[SethP]

I’m in my second season of training based on the principles in TFTNA — thank you so much Scott and Steve for writing that book! At the start of the first season, using the nose-breathing marker, i estimated my aerobic threshold to be around an HR of 135. based on that, i did a bunch of training mostly keeping my HR around 130, and it had very noticeable benefits, i felt significantly stronger on my summer climb last year.

I’m currently early in the ME section of base training for this season, preparing for summer climbs. I’ve been continuing to do my endurance training around an HR of 130. I did a gas exchange metabolic threshold test today, and was excited to learn that my MEP (50% fat/50% carbs point) was around an HR of 156, a big improvement over where i was a year ago.

My question is this:
Now that i have this more accurate data, I want to confirm how to map MEP/AeT to target heart rates. should i be doing my general endurance training right near my AeT, or somewhat below? and same question for my muscular endurance workouts? i don’t want to blow the improvements to my fat-burning by pushing too hard into carb burning.

Thanks,
Seth

Topic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on April 28, 2017 at 9:24 pm #4693

Seth:

Great to hear of your improvements and good work sticking to the training. The benefits in the mountains are tangible as you’ve seen.

You can use 156 as the upper limit for Z2 aerobic work now. The only thing you may find is that if running on the flats you might experience significantly more muscle fatigue at what will surely be a faster pace. In that case you may be wise to restrict the AeT running volume to 1-2 hours/week and do the rest at AeT minus 10-15bpm. If you are hiking on hills then you probably will not find 156 as fatiguing as when running. Just be aware that you will be doing a bunch more work at this higher HR so will want to factor in more recovery workouts.

As for ME. If you are using the ME as explained in the article and video on this site then load yourself up enough that the legs are the limiter and HR will probably be relatively low compared to how hard you feel you are working. Be sure during the ME period to keep the aerobic volume high. So lots of Z1 and Z2 workouts.

Good luck,
Scott

[SethP]

SethP on April 29, 2017 at 1:21 pm #4699

thanks Scott!