HR Zones

[CharlieV453]

Hi there. Just purchased a Polar OH1 HR monitor for the main purpose of keeping my HR down on long UT2 pieces.

My first piece (2x6k) was at a 152 hr and a 2.13 split. Repeating the workout the week after at a 154 required my splits to drop by 10 seconds to a 2.03 to reach the new HR derived from a change in my max HR. This was probably my own error or I may have been ill or some non ideal conditions for my first piece which is fairly plausible. However when my max HR rose again my UT2 hr (65%) became 158. From what I’ve been told UT2 is supposed to feel easy but working up a sweat gradually and you should be able to hold a conversation. The second set of 2x6k was a bit harder and while my breathing was controlled it wasn’t quite at the level to hold a conversation. Then doing a supposedly UT2 workout at the 158 was definitely not conversation level and could only manage a couple of words between deep but controlled breaths.

I’ve seen two ways of calculating HR zones. One from the Polar beat app which divides the max HR by 100 and multiplied it by the desired percentage.
The second way is max HR - resting HR = HR variability. HR variability divided by 100 and then multiplied by the desired percentage. Then add this to the resting HR

For the first 6x2k I used the second method and the piece felt as UT2 should, as in easy but working, and sustainable for an extended period of time. However when looking in my Polar beat app at the end of the session my HR was shown as being in the 70-80% zone which the app called the steady state zone, not the 60-70% I had been in. This was because the Polar app used the max HR divided by 100 multiplied by the desired zone. This provides zones with lower HR compared to the other method but doing UT2 at this HR felt much more as it should. Most rowing forums and sites seem to advise the first more complex method but this doesn’t feel right for UT2 at least.

In my eyes steady state and UT2 are the same thing, both working on the basic aerobic base which improves overall fitness and ability to work harder for longer through a variety of intensities. I could be completely wrong please fill me in if I’m way off the ball. However the Polar app seemed to say the steady state zone was the 70-80 and the zone comparable to UT2 was 60-70. From feel this steady state zone is about the same effort and split as the 65% HR from the second more complex method. However the first method in the 60-70 zone feels much more like UT2 which you’d use for long endurance sessions.

Any thoughts on what to go off?

Thanks, Charlie

[max_ratcliffe]

Hi there. Just purchased a Polar OH1 HR monitor for the main purpose of keeping my HR down on long UT2 pieces.

<>

Any thoughts on what to go off?

Thanks, Charlie

Charlie,

I'm not sure I understand your question (it did go on a bit).

First of all, remember that HR is a proxy for metabolic processes going on inside. Top athletes get lactate measurements done for greater precision, and as I understand it, the % bands do not work well at all if you are very highly trained (I've recall seeing something somewhere that Paula Radcliffe's UT bands started in the mid 170s). So at that level, there is little alternative to getting lactate measurements done properly, and MHR measured through a step test.

The usual approach is to take your resting heart rate (RHR) and your max heart rate (MHR), subtract RHR from MHR to get heart rate reserve (HRR).
Then the percentages work from there.

For example, if we assume that UT2 starts at 55%, and we have a rower whose RHR is 60 and MHR is 180. HRR=180-60=120.

The UT2 band begins at 60+55%*120=126BPM. And so on.

The bands are of course up for debate, but I think the usual is:
UT2 55%-70%
UT1 70%-80%
AT 80%-85%
TR 85%-95%
AN 95%-100%

I have also seen 50%-60% defined as UT3.

I set no sort of example whatsoever, having spent my first year or so on the erg going way too fast on my steady state pieces. Only just realised, having finally got round to using ErgData and HRM in tandem.

BTW, 220-age works for MHR for about 1 person per world population. Your HR after a 6k TT or similar will be a much better guide.

[jamesg]

In HR theory, we use rest rate RHR and maximum heart rate MHR, both measured (not guessed as in 220-Age). Range is the difference and the band for UT2 is 50 to 70% of Range.

So if you have 50-180, UT2 is 115-140. UT1 up to 80%, so max 155.

In a typical training plan, UT2 would be 30 to 50 minutes continuous, while UT1 might be anywhere from 2x10' to 3x13 minutes. This at level 3 in the suite of 200 odd 2k race training Interactive programs from Level 1 to Level 5.

You don't have to sit at 70% or any other fixed HR, just let it increase to 50% as a warm up at 5 to 10 minutes, then let it drift reaching 70% at the end.

The C2 erg, differing from most other fitness systems, also lets us monitor our power output and the effect this has on us, by using both Watts and HR. Basic technical control of the rowing stroke and of training is also offered by Rating (spm) and Watts, seen in conjunction. This can be of interest if we wish to race.

UT2 when rowing is at 18-20, UT1 20 to 23.

[CharlieV453]

Hi there. Just purchased a Polar OH1 HR monitor for the main purpose of keeping my HR down on long UT2 pieces.

<>

Any thoughts on what to go off?

Thanks, Charlie

Charlie,

I'm not sure I understand your question (it did go on a bit).

First of all, remember that HR is a proxy for metabolic processes going on inside. Top athletes get lactate measurements done for greater precision, and as I understand it, the % bands do not work well at all if you are very highly trained (I've recall seeing something somewhere that Paula Radcliffe's UT bands started in the mid 170s). So at that level, there is little alternative to getting lactate measurements done properly, and MHR measured through a step test.

The usual approach is to take your resting heart rate (RHR) and your max heart rate (MHR), subtract RHR from MHR to get heart rate reserve (HRR).
Then the percentages work from there.

For example, if we assume that UT2 starts at 55%, and we have a rower whose RHR is 60 and MHR is 180. HRR=180-60=120.

The UT2 band begins at 60+55%*120=126BPM. And so on.

The bands are of course up for debate, but I think the usual is:
UT2 55%-70%
UT1 70%-80%
AT 80%-85%
TR 85%-95%
AN 95%-100%

I have also seen 50%-60% defined as UT3.

I set no sort of example whatsoever, having spent my first year or so on the erg going way too fast on my steady state pieces. Only just realised, having finally got round to using ErgData and HRM in tandem.

BTW, 220-age works for MHR for about 1 person per world population. Your HR after a 6k TT or similar will be a much better guide.

Too much said too late at night, sorry if it wasn't made clear, I doubt it was all in my hear at the time too so I'll make my apologies.

I think the general question was how to work out the band's, aswell as how hard UT2 should feel and if I'm doing I right. I'm a bit concerned if I'm training too hard with one or too easy in the other with the aim of base fitness.

That way of measuring seems more sensible but just felt overly difficult to me but I've never done UT2 until recently so not quite sure what to expect.

I didn't realize UT2 went down to 55% max I could try that for the longer pieces. Just need to make sure I'm working enough. Sadly not a fully trained athlete with access to lactic measurement kit but who knows what the future holds.

Yeah that rule for the max HR seemed to be way off in my case. Found my max on a 4x4 mins of 212

[lindsayh]

using % HRR+RHR makes the most sense in the absence of a VO2 max/lactate curve
this may help as well
https://freespiritsrowing.com/forum/app ... calculator