It’s around 1h40min or so where they they talk about getting close to zone 2 without a blood lactose meter. Attia mentions needing to know the real maxHR, then working with 70 to 80% of that to estimate being in Zone 2
I started by using the standard formula to estimate maxHR, and should be an okay starting point unless there is some medical conditions outside the normal
I’ll be going with that for now and the foreseeable future until I can either get tested, which I don’t know if my insurance would even cover a voluntary test like that. Or maybe some day, if I stick with it for a year or so, get a blood lactose meter myself. But there around $350 then there’s single use test strips to buy depending on how 9ften one would want to test.
The entire interview good and very informative. Worth a watch. I had to split it up over three days. And this morning watched it for an hour while doing my zone 2 ride before work.
Yeah. I’m going on the high end also. But still used the estimated maxHR formula to figure that out., Since I have no real number from any form of testing to base it on.
I’m sticking as close as possible to 80%( of that 70-80 percent range of maxHR he talked about ‘prescribing’ his patients) the entire zone 2 workout, because I also feel my true max HR is higher than 220-age. So, I think it’s a very useful starting point for those that do not have proof from a test of our actual maxHR. Then we can adjust as needed. They also talk about other aspects of how we should feel at the peak of zone 2.
I just figured it was the simplest method to get into zone 2, for all the lactose benefits they talk about in that video without having the tests done.
I know I heard it in another video of his, or maybe it was also in this one where he mentioned 220-age standard estimate not being the most accurate, but can get in the ballpark.
I’ve been using the “Maffetone” Method which is something like 220-age and then you add or minus some beats based on some conditions. Been using that for some time ever since I found success (albeit in running). So Now been using that to do my indoor session based on HR instead of Power.
After that, I just input it into the workout app and let it control the power. I think it helps. Tho at times I’ve been wondering if I should lower it down further to like 60% or 70% instead and get more towards Z1.
We all tend to to be statistics driven on here, but it really is not as complicated as we try to make it.
Most reasonably trained adults have a max heart rate in the 170 to 185 bpm region. So pretty much keeping your heart rate between 115 and 130 will mean most are in zone 2.
So if you aim for low 120’s on the flat, 130 on the hills and 115 on the descents you are very unlikely to stray into the anaerobic range.
I like keeping things simple, especially communication between athlete and coach.
Feel is an excellent tool that doesn’t require any device or download. If it feels hard, back off. If it feels easy, go a little longer at that effort or a bit harder for the planned duration.
To see one’s maxHR and estimated LTHR is not difficult, as this software shows one’s history, as shown by @davidhere. Testing is also a simple process, but there seems to be a fear of testing (or seeing a result that is below the expectation), or a shortcut option to get a result expected from a longer effort.
As @Gerald says above, testing is a good idea, and it’s not hard to do. This gives you some values to work with that are personal to your body and your current condition. I looked back at one of my tests on the bike and intervals.icu told me I had a new threshold value as expected.
ahahah that’s one OK-quote from AC ! IMHO he is too adamant on the subject of high easy volume. If you are a “skilled” amateur training 10 hours per weeks in the last 10 years, you know that you can’t ramp up a lot your training volume and trade your tempo or VO2max session for all easy Z1 small gear flat deliberate and boring practice
Anybody that has a single motto in this endurance training realm is going sideways… there are many routes for the same goal.
Speaking of time efficiency I find the first post in this thread very interesting… is the trade-off against fatigue of working in your higher endurance zone benefiting you ? Personally, I find the high Z2 training (according to lactate measurements) quite hard…Intervals.icu
That there by Couzens is on the money. It’s why I think FTP test is probably the biggest single waste of time. It tells you absolutely nothing apart from the average watts you can sustain for 20 minutes (because most people do a 20 minute test). What a waste of time and effort.
A ramp test will tell you where you are efficient or inefficient. It’ll show you how strong or weak your aerobic base is and it’ll give you a damn good estimate of your LTHR. It tells you so much more than a 20 minute test. Set your own zones off it then.
Ya but it depends on your goals doesn’t it… I get the impression Alan Couzens is telling folk how to be ‘fitter for life’. He’s not telling you how to train to win a 2hr race or whatever.
He does not ignore the need for high intensity either, just that it must be done at the right time for the right duration.
You’ll have to graph it and you’ll see on the graph 2 points where you HR stops rising linearly wrt power. One at aerobic threshold and the other at anaerobic.
Is it an exact science? No! But infinitely more informative that anything you’ll get from an FTP test
Question. If HR goes down a little during the 2nd half of the z2 cycling session, does it mean it was too easy, or that the body is adjusting?
Or maybe it doesn’t mean anything? Or should I increase the power a little to stay on the preferred HR?
Thx
