Who uses a heart rate monitor?

[parnassus]

Who has used a heart rate monitor? Has it been helpful in your training?

[bdaniels]

Originally Posted by parnassus

Who has used a heart rate monitor? Has it been helpful in your training?

I do, but this forum if for "technical" help. You probably ought to post this in the "Distance forum" in order to get a better response.
(YOU'RE WELCOME!!!)
bd

[tuquer]

Originally Posted by parnassus

Who has used a heart rate monitor? Has it been helpful in your training?

it works fantastic if the data is used correctly and the tool is incorporated correctly. i obtained my clues from Noakes, the Russians, Lance Armstrong, personal coaching/trainig experience, and the Australians.

suggest:
get a down-loadable type so that the workout can be monitored and then a history can be obtained/generated.

for 5k and up it is really helpful because it addresses the lactate tolerance issues and from the 5k down to the 400m the spiking heart rate issues.

As Noakes points out, (the Aussies and Ruskies also concurr) you have to first burn off the glycogen and then start training especially with distance work. This is accomplised at 60 to 70% of theoretical maximum for 45min to an hour. then ramp up your training. for instance, train at 70% for one hour and then 75% for 20 min. do this in month one (every other day). then in month two do 70/80 (every other day)

What you are doing is building lactate and heart rate tolerance along with recovery.

side bar: had and still do have cross country runners use the monitor in training races so as to keep themselves slow in the first quarter to the first mile so that they did not spike their heart rates too soon. easy way to learn pace.

Continue this program until you hit about 70/95 after about 6 months.

Yes, it takes this long to do it safely.

another good thing about monitors that when training in hot climates, it provides feedback to the runner as to pace vs ambient temperature, thus overheating issues are lessened.

from here on out be very careful

95% is at the high end of reasonable, so stop there esp if you are in HS and doing this sans the coach.

side bar: elite level hockey players train this way but without the monitors. basically you skate hard for about 45min and then you skate harder for about ten to twenty minutes. it is killer. hockey players have been practicing this way for at least 50 yrs.

side bar for my typical training: i run my first mile at 80%, then the next two at 90%, then the next 2 at 95%