Calculation of heart rate zones

[gvcormac]

Goodhart's Law (originally coined by Goodhart, who was Governor of the Bank of England) is commonly paraphrased as: "When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodhart%27s_law

I think this applies to heart rate, lactate, HRV. These measurements can be very informative, but using any one to drive your training puts the cart before the horse.

[MPx]

Goodhart's Law (originally coined by Goodhart, who was Governor of the Bank of England)

Good point well made....but the pedant in me must correct (sorry). Charles Goodhart worked for the Bank of England for quite a few years but was an Economist and Senior Advisor - never the Governor nor Deputy or a member of the executive.

[gvcormac]

Goodhart's Law (originally coined by Goodhart, who was Governor of the Bank of England)

Good point well made....but the pedant in me must correct (sorry). Charles Goodhart worked for the Bank of England for quite a few years but was an Economist and Senior Advisor - never the Governor nor Deputy or a member of the executive.

Thanks for the counterpoint. I've thought for decades that Goodhart had been Governor.

[Ombrax]

If I want to use a formula that uses rest HR, should I look for the lowest HR that I see or a more stable reading?

This is what I mean.

I measured my HR right after waking up. For a fleeting moment or two, my HR can go down to 48 bmp.
But a more stable reading that my body actually can maintain for a longer period seems to be 51-52 bmp.

You are correct to use the "just after waking up" number for your min. Don't use "sitting at your desk staring at the computer screen" value.

Measure it a few mornings in a row and you'll get a good idea.

Here's my method (all of which is done while still lying in bed):

1) Wake up, get my bearings and remember that I want to measure my HR.

2) Relax a bit, pick up the pulse oximeter I keep at my bedside.

3) Relax a bit more, put the pulse oximeter on my finger, wait a bit, turn it on.

4) Relax and watch the display. I've you've done any meditation stuff that also helps.

All of this to get the lowest min possible, which I assume gives a more accurate Heart Rate Reserve value.

And after all of that, I don't even bother to train using HR zones, I just use the pace display on the PM.
Over time I've come to know what works for me for a given planned distance-pace combination.

Good Luck

[Erik A]

i went and ran a long steep hill to find my MHR. HR went ballistic at about the same time i stopped from exhaustion.

[jamesg]

For most training, UT1 is enough and can be easily reached at rate 23-24 if using standard technique. With a good stroke (worth say 10W-min) at rate 24 Power is 240W, so even at 100kg, well over 2W/kg and enough to avoid losing our seat.

I've dropped to 5.5 to 6 Watt-minutes (work per stroke) and 120W on 77kg, so 1.5W/kg. Even that is enough to keep me fit. All I have to do is use low drag, with the standard recovery sequence (hands, swing, slide) and slam the legs down as fast as possible, at rates 20 to 22. I keep my wrists flat and straight to avoid repetitive load injury, which has worked well.

HR drifts from 80 to over 150 when doing wods, but often the reading locks at 240 so is useless. Finger oxymeters are better, since they see blood speed (Doppler effect) and not spurious electric impulses; can see HR drop rate during intervals.

[Dangerscouse]

Goodhart's Law (originally coined by Goodhart, who was Governor of the Bank of England)

Good point well made....but the pedant in me must correct (sorry). Charles Goodhart worked for the Bank of England for quite a few years but was an Economist and Senior Advisor - never the Governor nor Deputy or a member of the executive.

I do love a bit of well intentioned pedantry. People saying chomping at the bit, which admittedly makes sense, instead of champing at the bit is top of my list

And yes, it is a good point about Goodhart's law

[iain]

good point about Goodhart's law

Agreed, particularly as in my experience just focussing on HR will increase it a couple of points!

[Dangerscouse]

good point about Goodhart's law

Agreed, particularly as in my experience just focussing on HR will increase it a couple of points!

Same here. Apart from intervals, I row 99% of the time with eyes closed and I've noticed if I glance at the monitor at the wrong moment, ie at the end of an interval, it will jump 2-3bpm and then drop back down again, or increase at the end of the session as I know it's almost done. That's part of the reason, I don't pay too much attention to it.

[gvcormac]

Goodhart's Law (originally coined by Goodhart, who was Governor of the Bank of England)

Good point well made....but the pedant in me must correct (sorry). Charles Goodhart worked for the Bank of England for quite a few years but was an Economist and Senior Advisor - never the Governor nor Deputy or a member of the executive.

I do love a bit of well intentioned pedantry. People saying chomping at the bit, which admittedly makes sense, instead of champing at the bit is top of my list

And yes, it is a good point about Goodhart's law

My favorite is the use of "sarcasm" to mean "in jest." Sarcasm is a cutting statment, which may or may not use irony. Irony is stating the opposite of what you mean, or something incongruous with the situation.

It is debatable whether the Alanis tune "Isn't it Ironic?" describes ironic events, or describes the title, because the events aren't ironic. Personally I think the events are ironic, by the second clause of the definition I stated. But there's a rational debate that they are just unfortunate.