Hey Chris,
“How to Conduct a Heart Rate Drift Test as Part of an Aerobic Self-assessment”
Philip.
Posted In: Gabe Joyes and Multi-Day Stage Racing
Hey Chris,
“How to Conduct a Heart Rate Drift Test as Part of an Aerobic Self-assessment”
Philip.
Thanks for the response Shashi.
I’m going to do the 2nd 4 weeks of Transition ( weeks 5 – 8 ) and the 2nd 4 weeks of Muscular Endurance ( weeks 5 – 8 ) which includes the taper week.
Hopefully that sounds like a good plan!
Philip.
Thought so, ya. Kind of a catch 22 so.
Hi sgw,
Is it just that you don’t want to wear it while climbing in case of damaging it? I have effectively the same watch and the “Climbing” activity is present and configurable with whatever metrics you wish.
Philip.
Mini-max is the name of the workout in the 24 week mountaineering plan.
It’s part of the last 24 weeks i.e. Muscular Endurance 8 weeks.
I wanted clarification on the number of sets. The basis for this is the middle 8 weeks with the Mountaineering Max Strength workouts.
The Mini-max is a halved version of this (1h30m down to 45m for Mini-max) but the number of sets doesn’t match up (see description above) so that’s why I wanted to know if what I was doing was right i.e. 2 warm up sets and 5 max sets but now Scott has steered me right and I’m going to keep it at 4.
Sorry for confusion. I’m always confused at some point or another due to this being all new to me. Anyway onwards and upwards and thanks for the response!
Philip.
Thanks for the reply Scott.
It’s not the weights amount I was after but the actual amount of sets.
“Cut the number of sets in half from the regular Core/Max Strength workout
This is only for maintenance.”
“Find the 4 hardest core exercises for you to complete…Progress to no more than 4 sets over the course of 6 weeks.”
“Progression: Weeks 1-2 use 4 sets
Weeks 3-4 use 5 sets
Weeks 5-6 use 6 sets
Weeks 7-8 use 5 sets but increase weight each set and drop reps by 1 in each set. E.g.: set #1=4 reps, set#2=3 reps, set#3=2 reps, set#4=1 rep.”
So my thinking was half the warm up sets to 2 from 4 and going by your previous comment it should be 4 sets for the max strength. I was confused because week 8 uses 5 sets, week 6 uses 6 sets and half of either of them is not 4 sets. Possibly it’s my incorrect determination.
I’ll go with 2 warm ups and 4 max sets but increase weight in each. Interestingly, the added 50kg has become a little easier than the start, presumably as I’m getting used to it / stronger, so I’ll increase it this week by 5 – 10kg and see where it takes me.
Thanks again for the clarification.
Philip.
Thanks for the reply Scott.
Not sure if my knee will ever be the same. I rested 2 weeks and did zero training. Then did 2 weeks of easy training. Then started the max strength period from scratch. Did the 8 weeks of it and now almost finished week 1 of 8 of the muscular endurance phase.
Knee is effectively “healed” but I get a twinge now and then, hence I think it’ll never be the same after the fall.
Philip.
Thanks for the reply Terry.
I agree 100%. I had it last week during the Mountaineering Max Strength week 5 workout.
I was fatigued before starting and stopped after the 1st warm up set as I know my body, poor form was taking over on the exercises and it just didn’t feel ‘right’. It rarely happens but hasn’t been the first time either which is OK and I noticed it, these things happen.
Here is a snippet of my before workout note:
“I feel too fatigued due to poor sleep and busy at work.”
Here is my after workout note, the next day, after a good sleep:
“Did the training today, 4 warm ups, 6 sets X 2 couplets. Feeling stronger and much better after a good night’s sleep last night finally.”
So I’m following the advice in the book, listen to your body as it will tell you when enough is enough, basically.
Good advice from you, it’s appreciated.
Philip.
Weekend warrior hiking with a few extras thrown in during the week but not real training, just various sports for fun with friends (soccer, spikeball, swimming etc.)
Before that, weekend warrior as best as I could but was slack as I was working all over the world and travelling on weekends also.
Before that I was playing soccer twice or 3 times a week and hiking at the weekends.
I hear you and your comment makes sense. I will continue the training plan as prescribed and hopefully see AeT improve as time passes.
I may try 2 hours a week as a test and alternate the weeks and see how I’m feeling.
Thanks for the reply Scott.
Thanks for the reply Scott.
Rough average of 8 hours per week.
Yes I mean 6 extra hours on top of the already prescribed 24 week plan.
So average (8 hours for the 24 week plan) + (6 X 1 hour sub AeT runs) to improve AeT at a faster rate than just following the plan = approximately 14 hours per week for 24 weeks = 672 hours per year as I plan on doing the plan twice before Aconcagua in 2022.
Too much?
If the answer is again depends on my fitness, what would you recommend to track it? Personally I’ve seen big improvements all round since starting the plan so it is working.
Philip.
Thanks for the reply Owen.
You make an interesting point and one that I was worried about from the get go.
“Depends on your fitness” – I would say I’m not a pro athlete nor am a slouch.
