[Four of a kind]

What's the best way for me to find out my heart rate training zones so that I can plug them into my garmin?

looking to increase my endurance as well as increase my fitness level.

[Cookie_Monster]

Set your max bpm and it'll work the zones out for you on the PC interface. At it's most basic level max bpm =220-age

ie 220-27 = max of 193.

The absolute max I generally reach while out and about is 183-5 compared to the 193.

[ktz84]

You have to test for your maximum which is very hard and unpleasant.

[Idleater]

Originally Posted by Cookie_Monster

The absolute max I generally reach while out and about is 183-5 compared to the 193.

It's interesting when you see 101% mhr though:-)
I set the max rate as the max achieved to date.

[Cookie_Monster]

Originally Posted by ktz84

You have to test for your maximum which is very hard and unpleasant.

or do the above which is not unpleasant at all

Originally Posted by Idleater

It's interesting when you see 101% mhr though:-)
I set the max rate as the max achieved to date.

Garmin says I've gotten to 212, but I don't believe it as I distinctly remember my chest not exploding

[Idleater]

Originally Posted by Cookie_Monster

Garmin says I've gotten to 212, but I
don't believe it as I distinctly remember my chest not exploding

Are yourself and four of a kind intent on finding every quirk of garmin data? :-)
It's not the gospel or anything, if there is erroneous data or anomalies, ignore them.

[Cookie_Monster]

Originally Posted by Idleater

Are yourself and four of a kind intent on finding every quirk of garmin data? :-)
It's not the gospel or anything, if there is erroneous data or anomalies, ignore them.

oh I do, but it overwrites my "normal" max and it annoying. I suppose I could go back and edit it out. It was a loose strap so not recording it properly, I managed entire spins 180 bpm+

[macnab]

The 220 minus age gives me a max of 176 at 44 years of age (which is my fast cruising speed) So to get a more usefull maximum I put the bike up on a turbo trainer and after a warm up session I pushed the hardest gear I could at a reasonable cadence (60+) I kept going until I felt I was at my limit. That gave me a maximum of 204 bpm, so that is what I now use in my Garmin 305.
There is also a calculation where you subtract your "resting heart rate" from your "max heart rate" which gives you a "working heart rate" ie 204-48=156, you then work out the various training zones by getting 60%, 70%, 80% and 90% of 156 (WHR), add each one to the resting heart rate to give actual heart rate numbers.

156 x 60% = 93.6 + 48 = 141.6
156 x 70% = 109.2 + 48 = 157.2
156 x 80% = 124.8 + 48 = 172.8
156 x 90% = 140.4 + 48 = 188.4

Obviously everyones resting heart rate is different so that needs to be found also.

[ktz84]

Originally Posted by Cookie_Monster

Set your max bpm and it'll work the zones out for you on the PC interface. At it's most basic level max bpm =220-age

ie 220-27 = max of 193.

The absolute max I generally reach while out and about is 183-5 compared to the 193.

I have a max of 198bpm and being 38 that means my Garmin would set my max at 182. That would completely change the training zones. If you are going to use heart rate to train at least do so based on some semblence of reality otherwise why bother?

Personally I'd set them based on Lactate Threshold which basically involves taking your average heart rate from a 10 mile time trial less 5% or 25 mile tt with no deduction assuming you pace them properly and they are genuinely maximum efforts.

As most training these days revolves around trying to increase sustainable power then it makes sense to anchor around that point however it makes not much difference what you use so long as you pick and stick with it and then train consistently and progressively. Jumping between different formula is going to end in an exercise in frustration with no useful outcome.

[ian_rush]

What are the implications of having a high or low heart rate?
I am 38 my resting heart rate is about 48-52bpm, on an easy spin my average hr is 145 bpm, rising to 175 on a climb or 185 if I put a dig in, maxing out just short of 200bpm. This seems to be about 20bpm above the strava averages.
I only put in about 2500km per annum so fitness isn't what it could be.
Is the high hrm just a reflection of low relative fitness, am I just trying harder than everybody else or am I in danger of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.
I would be more worried if my mate's HRM was not always 10-15 beats higher than mine