Very tired legs heart rate low

BMKN · 10-09-2014 9:24am #1

So been cycling more and more gave up running so I could cycle more. I use a HR monitor and when riding on flat I can really push my speeds but my legs konk out before my HR does. Its the same with hills if im on a steep incline11-12% I feel exhausted mentally and legs are about to fall off. I look at my HR to find its only 160BPM. Is there sonething im doing wrong?

endacl · 10-09-2014 9:25am

Climb more hills. You'll never win. The hills always win.

Kinet1c · 10-09-2014 9:29am

What distance are you cycling?
What's your cadence(rpm)?
What are you eating/drinking before/during the cycle?

RHJ · 10-09-2014 9:32am

This post has been deleted.

quozl · 10-09-2014 9:33am

If your legs are exhausted and your HR (compared to your own personal max) is low, then I'd guess that you're pushing too high a gear.

Lower gear and higher cadence moves more of the work-load to your cardiovascular system.

You can go too far that way though and end up with a really high heart-rate while going quite slowly. So it's a balancing act.

[edit]get out of my head RHJ![/edit]

Alek · 10-09-2014 9:34am

No, this is more or less normal, especially if you are in high gear. When running at steady pace, my legs don't feel tired at all and my HR is more or less at 160 (183max).

In cycling you can vary the muscle power / aerobic effort balance using gears. Next time change to easier gear and spin fast uphill - your legs should take it better and the HR will raise.

Also, in cycling you do not have to use energy to lift your body weight - this makes it a much more dynamic effort, as you can choose its intensity almost from 0 to 100% and still move forward.

quozl · 10-09-2014 9:35am

Alek wrote: »

...stuff...

That's a really interesting way to look at it, Alek. I ran before I cycled but never really thought about those differences like that.

BMKN · 10-09-2014 9:36am

I use large chain ring and usually 3rd or 4th gear in cassette. Im bad on ratios. I usaully eat 25grams carbs every 20mins rides longer than 90mins. I love climbing long steady climbs i power through them. I dont have cadence for my Garmin yet will prob get it soon. Im a bit of a grinder i find I go slower on high cadence

Alek · 10-09-2014 9:38am

I started running after cycling for a few years, but I am not sure if my observations are valid at all ;-) Please note I actively hate running and only do it to keep in shape when I can't cycle

quozl · 10-09-2014 9:39am

BMKN wrote: »

I use large chain ring and usually 3rd or 4th gear in cassette. Im a bit of a grinder i find I go slower on high cadence

You can work on your cadence and IMO you should. Your best cadence is individual (and situation dependent) but I bet you're way below what would would best for you.

Alek · 10-09-2014 9:42am

Im a bit of a grinder i find I go slower on high cadence

This is the feeling we all had at the beginning. Technically cadence of 65 is most effective, but will make your muscles tired very shortly. I would recommend to train your muscles to at least 85rpm - ideally 90-95.

After a few weeks of doing this I've found I can take any hill faster when spinning than mashing. I raise from the saddle to mash only on supersteep, short feckers (>17%) or when sprinting.

Also, general effort is lower when sitting in the saddle, as you are not lifting yourself.

Chips Lovell · 10-09-2014 9:47am

BMKN wrote: »

So been cycling more and more gave up running so I could cycle more. I use a HR monitor and when riding on flat I can really push my speeds but my legs konk out before my HR does. Its the same with hills if im on a steep incline11-12% I feel exhausted mentally and legs are about to fall off. I look at my HR to find its only 160BPM. Is there sonething im doing wrong?

Are you moving from primarily running to cycling?

I've experienced similar moving in the other direction. When running, my legs would give out long before my HR got very elevated.

I put that down to being aerobically fit but not adapted for running, i.e. I don't have the legs to match the lungs yet.

BMKN · 10-09-2014 10:04am

Oscar Gateaux wrote: »

Are you moving from primarily running to cycling?

I've experienced similar moving in the other direction. When running, my legs would give out long before my HR got very elevated.

I put that down to being aerobically fit but not adapted for running, i.e. I don't have the legs to match the lungs yet.

Ive been cycling for 3 years done about 40000km so its not fitness

Alek · 10-09-2014 10:12am

3 years done about 40000km

13000 km a year? Fair play. I think I should be taking tips from you :eek:

uberalex · 10-09-2014 10:41am

I'm not really much of a cyclist, but could some resistance training on your legs help? Maybe something in the squats/leg press/deadlifts?

Brian? · 10-09-2014 10:50am

uberalex wrote: »

I'm not really much of a cyclist, but could some resistance training on your legs help? Maybe something in the squats/leg press/deadlifts?

Not really. Low rep training builds strength and uses a different energy system.

Keep it simple for now, the best way to train for any sport is by working on the technique. As others have said, work on your cadence. Get yourself spinning at over 90rpm and you'll be grand. The speed will come back.

victorcarrera · 10-09-2014 11:08am

The low heart rate with hard effort are indicators of overtraining and it is very likely if you are doing a lot of high intensity with that kind of Kms. You may have a slow cadence issue though. Try taking a break for a few days and when you come back try and average a cadence of 90 increasing to 100 and using smaller gears up hill.

Beasty · 10-09-2014 11:10am

As others have already said work on increasing cadence. A few years ago I was typically in the 70s, then increased it to the 80s. Last winter I was pushing it to the mid 90s and the last week or two I've been into the high 90s. the legs are recovering much quicker now than they used to and I'm finding I can put in the same type of overall effort at the end of the week as I can at the beginning after a few days rest

G1032 · 10-09-2014 11:11am

BMKN wrote: »

I use large chain ring and usually 3rd or 4th gear in cassette. Im bad on ratios. I usaully eat 25grams carbs every 20mins rides longer than 90mins. I love climbing long steady climbs i power through them. I dont have cadence for my Garmin yet will prob get it soon. Im a bit of a grinder i find I go slower on high cadence

Do you not constantly change gears to adapt to conditions?

No road is flat really so I'll change gears to keep cadence above 80 at a minimum. Average cadence for me over any given ride would be 85 - 87. Working to try to get that higher but it's a work in progress.

Anyway, I'll use most gears on a ride and do spend a fair chunk in the front 39 ring.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi · 10-09-2014 11:33am

When you say low heart rate are you comparing this to your previously trained hr levels for running? Have you performed a LTHR test on the bike?

Often people cannot hold the same hr on the bike as they can on the run and naturally enough hr will be lower on the bike. For me personally my hr whilst running will always be 5 or 6% higher, across zones and MHR.

EDIT: My point is what you may consider a low hr on the bike could in fact be at or above threshold hence why it hurts so much, depending on what hr values you are working off.

seamus · 10-09-2014 12:03pm

Leonard Angry Veranda wrote: »

Often people cannot hold the same hr on the bike as they can on the run and naturally enough hr will be lower on the bike. For me personally my hr whilst running will always be 5 or 6% higher, across zones and MHR.

This.
There's a ten-point difference for me between running and cycling. On the bike I'm tipping into "putting in good effort" HR range around 170BPM, but running I don't hit that until around 180bpm.

Likewise, race effort on the bike for me is ~185BPM, while running it's ~192BPM. Cycling at 192BPM is hammering up a hill and I can maintain it for 5-10 minutes at an absolute max, but in a running race I can sit at 190-195 BPM for 40-odd (painful) minutes.

So I wouldn't put too much stock in what you know about your HR from your running experience. The stresses on the body differ in both disciplines.

Very tired legs heart rate low

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