General Category > Further and Faster
Too fit or too unfit? HRM question
amaferanga:
You'd be much better off riding as hard as you can for the time you have available instead of pootling along in the mythical fat burning zone. You may be burning a greater proportion of fat, but the total calorie burn will be less and hence you'll actually be losing weight more slowly by keeping the intensity that low. The whole fat burning myth is popular because it appeals to the muppets that like to read a good book while 'working out' at the gym ;-)
Feline:
--- Quote from: Redlight on February 14, 2012, 04:01:38 PM ---A question for those of you who train with heart rate monitors...
I am trying to lose a bit of flab so recently bought a HRM with the intention of trying to keep within the so-called fat Burn Zone while exercising. No problem using the stuff at the gym – I find it relatively easy to pace my activity to keep at around 110bpm (the upper limit for the Zone, according to the monitor, is 117). On the spin bikes, it feels as though I am riding along at a relatively good pace, while not pushing it. I’d liken it to a steady Sunday ride.
However, when I actually ride my bike on the commute, I find it impossible to stay below the upper limit and am averaging 137bpm over a 45 minute ride. I’ve tried to ride as steadily and slowly as I can without feeling as though I’m dawdling, but to no avail. Is my inability to ride gently without my heart thumping a sign that I’m not as fit as I should be, or is it possible that the monitor has assumed that at my age I should be less fit than I am and miscalculated the Zone parameters and I should be able to fat burn at a much higher heart rate?
Any advice would be welcomed!
--- End quote ---
My heart rate can reach 195bpm on the bike which at my age shouldn't even be possible. I have stopped using the HR band :D
saturn:
Have you established your actual max heart rate or are you just trusting a calculated theoretical max for your age or that's programmed into your HRM?
Max heart rates are a very personal thing and calculated values can be so inaccurate to be totally misleading. If I take my own max and work the typically used calculation backwards I'm younger than my youngest daughter.
Establish your real max if you haven't done so (it's not that tricky) and work out your own zones.
saturn:
--- Quote from: Feline on February 15, 2012, 08:43:26 PM ---My heart rate can reach 195bpm on the bike
--- End quote ---
Absolutely nothing wrong with that Feline.
--- Quote from: Feline on February 15, 2012, 08:43:26 PM ---which at my age shouldn't even be possible.
--- End quote ---
That's incorrect though. Trust the HRM, throw the rubbish theoretic calculations away.
GruB:
The secret for me - has been to combine HRM riding with FIXED ;D
Because of the constant pedalling I don't feel like I am dawdling. I also get into a rhythm that doesn't send my HR soaring - as the fixed gearing limits that. But I stay in the FB zone a lot more ( not by trying or choice - I just do ) and that means I have changed shape again.
My legs have changed and the waist is slowly changing too.
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