felt like ... With running, the entire time I would just shut everything down to even lower than usual brain activity and try to just relax and let it flow out in a predetermined race strategy...
Yes just sitting at rest. A few years back, I had a bad high side at speed and ended up with a ruptured quad tendon. Upon the ems arriving they took my vitals which was 45 minutes after the crash. They had a bit of a panic seeing my heart rate at 55 bpm. I think they tought I was in shock. I had to tell them that was normal for me. Heck I had a ham sandwich and most of my hydro pack waiting for the ems utv to come haul me out of the north woods. My right leg wouldn't move but the pain subsided after 30 minutes so I guess my heart took a brake. My norMal blood pressure is 118/70. No meds currently just a multi vitamin daily. I'm fortunate.
I can stop a HR monitor at rest as mine dips below 35. redline is like 172, working race pace 155-160, distance 135.
Do these new monitors record to a file your entire heart rate beats in a logged, serial fashion so that you can look at a bike ride and see how hard you were working across the entire ride?
Yes... Devices like the Garmin 310 xt are great for GPS as well as hr data and uploading all data to Garmin Connect.
My Garmin(405cs) watch downloads to my computer and logs your workouts. You have several different choices on how to display the info. Charts, graphs, etc. I like the calender version which tracks my workouts weekly and can I enter my weight to track that. More than you really need but it's nice to see the fruits of your labor on paper and help you reach your goals.
That sounds so cool... I'd really like to do some sort of ride here and get all the HR data back in a form I could understand ... Or go ride a few laps on the track we have here and get a clue on what my heart thinks of that work. Then ride to a specific HR for specific time ... sounds like fun to me ... I just gotta decide to release the funds ... Seeing that data on paper is really no different that a dyno chart or oil analysis really ... ESP a dyno chart because you should feel the power in your pants and then you see it on paper also. You should feel a difference in your work (that corresponds to some degree) on what you see on paper. It's an insider look like code-coverage for testing software.
"I don't go to the Gym!" https://www.facebook.com/OfficialScoreInternational/videos/634819499992428/?fref=nf
Great thread, lots of good info. Thought I'd add my 2 cents since I'm opposite of most in that I train to keep my weight and muscle mass up. I'm tall and skinny, 5'11" & 160lbs seems to be my ideal, been the same since I was 16. At one point some years ago I got up over 165lbs and had a noticeable loss of mobility in my shoulders. PT said my light frame was a little muscle bound and recommended decreasing weight training, increasing bicycle and dirt bike time. She was right and I've pretty much maintained a similar routine and weight since. I've not ever been a gym rat, more the long haired, wild eyed type, love a little partying with the ladies :wink: and my buds, nothing too heavy or hard and no meds either, no cigarettes, but love a good cigar, etc. Been all natural my entire adult life, no junk or factory food, lots of whole grains and fresh veggies, game and fresh, local meat, good wine and an ice cold cervesa or 2 in the summer. I played and competed in a variety of sports and always did at least some endurance training. I've had quite a few extended periods when I didn't race, a few when I didn't even ride off road (like during college and after debilitating race injuries) but always kept training, lots of running, biking, swimming, competitive Squash!, basketball, etc. My current routine isn't strict or scientific at all, but what has evolved over a lifetime of fun, sometimes crazy, sometimes serious competition and training. It includes daily situps, pushups and pullups (more reps on a non riding day, just enough to warm up on riding days), lots of stretching with some basic yoga postures and a short MA/Tai Chi routine. On work out days I add @ 30min with 10KG dumbbells and 20KG curling bar, then 40-60 min of fast walk/hike/run on the mountain trails around my place. And have a pro-grade, adjustable hand exerciser which I use most evenings while on the computer or watching a movie. I also do a lot a hard, manual labor around my old farm, including cutting and hand splitting @ 4 cords of hardwood, tractor, tiller, dumptruck, etc. Also, supplements daily with extra proteins btwn workouts and mega doses w/electrolytes before and after riding/racing. Before I left for work a couple of weeks ago I was doing 3 40 min WFO laps on my current fav loop (with a drink bladder), 5-10 min recovery, then WFO home on 7 miles of fire road. I got to the point where by the time I serviced the bike and put it away I was fully recovered with no soreness (unless I crashes hard). The last month I did that ride almost every other day and trained less. Much more fun and no noticeable loss of strength or endurance. For variety some days I add a 20 min section of ST and rock garden and do 2 1 hour laps with a short water break in between. Overall, training is such an individual thing I don't think anyone can say what's best for all. Def follow some standard regimen and sensible guidelines until you can develop your own routines. Of course, we're talking about hobbyists, amateurs and maybe semi-pros. I do think the pros set a good general example for us all though: balance overall strength with a high level of endurance and mental fitness. The methods depend a lot on your body type and lifestyle. For most of us I agree it's most important to keep it fun, though it is true some of us need the strict regimen to keep focused.
You make alot of good points NC... All that heart rate stuff I wrote about initially fits right in here with your words ... We'll all humans and our bodies might react to outside stimulus in slightly different ways but still pretty much the same in many cases such as exercise ... Our hearts, which drives our bodies by pumping oxygen-carrying blood is the ~same across the board for exercising and does not start or stop working at the gym doors. If you understand any of that HR training, you can train more specifically for higher results in specific areas and the gym might can help there. And if you don't understand any of it, that's ok also as your heart as no choice but to adapt to any loads you place on it. The problem that I encountered when training in the dark like that, I always worked too hard on the easy days, meaning my body never fully recovered from the hard work day. This stagnated progress and caused injuries.
After starting this thing, I've learned a couple of things... 1. For some people, their workout regimen is like a religion. If someone doesn't agree it can be an awfully uncomfortable conversation. 2. There's a big divide in those who swear by cardio and those who think it could kill you. 3. Some are heavily into supplements while others eat a balanced diet. And last but not least... EVERYONE agrees that the more you ride, the better! Now that's something we can all get behind. I've been clicking off 20-50 mile loops with the focus on as much single track as possible to keep my ass off the seat and practicing my slow speed on the pegs balance.
On item 3, last I read was that the body is not a bank so if you are taking what your body does not want or need, it'll be flushed out ... From my own experiences, if you actually work out and improve and obtain some upward growth, something will need to be increased on calories intake and some vitamins of some choice. Bear in mind that nutrition is not a blank case for all of us.
Well.... I don't know. It's been a lousy year for me, and I've had NO time to go riding. The only times I've been on the bike this season is for races, and I've never ridden faster, or better. I'm almost afraid to practice now As for the cardio thing, the evidence is there. Ignore it at your peril.
Yeah, I used to monitor my heart rate closely, especially during the couple of years of competitive running and squash. Also did some pulse testing for food allergies and reactions to chemicals and other stimuli. All very helpful and interesting. After awhile I felt like I could sense my state closely enough to moderate my exertion accordingly and confirmed that. I am planning to get a HR monitor again though out of curiosity, if nothing else. Checking out that Garmin 310xt. I hardly ever work too hard any more, just hard enough I think. Only times I get carried away is on the bike and occasionally running in the woods, but not enough to croak or even fall out, just run out of steam. If I do croak doing either of those at least I'll have a big smile on
