by Franz Kelsch
Why Monitor?
Part of any advanced training program is monitoring your body during training. Although your breathing rate can provide one method of how much effort your are extending, it is a difficult method to use for training purposes.
By using some of the monitoring techniques discussed below you can use that information in the right training program to improve your performance. Improving performance is not just for the cyclist racer.
How to Monitor Your Body
The best way to measure the intensity of any
exercise would be to measure the volume of oxygen consumed (VO2). That is not practical so the next best method is to measure heart rate. Today you can buy a reliable heart rate monitor for a relatively small price. More expensive models include additional features, including measuring speed and distance for both running and cycling.
Heart rate monitoring is key because is the easiest way to get feedback and is much better than
just our sense of how hard we are working. Monitoring can also
keep us from pushing too hard when we are doing a recovery run or ride. When I am making a hard climb I constantly watch my heart rate to make sure i am not pushing too hard at the lower part of the hill and to see what I have left toward the finish.
By using a heart rate monitor you can use zone training during your work out. Not all training should be at intensity and using zone training can help you get the proper recovery. You can using the information to help keep from going into your lactate threshold when you don't wish to.
Monitoring Principles
For more information on performance monitoring refer to some of those other articles I wrote on my Ultra Distance Cycling website.
|
