Hey Folks,
I've been doing some spin classes and been using an HRM, other than measuring my resting heart rate are there any other ways to measure increases in fitness using an HRM.
I've heard somewhere that recovery rate is a good measure of fitness?
Cheers
Rich
You need to know your HR zones, thats probably the most important thing. From that you can to start to get an idea of whats going on. But I warn you, its a slippery slope from there on in...
you need to find your MHR - enjoy !
Heart rate wont really tell you how fit you are. All it will tell you is how hard your body is working.
Thanks Repack - good link - simple explanation, thanks 
Recovery rate is the easiest one, otherwise you are looking at measuring output by speed or power at a set HR I guess - may as well do a set loop/climb or something.
Local training run (was 1 hour but last 10mins dropped 
)
What could you analyse from that? I achieved my so far mar HR of 188 on a sprint climb !!
Highest heart rate I've achieved is 195, this was a standing sprint, eyes shot absolutely burying myself, I guess that will be maximum heart rate.
Rest heart rate is in the low 50's - I haven't checked it properly first thing in the morning but it was 55 after a few minutes resting on the couch.
I tried one recovery test yesterday, I did a quick shot on the treadmill and got my heart rate up to 170 after a minutes rest it was back down to 110.
I googled what the results mean and apparently I am an athlete 
even though I definitely don't feel like one. I'm guessing the results I'm finding on google are geared more to people who don't regularly exercise.
So I guess what I am after is other people experiences of training using an HRM
Hmm its not easy using HR alone as a guide. Its important to know that Hr is a reaction to effort & its normally delayed say upto 90 seconds.
For cycling you really need to know your power (in watts) against HR. Then an approximate estimation can be made of how hard you are working. Do remember though that a lot of external factors can influence your HR.
The good thins about doing the same training ride is you can directly compare it to the last run (conditions being the same ). Does get a little boring though 
I don't find HR on it's own that useful, but use that with time, then you can see if your doing a standard run both faster and with a lower HR you're getting fitter!
The cold weather is playing havoc with my HR, finding it really hard to get it into a higher zone.
Me too gothandy - My muscles don't warm up even with layers on so I wonder if they cannot generate the power and thus HR not topping out?
My muscles don't warm up even with layers on
It was about -8 here this morning at around 6am & I was out running in the snow
Fell shoes, longs, hat, gloves & I was still a bit cold
A fella came past me wearing those tiny runners shorts & a vest 
Not a nice image that uplink 
Some of the polar hrms measure your 'fitness' by doing a measurement while you a resting and simply breathing in and out. It seems to be related not just to your resting heart rate but also the range of heart rates while at rest. I don't know if the absolute measure is comparable with other people but i found that the number went down when training and went up when I just drank beer instead
rich - there is a good article in this month's Cycling Plus which arrived this am. I'll take it into work next week and pass to your good lady. Cheers. Iain
I remember a step test that measured fitness by seeing how quickly you recovered. It was along the lines of:
1 - measure heart rate
2 - step up and down a 12" box\step\bench (both feet onto top) for 3 mins
3 - rest for a minute, then measure heart rate
calculate (heart rate in step 3) - (heart rate in step 1) and the lower the number the fitter (or more able to recover) you are.
My quick googles and I can't find a step test like that; I can find plenty others....
If your spin bikes also have a power reading then you should see a lower heart rate for a given output if you are getting fitter. As said above needs to be held for at least two minutes as there is a lag but if you set up the same test each week or fortnight you should be able to see a change. (Oh and remember to use the same bike!)
If your spin bike doesn't do power then go to a different gym!
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