Building Cadence.....

[ny biker]

Okay, so I'm a slow twitch person since I am not fast but I do long rides.

And my cadence averages above 90 rpm.

But you're saying I should not be able to do that?

Still lost.

p.s. I never ran track.

[Starfish]

If you are thinking about using any kind of audio to help build your cadence, you might be interested in the Zooming CDs. Below is a post I did about them from some other thread. I love the Zooming because it is all timed and orchestrated for a perfect 90rpm spin, but it is all a big breathing meditation, along with great prompts for all kinds of other things to work on, from relaxation of the shoulders to stretching the back through breathing, etc.

I am amazed at how long I can keep up a 90rpm spin using these, and how much it trains my breathing at the same time. Just a thought if you want something to use on the trainer.

-------------------------------------------------

I haven't done much yet with podcasts, but along those lines, I REALLY like a cycling CD I bought and loaded onto my iPod. It is the Zooming CD from Ian Jackson. I ordered the set, which also has audio for both walking and running programs. I use the Zooming workout the most (it is specifically for cycling).

http://www.breathplay.com

I also bought a Spinerval audio only workout that I put on my iPod. It is a 45 minute high cadence interval workout. I think it is good.

[makbike]

Find a cadence that works best for you. If you are fairly new to riding maintaining a cadence of 90 rpms probably is not reasonable. I would suggest first focusing on simply learning what your workable cadence is and what it feels like. If your bike computer provides this information that is a huge plus. Focus on maintaining this cadence for with time you will find it will increase as will your speed. Remember too, the cadence you settle into on flats is going to be different from the cadence you settle into when climbing but regardless of the topography of that area adjusting and maintaining a workable cadence is important. Hopes this helps.

[Yelsel]

I have a high maximum heart rate; about 195 for cycling, 205 for running, and perhaps an even higher max for kettlebells.

Cycling has a lower heart rate for three reasons (none of which has to do with weight bearing!) -- in order of importance*.
1. Fewer muscles used -- mostly leg muscles, little active upper body motion.
2. Position of body relative to heart -- easier to pump blood to upper body, which is at 45 degrees or greater, so not pumping directly against gravity
3. Better cooling at faster mph -- a lot of blood pumping capacity can go to dumping core heat.

If you even sit up straight while on a trainer (no other upper body motion), heartbeat raises 2-3 beats per minute... Your heart rate will also be higher on a climb, especially when out of the saddle and actively using upper body (even more if cooling drops from a speed drop) -- you will be closer to your "running MHR" and not necessarily over your lactate threshold.

*for the triathletes -- swimming MHR can be 10-15 beats/min lower than biking...
1. Smaller muscles used, arms and upper body, which require less oxygen.
2. Body perpendicular to gravity, so easier to pump blood.
3. Excellent cooling from water, little blood capacity needed for cooling.

MHR is genetic at birth, but declines with age based primarily on how sedentary / active the person is. A competitive athlete might see no drop in MHR with age, while sedentary people have a drop of about 2/3 of a beat per year. (This is a compilation of the most recent studies; the first study that was done had many flaws I won't go into, but it spawned the ubiquitous 220-age "MHR formula" that will never die... this formula has a drop of 1 beat per year.)

The real reason to know your maximum heart rate is knowing when different energy systems are used. The lactate threshold is about 75-85% MHR, depending on training - this describes a particular blood concentration of lactate, but effectively is about when half of the energy is produced aerobically and half anaerobically. Knowing your lactate threshold is important for setting race / distance pace, tempo pace (faster but sub-lactate threshold) and for training to raise the lactate threshold. It seems like a lot of cyclists don't want to go above the lactate threshold... however, lactic acid / lactate is a fuel that your body will process better with increased training. It is *not* lactic acid buildup that makes muscles sore, it is excess H+ / hydrogen atoms from processing the lactic acid into ATP / fuel. As the body becomes more efficient above the lactate threshold, it also becomes more efficient at removing H+ ions.... I definitely exceed my lactate threshold on some short steep grades here, but my muscles don't get sore. (I think strength training really helped with using lactate effectively, since weights are anaerobic).

Exercise Science is kind of a hobby for me...

Oops, well on topic I just naturally spin at about 80-90 rpm on my road bike... What I do is spin up in a lower gear, then if I feel like I can apply more power I upshift, and keep doing this until my cadence starts dropping. The upshifting is new, which is exciting because I must be getting stronger!

[OakLeaf]

Very interesting Yelsel.

Can we continue the hijack... and can you answer a question for me? I don't know my RHR, but when I'm driving to a run or ride with my HR strap on, it's in the low 50s. Max for running is around 185. I did see 187-188 a couple of times in the hot weather and I think those are probably accurate - they don't look like spikes on the graph.

But I'm not even beginning to work until it gets up around 140... as auto-calculated by my Garmin, HR zone 2 begins at 146. So all the subsequent zones are really narrow, like 9 bpm. It calculates my LT (beginning of zone 5) at 172, which jibes really well with how I feel, and with where my HR goes when I'm running intervals.

But that's like 92-93% of my MHR. Is that even possible?


ETA: and actually, even though I've increased my running and cycling volume, and my running intensity, considerably since I entered menopause, my MHR has dropped by like 5-7 bpm just in the last couple of years. I think hormones maybe have as much to do with it as training.

[KnottedYet]

Okay, so I'm a slow twitch person since I am not fast but I do long rides.

And my cadence averages above 90 rpm.

But you're saying I should not be able to do that?

Still lost.

p.s. I never ran track.

Nope. Fast twitch and slow twitch is more about your "natural" rpms. If you are a fast twitchy person, your natural rpms are higher both in running and in biking.

Don't get confused over "short" or "distance" runner vs "short" or "distance" biker. They are quite different kettles of fish (run vs bike) and I only use the run example because so many of us are familiar with it. I didn't mean to confuse you.

How long you ride is more about you having found your most efficient rpm and keeping muscles, heart, and lungs working happily together.

Here's a more bike related example: I went for a ride with a friend of mine who is a high rpm guy. I'm a slow rpm gal. We were both going about 18 mph for several miles, both happy and chatting and comfortable. I'm mashing at 65-70 rpm and he's twirling at closer to 100. But we're going the same speed and for the same distance. We're each in our groove, our bodies and bikes are in their "happy place."

If he had switched to a higher gear and tried to go at 65 rpm, his legs would have hurt and he would have felt slow and inefficient. If I had switched to a smaller gear and tried to go 100 rpm I would have been out of breath and my legs would have been on fire, and I would have felt slow and inefficient. Neither of us would have had any fun.

He's a fast twitch (high rpm, runs better in a sprint) and I'm slow twitch (low rpm, run better in a distance).

Find "your happy place" whatever your own personal sweet spot is in the rpm spectrum, and you can ride as fast and as far as you want because the gearing of the bicycle gives you the ability to do so within your sweet spot.

In my mind, that's one of the beauties of the bike; the way it elegantly allows you to work at your body's most efficient mode, and for miles and miles and miles!

How often does a sprint runner get to sprint for miles? How often does a distance runner get to shift into a "big ring" and run super fast? It's cool beans!

ETA: clarified bike example by adding gearing choices for changing rpms.

Edit AGAIN To Add: you won't find your sweet spot unless you try all kinds of rpms. If changing up or down doesn't make the heavens open up and the angels sing, don't fret. It could be you were at your sweet spot already! And don't worry if your sweet spot isn't the same as someone else's... they seldom are and there's no reason for them to be.