Zone Training

[SadieKate]

The purpose of recovery is to have some motion and circulation without stressing the muscles. Intense training (riding or otherwise) that stress leg muscles actually put micro-tears in the muscles. The muscles will only rebuild without this stress. I personally would not consider racquetball a recovery activity at all. Since you say you're not tired after riding, your cycling is more likely the recovery activity for the racquetball.

[maillotpois]

DItto what SK said. Racquetball is probably great cross-training (works a lot of different muscles, pounds on your bones to make them healthy, and helps w/agility and fast twitch muscle stuff), but it's not a recovery activity!

You also didn't say what your goals are. If you are happy riding at a comfortable pace three times a week, then it sounds like you have a great plan going. If you want to get faster, ride longer, do harder rides, then you need to alter your riding plan. But you didn't say that. Hard to give a suggestion when we don't know what the goal is.

[li10up]

The purpose of recovery is to have some motion and circulation without stressing the muscles. Intense training (riding or otherwise) that stress leg muscles actually put micro-tears in the muscles. The muscles will only rebuild without this stress. I personally would not consider racquetball a recovery activity at all. Since you say you're not tired after riding, your cycling is more likely the recovery activity for the racquetball.

Are you saying I'm not riding hard enough? I admit that my legs don't bother me at all after my rides. Should I be riding harder? But if I do continue riding the way I do I don't really need to worry about recovery, right? I wouldn't classify the riding or the racquetball as intense...in the sense of there being mico-tears and I need to rest to recover.

Just a question for you – how did you come up with that max HR? Formula? Other?

That is the highest number I've seen on my HR monitor...and that was going up a hill trying to keep pace with someone else. I could barely breathe at that point so I think it's pretty accurate.

You also didn't say what your goals are. If you are happy riding at a comfortable pace three times a week, then it sounds like you have a great plan going. If you want to get faster, ride longer, do harder rides, then you need to alter your riding plan. But you didn't say that. Hard to give a suggestion when we don't know what the goal is.

I would like to be able to ride faster (an average speed of 15-16 mph) and longer (I would like to ride a century next year - I did a metric this year). Nearly all my rides have been 20-25 miles with 3 or 4 50-62 mile rides. But I have ridden over 1300 miles so far this year. I guess I'd classify all of my rides, exceptions noted, as base miles.

[Cassandra_Cain]

That is the highest number I've seen on my HR monitor...and that was going up a hill trying to keep pace with someone else. I could barely breathe at that point so I think it's pretty accurate.

Ok. If that is just the highest # you've seen on your HR monitor then I would seriously doubt it is your max, or even particularly close to it. It is very hard to acheive max HR on a bike because it is not a fully weight bearing activity like say running. Running or even inline skating uses more muscles and thus can produce a higher HR.

We mentioned this in a thread recently but, I would forget about MAX HR. It is one of the least useful numbers IMO. Trying to reach your MAX hr can be dangerous on a bike, especially on the road - you could be close to blacking out and keeling over.

Much more useful is your LT, lactate threshold. Do a 30 minute time trial - ride as hard as you can. Your avg HR on the monitor is a good indication of your LT. Then when you do your regular rides, base them as a % of this LT number, which you can measure, and not have to guess on.

I would like to be able to ride faster (an average speed of 15-16 mph) and longer (I would like to ride a century next year - I did a metric this year). Nearly all my rides have been 20-25 miles with 3 or 4 50-62 mile rides. But I have ridden over 1300 miles so far this year. I guess I'd classify all of my rides, exceptions noted, as base miles.

Pick one or the other - longer or faster. If you want to ride longer than just bump up the mileage slowly, say 5-10% weekly. There are countless riding plans for a century online.

If you want to ride faster, than you would do intervals of high intensity work at the level/speed you want to get to. Do that and combine it with longer, slower rides, and you'll be faster.

Some books that might help:

The Heart Rate Monitor Book for Outdoor and Indoor Cyclists: A Heart Zone Training Program by Sally Edwards and Sally Reed

Total Heart Rate Training: Customize and Maximize Your Workout Using a Heart Rate Monitor by Joe Friel

[maillotpois]

Much more useful is your LT, lactate threshold.

RIGHT!! And that is one number you can actually change (improve) with focused training! Unlike VO2 max, max HR (generally), etc.

[li10up]

Much more useful is your LT, lactate threshold. Do a 30 minute time trial - ride as hard as you can. Your avg HR on the monitor is a good indication of your LT. Then when you do your regular rides, base them as a % of this LT number, which you can measure, and not have to guess on.

Finally!! Information on LT which is easy to make sense of! I'm assuming you do a 10 minute warm up or so before going all out for 30 minutes? Thanks for the info.

Ok. If that is just the highest # you've seen on your HR monitor then I would seriously doubt it is your max, or even particularly close to it. It is very hard to acheive max HR on a bike because it is not a fully weight bearing activity like say running. Running or even inline skating uses more muscles and thus can produce a higher HR.

I did not know that. It seemed like it should be accurate since I'm 44 years old and the 220-age thing falls somewhat close to that...which I know is just a guesstimate. I always thought any aerobic exercise done at max capacity (to the point of almost collapsing) would give you your max HR.

[Cassandra_Cain]

Finally!! Information on LT which is easy to make sense of! I'm assuming you do a 10 minute warm up or so before going all out for 30 minutes? Thanks for the info.

Glad to be of help

Heh....yes. Please warm up for 10 minutes, maybe a bit more even.

When you first launch into your 30 minute time trial your HR will take a few minutes to catch up to the effort. But catch up it will. After the first 10 minutes it should be quite stable - and that number, whatever it is = LT.