Improve your riding with a heart rate monitor

Training with heart rate is the simplest way to improve your fitness and you don’t need to spend a fortune on the latest gadgets in order to see the result.  All you need is a heart rate monitor.

There are two kinds of metabolism that your body uses to create energy;  oxygen dependent metabolism and oxygen independent metabolism. Knowing them will help you understand why training with heart rate is beneficial to your performance.

Oxygen dependent metabolism, also known as aerobic metabolism, happens when your body uses oxygen to create a large amount of energy. There is a small amount of waste such as lactate during this type of metabolism. This process occurs slowly and normally can’t keep up with your energy needs if you continue to work out harder.  You mainly use this energy system during a long and slow ride.

Oxygen independent metabolism, also known as anaerobic metabolism, happens when your body creates a small amount of energy at a very rapid rate.  Your body doesn’t need oxygen to create this type of energy, but there is a large amount of waste including lactate and hydrogen ions.  This type of metabolism occurs during short, hard workouts such as sprinting and can create a burning sensation in your muscles.

You need to do a lactate balance point test in order to train using heart rate. Lactate production is positively correlated with heart rate, meaning that when your heart rate increases so does the amount of lactate produced in your body.  The test shows the maximum heart rate that your body can use lactate for energy needs, without an excessive build up.  If your body creates too much lactate, it will eventually lead to exhaustion.

The test is extremely specific and will indicate, within two to five beats per minute, the highest heart rate that you can train before your body produces too much lactate. Once you know your individual lactate balance point, you can simply use a heart rate monitor as your training guide.

The 80/20 workout is a good way to start training with heart rate. Eighty per cent of this workout is done below your lactate balance point, and there are two ways to accomplish this. First, a slow and controlled ride with your heart rate at approximately 20 bpm below threshold. Second, a tempo ride averaging about five to ten bpm below threshold.  The other 20 per cent of your workout should be done at a heart rate that pushes you well beyond your lactate balance point. Types of training include hill intervals, sprint intervals and time-trial workouts.

Most of your training is at either a high or low heart rate. Very little is done at your lactate balance point because you want to maximize your body’s adaptation to harder workouts.  Your body will produce energy using oxygen dependent metabolism if you train below your lactate balance point. Training above your lactate balance point will increase your body’s ability to use lactate for energy.

So find your lactate balance point and start using your heart rate monitor to get the most out of every training ride.