Endurance Innovation

Mikael Eriksson on HR-Based Training

Episode Summary

That Triathlon Show host and coach Mikael Eriksson is back to share his understanding of the evidence and practical applications of the use of HR monitoring in training.

Episode Notes

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• 3:45 what can monitoring HR during training tell us?
  • A good proxy for non-invasive measurement of internal load
• 5:30 how does Mikael use HR in coaching
  • Typically a secondary metric to provide context to pace and power metrics
• 8:15 difference between value of using HR as a primary metric in beginner vs advanced athletes
• 9:45 is HR ever a primary metric? Specifically in longer endurance efforts.
• 14:00 testing or estimating LT1 / AeT
  • 75% - 80% of MaxHR
  • Maintaining HR with no drift over constant power on long efforts. This one is tricky.
  • Lactate test
  • HR doesn’t change much over time
  • Talk test
  • HRV Dfa A1 analysis 
• 19:45 cardiac drift / aerobic decoupling
  • Is it useful?
  • Ed Coyle paper
  • Largely caused by hyperthermia & dehydration
  • May be partially caused by gradual glycogen depletion in working motor units
• 28:30 what do you infer from a workout with abnormally high HR
  • Environmental: heat or altitude
  • May be caused by illness, but not well understood
  • Stimulants like caffeine
  • Post COVID recovery?
• 33:45 what do you infer from a workout with abnormally low HR
  • When combined with a higher-than-expected RPE, is a sign of overreaching
  • When the decline is steady, and gradual over a long time horizon, it could be a sign of improving aerobic fitness
  • Maybe glycogen depletion when looking at high intensity training sessions
• 39:00 Mikael’s thoughts on training using RPE only

Check out Scientific Triathlon and listen to Mikael's excellent podcast That Triathlon Show wherever you get your podcasts.