Just started cycling about 2 months ago and I'm finding it difficult to notice any improvement in my fitness. In the past month I've generally been riding for 1hr, 2 or 3 times during the week and then 40km each day on the weekend. I'm 30 and am finding it difficult to keep my heart rate to the recommended working zones ie. 70-80% max. even though I'm not straining at all. On the weekend I completed a 50km ride in 1hr45m (18mph/28kph) and found my heart rate to be generally hovering around 175, (90% max) even though it didn't feel like I was working hard at all. Annoyingly, I had my girlfirend with me who was usually 20bpm below me at all times!!!! Interestingly, a day after the even I am feeling a slight discomfort in the chest area (no heart attack yet though :eek: ) yet the ride was quite comfortable.
So, am I very unfit? Am I not doing enough riding to improve fitness? Should I keep a defibrilator handy when riding in future😄 ?? Or do I just have a rev-happy heart?
Just started cycling about 2 months ago and I'm finding it difficult to notice any improvement in my fitness. In the past month I've generally been riding for 1hr, 2 or 3 times during the week and then 40km each day on the weekend. I'm 30 and am finding it difficult to keep my heart rate to the recommended working zones ie. 70-80% max. even though I'm not straining at all. On the weekend I completed a 50km ride in 1hr45m (18mph/28kph) and found my heart rate to be generally hovering around 175, (90% max) even though it didn't feel like I was working hard at all. Annoyingly, I had my girlfirend with me who was usually 20bpm below me at all times!!!! Interestingly, a day after the even I am feeling a slight discomfort in the chest area (no heart attack yet though :eek: ) yet the ride was quite comfortable.
So, am I very unfit? Am I not doing enough riding to improve fitness? Should I keep a defibrilator handy when riding in future😄 ?? Or do I just have a rev-happy heart?
Cheers, and thanks in advance.
Something can't be right with your numbers. Sustaining an average of 90% of your MaxHR for 1:45 would be next to impossible. Perhaps your MaxHR is higher than you've tested it?
Your girlfirend (?) may have a different MaxHR than you do, which may explain why she's able to ride at 20 BPM on average lower than you. HR doesn't tell the full story about fitness or athletic ability.
Perhaps your MaxHR is higher than you've tested it?
That's my thought, too. Learsport, how did you determine your max HR? I would expect deep, rhythmic breathing at 75-80% MHR, and speech impossible at 90% MHR or higher.
That's correct. I should really test that sometime on a big hill. The highest I've seen my HR is 188 and that was felt like I was coming close to my limit of exertion, so I'm guessing that 190 as a max would be pretty close anyway.
Just to get an idea, what heart rate would a cyclist expect to be sitting on during a 2 hr ride over reasonably flat terrain?
That's correct. I should really test that sometime on a big hill. The highest I've seen my HR is 188 and that was felt like I was coming close to my limit of exertion, so I'm guessing that 190 as a max would be pretty close anyway.
When I'm exerting myself near MHR, I'm gasping, dizzy, and feeling like I'm going to collapse. Is that what you're feeling when you describe yourself as 'coming close to my limit of exertion?'
Learsport8500 said:
Just to get an idea, what heart rate would a cyclist expect to be sitting on during a 2 hr ride over reasonably flat terrain?
If you're chatting with your girlfriend, I'd say 65-75%MHR. At 75-85%MHR, I'd expect speech to be broken or halting due to heavy breathing. I could do 2 hrs at either one, but the latter would be pushing moderate to fairly hard.
I should really test that sometime on a big hill. The highest I've seen my HR is 188 and that was felt like I was coming close to my limit of exertion, so I'm guessing that 190 as a max would be pretty close anyway.
Don't guess. Do a "proper" field test or a ramp test. I'm currently at a loss for one that tests MaxHR. Perhaps one of the other members will post a good one.
Some of the coaches in the States have gotten away from using MaxHR to base their HR zones, although it's my understanding that the British Cycling Federation still uses it. The only downside I can see to using MaxHR is that it's VERY hard to complete the test and get an accurate result. I've only done a MaxHR field test twice and chickened out when it was time to do a third one.
Quoted post said:
Just to get an idea, what heart rate would a cyclist expect to be sitting on during a 2 hr ride over reasonably flat terrain?
It's rider dependant. Seriously the variance is quite dramatic. HR is one of those things that has to be taken on a case by case instance. It is not a good indicator of athletic performance. So much so that many of the serious guys on this forum have switched over to power meters and have dropped their HRM's completely. I haven't but I'm a fair weather rec rider (read lazy). :o
Do yourself a favor and go find some real hills. You'll never get better on the flats. I didn't.
When I got back into road cycling, I started out riding on the shoulder of a 4 lane highway. Not much in the way of hills, they had been pretty much graded out. Did that for the better part of a year, and while I enjoyed the ride, I didn't seem to be getting much better.
Then, some serious roadies took me out on a 2 mile long 8% grade hill, and just flat left me. Oh, so this is what real road riding is about... Since then, I've become (within the limits of my wambly legs) a bit of a climbing junkie - flats just bore me now. And I saw a dramatic improvement in performance.
90% of max HR should feel like a strain. If you're not feeling strained, then pedal faster - you're probably more fit than you think. Also, because Max HR varies so much from person to person, I wouldn't pay too much attention to how your HR relates to the g/f's, or to what a "typical cyclist" could expect - the numbers are all over the map. I've seen my HR at 216, yet buddies my age tap out at well under 200.
Also, post up some pics of said g/f so we can evaluate her fitness, and in turn yours. :p
Also, post up some pics of said g/f so we can evaluate her fitness, and in turn yours. :p
Just let me search through my "home video's" 😄 .
Thanks for the replies fellas. I guess it's not really mere numbers that bother me, but rather concern that I may be doing damage by riding at such a high HR. Perhaps it's a case of maybe listening more to my body than a HR monitor.
Perhaps it's a case of maybe listening more to my body than a HR monitor.
That's exactly right. You'll find the more time you spend at higher HRs, the more time you *can* spend at higher HRs. After a few minutes' rest, your HR and breathing will be right back down and you'll be ready to go again.
