Resting heart rates

Ro – about the most sensible thing on this thread. Much of what is done in performance training and nutrition is not evidence based – IE proper double blind controlled studies as it is very hard if not impossible to do so. I have looked for evidence for much of what is claimed and found it impossible to find.

The principal purpose of heart rate monitoring is to give a indication of cardiovascular effort (and therefore effort) during rest and/or exercise. ‘cardiac output’ i.e. the product of heart rate and stroke volume is the true measure, but it is somewhat tricky to estimate (and even harder to measure) stroke volume without a lab or hospital at your disposal. And so, for everyday use we simply rely upon the easy measurement of heart rate.

However, the human body has the unconcious ‘choice’ to either pump more frequently (increased HR) or to pump a greater volume of blood (increased stroke volume) to match the demand for oxygen, both at rest and during exercise. Without getting into the determinants of metabolic control, resting HR provides a subjective indication of ‘fitness’ – the lower the better. But as with our fitness levels, it is impossible to compare one person to another simply in terms of one variable, such as heart rate, as we each would have different (unmeasured) stroke volumes, and hence cardiac outputs.

why the hell do you know nothing about heart rate training?

because I ride for the fun of it. I like being fit, but I have no interest being fitter than what results from riding

It doesnt lend itself to scientific study. The opportunity cost for an individual of following a specific regime negates the opportunity to follow another at the same time.
Following another regime later for compariosn is flawed given the possible benefits gained by the previous one plus the time lag.

The principal purpose of heart rate monitoring…

see? that was very nicely written. i just don’t have the patience to write that sort of thing.

would you like to work for me? i have seminars to run…

buy a power meter you Luddites

would you like to work for me? i have seminars to run…

I can always be tempted by freelance work…

MTT – there are some SRM’s within touching distance of my desk!

yeah TJ, the ‘evidence’ on most performance training is totally sketchy.

truth to tell, i think most make it up as they go along. noakes et al have done some interesting stuff, but repeatable with a large population? i’d be surprised.

hr is a nice easy way of measuring effort. and you can use it to measure progress too. as such, it’s a simple basis for training. but, as has been pointed out, you can’t generalize.

surfer, i thought we’d agreed not to talk to each other? or were you speaking to someone else?

i don’t get power meters, not at all. but then i know nothing about training cyclists. you all have legs too big for your body.

LabMonkey – good man, i use a PT2.4 on OP. Have they sorted the Wireless on SRM yet? Principal reason for the PT over the SRM was the uncluttered simplicity, but i concede that the SRM is king… if you want to pay for one!

or to pump a greater volume of blood (increased stroke volume)

I’ve noticed my heart beating harder sometimes, which I suppose means greater volume rather than faster

ro – I would take a hard look at the work of Tim Noakes – do you really believe in his ‘central governor hypothesis’? He makes some interesting points in his work, and defends them strongly, but it is not accepted in all circles – even today in the Journal of Applied Physiology there is a point:counterpoint argument about this very issue.

I think the whole “not speaking to you” bit was your comment not mine, lines of communication are always open as far as I am concerned.

My comment was directed at TandemJeremy however but there was a lag!

i have to go to bed now. mommy says so. she may let me play on the computer tomorrow. will you still be my friends then? please?

MTT – We have a few SRM systems here (I work at a University) and if I am honest the SRM’s in my office are not working. We have just wired ones for road and mountain bikes at present but we are waiting on some new wired units from Germany. What I use mainly, for ‘training’ and research is a Lode ergometer in the labs – they are the nuts (but 12k each)

Simon – ‘harder’ is a touch one to perceive, it does contract slightly more forcefully but also the valves are open for a fraction longer, allowing greater expulsion of blood per beat

sorry, labmonkey, but it’s 10:50 here and i need my beauty sleep. just when i find someone interesting too 🙁

stick around, you seem interesting. educate the buggers while i’m sleeping, huh?