Heart rate values/aerobic-anaerobic threshold
Question:
Heart rate range for basic training
I am 15 years old and have been cycling for about three quarters of a year. I have read in the specialist literature that basic endurance training should take place at heart rates between 120 and 140 beats. As a young athlete (my maximum heart rate is 195 beats), shouldn't I be training with a significantly higher heart rate to achieve the desired effect?
Answer from Dr Merkl:
At your age, your heart rate behaviour can change very quickly due to your physical development. It is therefore best to use the rule of thumb of 180 minus your age as the upper limit for your basic training. Heart rate values of 120 to 140 are too low for your age and therefore represent a subliminal training stimulus for you. Values of 145 to 160 for a training duration of 90 minutes, 140 to 155 to 150 minutes and 135 to 150 for a duration of more than 150 minutes seem appropriate. If you want to be absolutely sure, do a performance test to get your individual heart rate target.
High stress pulse
Question:
For about a year now, my heart rate has suddenly jumped from 145 to 175 beats after a one-hour journey without me driving any faster. Do you have any experience of such symptoms?
Answer from Dr Merkl:
A rough rule of thumb for your training heart rate is 180 minus your age, in your case 180 minus 61 = 119 beats/minute. So you are probably training too intensively. In the first hour of exercise, only carbohydrates are used to provide energy. Once these are used up, the body switches to fat metabolism. This requires far more energy to utilise the fatty acids to provide energy. This means that your training pulse rate will be significantly higher afterwards. In addition, your basic endurance level is probably too low. You should therefore train with a lower heart rate and improve your base by doing long rides.
High pulse after training
Question:
After an hour of exercise, my pulse is 140 beats or more over a period of a few minutes, even at rest. About an hour later it is still 100 (my normal pulse rate during the day is 70). Why does it take so long for my body to return to its normal state?
Answer from Dr Merkl:
Heart rate and heart rate behaviour are individual and are influenced by various factors: age, gender, heart size, state of health and training content (intensity). Climatic conditions such as temperature, air pressure and humidity also have an influence on the heart rate. In your case, I suspect that you are training too intensively and that your basic endurance is not optimally developed for this. However, a good level of basic endurance is a prerequisite for performance stability and improves regeneration. You can use a performance diagnostic test to check your performance and receive your personalised heart rate target.
The reason for the short-term high value is that the circulation and muscles work very economically during training. The amount of oxygen absorbed during this phase is sufficient to supply the muscles with enough energy. When you stop exercising, there may be a brief oxygen debt, which causes your pulse to rise. During this time, the cardiovascular system has to adapt to the changed situation. Only when the various metabolic processes have regulated themselves does the pulse rate fall back below the level of exertion.
Heart rate during running training
Question:
I joined a running group a fortnight ago. I've been training according to the TOUR training planner all year and thought I was in average shape so far. However, when I was running, my heart rate shot up to 175 to 180 beats after just a short time, which I never reach on the bike. How did that happen?
Answer from Dr Merkl:
If you are inexperienced in running, you will have a higher heart rate due to the imperfect coordination of movement. When running in a group, you also develop a greater willingness to perform than when training solo and run faster than you actually should. To improve the basis for cycling, you should do at least one hour of individual training in the fat metabolism area twice a week.
Rule of thumb for endurance training?
Question:
I have heard that the rule of thumb for endurance training is 180 minus age, which is the optimum heart rate. According to this, the optimum training range for me should be between 110 and 115 beats per minute. During my training rides, however, I have noticed that my values are higher than this. I always feel good after my rides. Hence my question: Is this rule of thumb generally valid?
Answer from Dr Merkl:
No. The so-called threshold heart rate (the value at which the body switches from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism) is very individual and lies between 100 and 190 beats per minute. Older athletes often achieve lower values than younger ones. Only those who know their individual threshold value can determine exact training ranges. If you want to know exactly, you should undergo a lactate level test in which your individual anaerobic threshold is measured.
Training with heart rate monitor/maximum heart rate
Question:
I (46 years old) would like to start with pulse-controlled training, but I don't know which training zones I should stick to. I have a heart rate of 130 at 35 kilometres per hour, but I already find this level of exertion very intense. My resting heart rate is around 50 beats/minute.
Answer from Dr Merkl:
You can roughly determine your maximum heart rate using the rule of thumb 220 minus age beats/minute. However, if you do not regularly train once or twice a week in the development or peak range, it is difficult to reach your individual maximum heart rate at all. It is reasonable to assume that you have a low anaerobic capacity. It is best to undergo a performance test, as even the above-mentioned rule of thumb only provides a rough guide. This will provide you with information about your current performance level and you can use the training recommendations to quickly compensate for any weaknesses.
Anaerobic threshold after viral infection
Question:
I have been able to train for a very long time with a heart rate of 150 to 155 beats per minute without feeling any clear signs of fatigue. After a bout of flu in January this year, I underwent performance diagnostics, which revealed that my aerobic/anaerobic threshold is 120 beats per minute. That seems very low to me. Do I have to stick to it?
Answer from Dr Merkl:
Training below the aerobic threshold is very important. If the step test has clearly shown that this lactate value is currently already reached at a pulse value of 120 beats per minute, you should stick to it. Many cyclists train too intensively. As a result, the fat metabolism is insufficiently trained. The aerobic/anaerobic threshold represents the transition zone between fat metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism. The fact that your value is so low indicates that you have neglected basic training in the past. During training, you have mainly drawn your energy from carbohydrate metabolism. However, you cannot keep going on longer journeys with carbohydrate stores alone. After two hours at the latest, "nothing works". Increase the proportion of your training kilometres in the aerobic range to at least 70 percent. Then the pulse value of your aerobic/anaerobic threshold will soon increase.
