[juliajo]

Hi

I am currently training on a combo of the 16 and 24 week programs to make a 20 week program for the Denali west buttress. I am now on week 5, and feel that my training zones may not be right.

I am only 19 but have been working out pretty rigorously for about 3 years now, mostly in bootcamp style exercises with bouts of high intensity and weight training mixed in for typically 1 hour a day

I am looking for help on determining my AeT in order to set my training zones and help build my aerobic base. I am afraid that over the past few years I have overtrained, as I saw a large plateau in my fitness in terms of weight, speeds, and overall appearance stagnation and I am not sure if this affects me now.

I am having trouble determining my AeT and feel confused about where to set my zones. It seems like whenever I try to do my AeT test I cannot keep my heart rate very stable and it rises and drops a lot throughout the run or hike. I also think I am having trouble knowing what zone 2 effort should really feel like. When I did my first test (5 weeks ago) with a starting heart rate at 149bpm my pa;hr comes out at near 1%. I trained just below that heart rate for the past 4 weeks as my Garmin watch which I have worn for about 6 months, suggest the top of my zone 2 to be 141bpm. This week, 5 weeks into the 24 week program, I did the test beginning at 160bpm and I got negative values for pa:hr. However, I feel as if I push this heart rate, I will not be able to nose breathe or hold conversation… but when I train at 140-149 as my AeT it feels too easy and like I am not benefitting.

Any advice on what I should do to find my true AeT? I am worried if I keep training in zones that aren’t properly determined, I will not truly be developing my base.

Topic

[Shashi]

Shashi on March 10, 2021 at 10:49 pm #51882

juliajo,

Welcome to the forum.

Congratulations on having a solid goal and following a training plan to achieve it.

Do you use Training Peaks? If you can make your AeT tests public and share the link it will help us review the tests.

Can you also confirm that you are using a chest strap to record your heart rate?

Have you read this article on determining your Aerobic Threshold?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on April 30, 2021 at 9:07 am #53512

In addition to answering Shashi’s questions…

…the following:

…have been working out pretty rigorously for about 3 years now, mostly in bootcamp style exercises with bouts of high intensity and weight training mixed in for typically 1 hour a day

…is the reason for…

I saw a large plateau in my fitness in terms of weight, speeds, and overall appearance stagnation…

It’s not overtraining, but over-intensifying that has limited you.

…I am not sure if this affects me now.

It most definitely does, and it’s likely the problem with why AeT tests have become confusing. Your AeT is probably way too easy for you to think that it’s a valid intensity.

If you can get us the information that Shashi requested, then we can help. (link to an AeT test, confirmation you’re using a chest strap, etc)