Hi all. 54 year old beginner cyclist. Current FTP = 174 Watts, cTHR =180 bpm as per Half Monty Ramp Test. Resting HR = 55 bpm, Max HR = 196 bpm.
I am using Joe Friel’s HR & Power zones for cycling (7)
When I am in Zone 2 Power, my HR is in Zone 1. This applies through the entire Power range for Zone 2. Riding indoors even at Z2 top end (75% of FTP) puts my HR in Z1 top end.
I believe my FTP and THR are fairly accurate. I use Half Monty Ramp Test and my FTP is increasing, with Threshold Heart Rate remaining roughly the same, as it should.
In terms of RPE: Power at top end Zone 2 RPE = 4-5/10, HR = 2/10.
While training outside (on HR only), when riding in Zone 2 HR, my legs are definitely not in Z2. Power RPE = 6/10. This is in line with what I experience when training indoors.
So I am now training in Z2 Power indoors and in Z1 top end HR outside.
Could you please advise how I should approach my training given the discrepancy between the Power and HR zones?
You kind of nailed in with your opening sentence. Your cardio is stronger than your legs, specifically because you’re a beginner cyclist. It’s going to take time to get your legs up to speed.
For training, be sure to know what the purpose of the session is. IOW, if you want to primarily train time on legs (i.e. to build Z2 power endurance) then take that as an easy cardio day. But if your want to train your cardio then it’ll be more of a tempo or interval session for your legs, which necessitates a shorter session rather than longer.
To avoid injury, use the limiting system as your guide, IOW your legs. This is exactly why I posted a feature request to automatically Use the Highest Training Load Value. Until that’s implemented, I look at each session and set the load to the higher value of HR or Power. This respects the limiting system of the body.
This might change with cadence. Lower cadence usually keeps HR quite a bit lower, while higher cadence makes your heart beat somewhat faster. Lower cadence is more taxing peripherally (legs, muscles) while higher cadence reduces muscle fatigue and taxes more cardiovascular.
The power zones proposed by the different systems are still a population average and may differ per individual. Nothing is stopping you to better align them by doing some testing. It will never be 100% accurate, but it will be good enough to get Load from power and HR in the same ballpark.
Thanks for your input. Yes I did notice that lowering the cadence brings the heart rate even further down. Thing is…. I use a fairly high cadence between 80 and 110 when in Z2 power, but HR still remains in Z1.
This is my normal, comfortable cadence.
You probably should ‘individualize’ your zones because a HRmax of 196 at 54 years of age is not what falls into the ‘bell curve’ for population averages.
It’s perfectly possible and surely not a health problem. It’s just not what one would expect at that age and it’s probably the reason why power and HR zones are so ‘mis-matching’ in your individual case.
That sounds like an incredibly high max HR for your age.
A shot in the dark: are you using a dedicated HR monitor?
If you are using your watch’s optical HR, these things are not very reliable - not the optical part, the watch part, since its very sensitive to movement and location on the wrist
Hi. I am using a Garmin HRM Dual chest strap with Wahoo Kickr inside and Garmin Edge outside.
I physically hit 196 bpm while I’m on the bike and the metrics for Max HR during Half Monty Ramp Test consistently indicates this number.
5 Ramp tests in the past two years;
Max HR and THR same result and FTP increasing.
I agree with @Doron_Gutstadt that 196bpm is a high HR for your age. But, when considering your resting HR, your zones don’t get thrown too much. See this spreadsheet.
I personally find that Sleamaker & Browning to most closely match my physiology.
There is no one-to-one connection between HR and Power. Power is a physical quantity. HR is a biological quantity.
Ride indoor without fan with 150 Watt and yout HR is definitly higher then outdoor with wind, no heat and 150 Watt.
Train with your power-zones and use the HR to feel into your body.
I have the same problem, though not to your extent. I do a couple things to get my heart rate up, which of course is the point.
If we are going to realize cardiovascular benefits such as mitochondria and vascular formation, we need to put stress on that system. Puttering along in HR Zone 1 doesn’t do that. This at least has been my understanding. Coincidentally the same concept applies to HIIT training. The best benefits to VO2 max from that training derive from the amount of time the heart is in the Zone, not the time in power. Hence the superiority of longer efforts with shorter rest periods.
I simply boost my heart rate into Zone 2. I use cadence or power or both. I then maintain whatever comfortable combination of power or cadence will keep it there. Decoupling is a good measure of Zone 2 work.
There’s a lot of hype around Zone 2 and a lot of misunderstanding too. It’s not a holy grail that, standing alone, imparts unique benefits. What it does do is allow us to run higher weekly loads without debilitating fatigue. Recovery times are much shorter. The time in the saddle is much longer. In other words don’t get wrapped up thinking you have to have Zone 2. If your training time per week is shorter, you can exercise harder and may need to for any progress.
I think we are all assuming you’re not pushing your heart into atrial fibrillation during those high efforts. I think we all assume you are in great health and get regular annual checkups, have had no heart issues.
