Training by heartrate

[Sanjay]

I have a question about training by HR - related to HR drift.

Some context: I used to row till about 4 years now (started about 5 years before that), and am definitely 16 Kgs overweight. (I am 45 yrs old, 96Kg, I am currently trying to lose weight, and not worry about speed - so sticking with the long slow distance at low HR.

I tried to do a 1 hour row with my HRM - at what I thought was a UT2 pace (2:20, at 20 strokes per minute). While the rowing was quite easy, and I started with a HR of 129 (at 3 minutes), it slowly went up till I reached 159 at the end, with an average of 148. I recollect a discussion on the older forum about HR drift, and it is apparent that if I want to stay in the 120-140 range for an hour long row, I will have to continuously slow down - or do intervals.

Any thoughts on whether I should
a. keep slowing down - to keep HR in range
b. just stick with the pace that gets me to the target at 5 minutes into the row, and ignore the upward drift
c. try and find the pace where the average is right on target
d. do intervals with 100% rest - thus keeping HR in range.

Appreciate all help.

Sanjay

[gregsmith01748]

Hi Sanjay,
The first thing I would do is to take steps to minimize CV drift. Specifically, keep yourself hydrated and cool when you row. So, get a fan (or a C-breeze) and break your 60' row into 2 chunks, with a 30" break for a drink in the middle. This break is too short to really effect the training value, and the drink will help counteract the drift.

Second, the data that I have seen measures drift for a point at least 15 minutes into the row. I think 5 minutes is not long enough to get to anything close to steady state HR. So, if you are aiming to do a UT2 row, I would set out at a pace that gets you to bottom end of the range at 10-15 minutes into it.

So, I don't see any problem with doing different things on different days. Go at a constant pace and let it drift up, slow done to keep it at the top of the range, start slow enough so a constant pace keeps you in range for the whole row. They are all good choices. I think if you keep the avg HR in the right range, you'll be fine.

[Corkster52]

Greg, glad you mentioned the C Breeze. I ordered mine yesterday. This afternoon I was able to open a couple of windows and get a pretty good breeze every 10 minutes or so of my row. Not sure how much it actually helped, but I was able to do 12.2K in 60 minutes at a pace just a little less than 2.30 Nothing compared to the times you, Bob and others have, but I feel pretty good for a 58 year old obese male! HR got up to 145 towards the end, but felt good!

[Bill]

Hi Sanjay,
<snip>

Second, the data that I have seen measures drift for a point at least 15 minutes into the row. I think 5 minutes is not long enough to get to anything close to steady state HR. So, if you are aiming to do a UT2 row, I would set out at a pace that gets you to bottom end of the range at 10-15 minutes into it.

<snip>

.

Greg,

I too am very interested in this issue. I have found that even on low fixed loads I can easily drift across a zone boundary.
My HR graphs are rarely flat - usually a gentle upward slope as the piece progresses.

Am interested in the idea you quote above, of using measured HR 15' into a piece as the designated HR to determine the HR zone for the piece. After reading the Connolly and Benson book I left a message for them a few days ago asking about this issue, as I felt the book had avoided the subject.

Are there any web sites or papers that further discuss this idea of using a measurement at a set point to determine the HR for a fixed load ? I have recently trawled the British forum using various searches but couldnt find any definitive answer.

Am returning to training after a 5 year break and have decided to try the level 1 plan described in the Connolly/Benson book.

Interesting that they use %MHR rather than RHR+%HRR to define their training zones

Was quite strange rowing for 45' and staying between 100 and 130bpm. I reduced the pace to stay below 130.

Regards

Bill

[gregsmith01748]

Hi bill,
I don't know if it's good or bad, but lately I have decided to judge a workout by the avg hr, rather than cap it at the top of the range. I just don't like slowing down enough to stay below the top of the boundary with my rate of cv drift over a long row.

Also, even though B&C use the % of max HR, I decided that I like the % of HR range better, since it takes into account of resting hr changes, and that's the thing that changes with conditioning.

Please post news if you hear back from them on this issue, I'd love to get some authoritative advice.

[Carl Watts]

I'm with you Greg, but then again it could be just we are at a similar stage in our rowing.

I find is pretty hard to find my "Steady State" HR as the faster the pace the higher the rate of cardiac drift. The result is I also just use my average HR at the end of training rows rather than trying to cap it. The more experience you get the better you know what your limits and current abilities are. Training for me in the 10Km at 2:00 pace R18 yeilds a 148hr average that is so predictable I know the final numbers before I even start.