Hi Emwa,
Let me join in the call for an ADS support group – might be useful as I had a 25% gap between AeT and AnT even after 4 months of pure Z1/Z2 training – sever ADS. In my case it’s probably age – I’m 64!!! So to that end let me share some insights from some 50 years of hiking and a year using UA protocols. It will no doubt be a lengthy reply but hopefully it will give you some confidence and ideas to move forward.
1. Let me state up front – UA completely changed my approach to training and after almost a year using UA as the basis for training I am hiking and riding better than I probably was in my 20’s. It works, but you have to be patient, and in my case adapt it to meet your desires. It also takes a bit more time – HIIT is a great regime for those who are really time limited, but if you want long term gains you need to invest a bit more time. As I will explain, I don’t follow it rigidly, nor do I get too hung up with false accuracy – ie if HR drifts over AeT by a few bpm so what – your metabolism is a continuum of aerobic and anaerobic, it’s not an either/or.
2. If you’re reading this reply you are probably like me: you are not, or have never been, an elite athlete. You are simply looking to improve your fitness to increase your enjoyment from whatever endurance activity you participate in – remember the word “enjoyment”
3. There are more training regimes than ever across the globe, each having their advocates. Fundamentally they are all variations on the same basic theme – if you want to improve your endurance you have to do cardio exercise – 3 or more times a week every week, of 30 minutes or more duration. Whatever form it takes doesn’t really matter, your cardio fitness will improve. Example 1: in the early 2000’s way before UA, I had an annual hiking weekend with some friends. One year we had a newbie – they felt they were fit and were younger than most of us. However, they were not hiking fit and by the end of the weekend were completely shattered. Role on a year, they came back and the difference was huge, as was their enjoyment. What caused the change – regular 2-3 times a week spin classes at the local gym. Now spin is a form of HIIT so not within the UA protocol, but for them it worked and really transformed their performance and their enjoyment. So, like thousands did before UA came along, any regular form of cardio training will improve your cardio performance. Period.
So, if you’re still reading here is some practical advice based on my last year with UA.
1. Are you still weight training? If so then you have a decision to make – drop that and focus on cardio? Doing both will be hard on your body and time. If you wish to maintain some weight training then perhaps move it to high rep/low weight ONCE per week max. If you choose all body exercises (deadlifts, squats) then it will keep body familiar with weights whilst giving you a muscular endurance benefit to better augment cardio. But keep it “easy” – your main focus should be cardio.
2. If you can drop the bike element for a few months then I think this will help. Riding with severe ADS and getting enjoyment is not easy imho.
3. Focus on walking. I assume you have access to a gym and hence a treadmill. Walk on this 3 times a week with a minimum 10% incline. Pace it so HR stays in top half of your Z2 and start at 30min per session. Work it up to 3 by 90-120minutes. Once you get there redo HR drift test, reset AeT (hopefully improved) and repeat. The benefit of this is it’s 100% controllable and will start the adaptation changes in your aerobic metabolism. After 3-4 weeks of this start trying to do some of the sessions fasted as this will aid the changes.
4. Weekend hikes. Still do them and enjoy them. Perhaps ask your friends just to reign in the pace a bit, but don’t get too hung up on your HR. The more you can keep it in Z2 the better, but enjoy the hike and the chat. The one caveat to this is if these hikes really fatigue you – if so then you maybe need to shorten them or drop the intensity.
5. Be patient: it took me nearly 2 months to start moving my AeT so it takes time. IF possible, stick with this walking only regime through to YE – it will work but you do need to keep at it weekly and remain patient. (I found audio books great for lessening the boredom of long treadmill sessions)
6. Riding. This is where sticking to UA protocol doesn’t work for me. If you research any riding training plans from any reputable source it will include combinations of hill work, tempo rides, intervals, time trials etc etc as well as long easy rides. Basically that’s what I’ve done over the last 4 months, but have kept in 2 easy Z1/Z2 rides. Have I gone backwards – no!!! Example 2: 35 mile Z1/Z2 ride 4 months ago: frustratingly slow, ended up in Z3 for nearly 10% of time, and had average HR mid Z2. Role on 4 months to yesterday – same ride: 17% faster, zero time in Z3 and HR average was mid Z1 – huge improvement. And instead of hanging onto the back of the group on Sunday rides, I’m now one of the first to top of the hills, often in the front when pushing into a headwind and setting PB’s almost on a weekly basis. My cardio is best I think it’s ever been, and even when in Z3 it’s perfectly comfortable. Once the gyms open up it will be interesting to see if my AeT has moved up, but to be honest I’m happy just enjoying the increased fitness.
7. Final point. Whether hiking or riding, once you get used to going “slow” I found it’s actually much more enjoyable. I’m not shattered when I get back home, I can go out more often without feeling fatigued, I have time to enjoy views and idle chat, and get a real satisfaction from not having to stop for rests or food or whatever. And actually the current “slow” is not actually that slow any more :-))) Whilst I’m not sticking rigidly to the UA protocols it forms the backbone of my exercise these days. It is now much more part of my life than purely training. Hence I’m exercising more which of course makes me fitter.
As I say long note, but hope it helps.
Derek
