What is the best option for using heart rate based training zones taking into account the Lthr test, for the best training load control for use on the Intervals.icu platform?
Joe Friel, Andy Cogan, CTS Bike?
Curiously, Stephen Seiler and Iñigo san Milán, who perhaps know better than anyone, use %HRmax and %VO2max, not %LTHR.
there is a huge topic on trainerroads forum: Cogan vs Friel. The diffrence is mostly in recovery and endurance zones. I use Cogans and ride by power. The zones are more or less correct - same as power zones. With Friel zones, high recovery is for me mid endurance and would probably lead to overtraining or at least lack of rest when needed.
-HRmax is not that easy to set correctly. You need to be fit, fresh and in a specific situation like race so your will to ride hard (imagine sprinting to the finish line and trying to pass a rider in front of you) will overcome your mind and body sugestion to give up - that results in max hr most of the time.
-lthr just works but can change in time
-i would suggest lthr if you can, just to have something to start with. Riding with hr strap and confronting you hr readings with RPE would be good. Next step would be to add power meter.
-hr is used to ride endurance tempo or ftp rides, kind of useless in higher zones. If you have a possibility to borrow a power meter or a trainer for a month it ould be beneficial to confront your hr zones with power,
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Was your LTHR tested during an actual blood lactate test or an Inscyd test? If not, and you’re using an estimate, I wouldn’t use it.
% of maxHR from a 1, 3 or 5-6 min all out effort should get you close to a maxHR and won’t deviate much through a season. Make sure you are well rested before doing the max efforts.
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Test 20m %lthr.