I have ADS at this stage still, after starting the 24 week training plan on January 10th and had a knee injury (still not perfect but probably will never be) for 4 weeks. So approximately 5 months of the training plan done. It’s hard but I think I’m doing it correctly.
Possibly opening a can of worms here but you bring me onto my next point that again, depends on my fitness.
I’m in the max strength period, I do 16 inch box step ups with 35kg backpack + 10kg weight vest + 2 X 2kg ankle weights + mountain boots. It’s hard but I do 6 box steps on each leg, then 6 push ups with 10kg weight vest + ankle weights + boots. Then 4 each leg step downs with vest + ankles and 4 pull ups with said vest + ankles again. My step downs are poor and not 30cm (they’re 26cm), and worst are my pull ups (I find the extra 15kg hard) but I do complete them all. It’s hard for sure.
I did a half marathon trail running 2 weekends ago with, 21.2km with 841m elevation gain in 3 hours 30 minutes, super slow I know but did it in Zone 2 as much as possible.
I run at 8kmh on the treadmill as faster is Zone 3 and a no no (still have ADS, my AeT is 135 and AnT is 160).
I seem to run faster outside at 6 – 7.5 minutes per km in Zone 2 so 10km in 1 – 1 hour 10 mins maximum, still super slow yes but I do it.
I did the STEEP uphill hike yesterday again, 270m steep hill, 1.34km long so short but steep enough I think (20%?): 27′ < AeT easy warm up, 24′ @ AeT + 15bpm at 150bpm (AeT is 135bpm), 29′ easy < AeT. 8 mins run down, 8 mins run down, 12 mins run + walk down.
So I guess, in my opinion and I stress the word guess, I’m middle of the road with fitness (or unfit as the case may be).
I don’t really know how to tell otherwise. Not sure how accurate TSS is or any other metrics to be honest.
Again I guess, I could try the running 1 hour per day starting next Monday and see how I’m feeling?
What metrics so you recommend I should watch out for?
I have the Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar, Garmin HRM Pro HR strap monitor and obviously Garmin Connect app.
Apologies for the long-windedness but possibly your or anyone else’s expertise may put my and at ease with your experiences dealing with past experiences and / or pro athletes / training programs.
I thank you once again.
Philip.
Thanks Guillaume.
Yes I get all of that. Was just wondering if there was / is there was a preferential way.
For sure, the “easiest” way to replicate the AnT test is to eat fuel (lol) before a high intensity workout like the AnT test (a meal a few hours before then top off with some easy to digest carbs about 30-45 minutes before) as per Rachel’s recommendation and do it on the treadmill under the same conditions (10kmh speed, 3% incline with a better knee (thankfully much better now)). This gives me a basis for comparison, be it yay or nay, it’s still a comparison.
Another way I could do it is with trail running. I’ve been doing a bit lately but haven’t exactly found a proper place locally where I can sustain uphill for 30 – 45 minutes straight. It’s up and down unfortunately.
Some trails are closed still due to the obvious nowadays. Hopefully will gradually open up once the worldwide situation improves.
Furthermore, I’ve actually remembered a place that I could do this test. A 1048m / 3438ft mountain I did a few times last year. It’s continuous uphill with switchbacks and steps. Unfortunately that’s in a “red” zone so travel is not allowed yet but that’s a place I guess I could do the test in the future hiking with weight / trail running.
For now I’ll put it at 160bpm until I can (i) redo the test or (ii) find an adequate hill locally or (iii) do the 1048m / 3438ft mountain when it opens up again.
Thanks so much to all for the replies, they are very much appreciated.
Philip.
Thanks Dada and Guillaume.
So I guess it doesn’t matter what type of activity it is.
Running outside (not treadmill due to possibly forcing a fast pace) faster than I normally would / hiking uphill with more weight than I normally would.
As long as I can warm up sufficiently, get up to AnT approximately and keep at it for minimum 30 minutes but go 45 if I can sustain the high (in relation to what I’m used to) HR?
Thanks Rachel.
Should I run hard or hike hard with weight?
I have a steep hill close by but it’s short, 270m but steep.
If I go “as hard as I can”, I’ll be at the top in less than 30 minutes for sure.
“Anaerobic Threshold Test Step-by-Step Guide
Make sure heart rate monitor is working and ready to record the whole workout.
Do a 15-minute warm-up at or below your Aerobic Threshold (AeT) or until you break a sweat. Ease into this warm-up so that your aerobic system is fully online.
As soon as you are done with the warm-up, continue immediately into the AnT test. Once you start, go as hard as you can sustain for the full 30 minutes.
Pace yourself so that you don’t blow up 5 minutes into the test.
Note your average heart rate for the 30-minute test. This will be your AnT heart rate. Note that less fit athletes will need to use 30-minute efforts while very fit ones should go for 60 minutes. This is because the less fit will succumb to local muscular fatigue, causing them to prematurely slow (which will result in a lower heart rate). These less fit athletes will need to do shorter repetition lengths in their interval sessions so that this local effect does not negatively impact the effectiveness of their interval training.”
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