Revolutions in Fitness

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Intensity – The performance variable most often left unmonitored

Monitoring the intensity of your workouts is the quickest way to:

- Avoid overtraining / injuries
- Increase cruising speed
- Increase hill climbing abilities
- Increase base endurance by improving your fitness foundation

Intensity is defined as: How hard you are working. The heart is the muscle that is responsible for getting blood to those other hard working muscles. Think of the heart as your body’s engine, and like the engine of a car, when you increase speed or go up a hill, it has to work harder. Many cars have an RPM (revolutions per minute) monitor to show how hard the engine is working. You also have such a monitor to gage how hard your “engine” is working. It’s known as your BPM, or Beats per Minute.

How do you monitor your intensity? The simplest way is to monitor your heart rate with a heart rate monitor. Heart rate monitors range from $50-$150. I like the monitors made by Polar. My favorite model is the A5. You can get them online at www.performancebike.com or at a local bike shop. Expect to pay $95-$105 for the A5.
Once you know your beats per minute (BPM) you can then understand at what percentage of your maximum heart rate, or at what intensity, you are working.

How To Determine Maximum Heart Rate:
First, start with 220 and subtract your age: (220- your age)
Intensity = Workout Heart Rate/ Max Heart Rate
(age contributes approximately 75% of the variability of Max HR)
Example: you are working out at 155 BPM; and you are 35 years old.
Approximate Max HR = 220 - 35 = 185
% HR max = 155/185 = 84 %
(Age is only approximately 75% of the vriability of heart rate maximum. Thus this formula is an estimate based on age alone and does not take into consideration a person’s fitness level or other variables)

”Okay”, you say, “But at what intensity should I be working?”
Most of your riding should be in the aerobic zone of 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. One to two days a week you should focus on training higher intensities between 70-80%. This will improve your hill climbing ability and your cruising speed. Many people OVERTRAIN by spending most of their training above 75% this not could cause you injure yourself but is SLOWS your bodies abilities to make gains! Some people find themselves weak on hills and in the back of the pack because they have not worked the higher intensities.
When you plan your rides also plan the intensity as well as the duration. If the ride is supposed to be an aerobic ride (60-70%) don’t do a hilly route. You also need to use your smaller gears and spin. On group rides, make it your ride, don’t let yourself be pulled out of your goal zone by trying to keep up with others!

For more information on intensity check out: Serious Cycling by Ed Burke, Cyclists Training Bible by Joe Friel and Precision Heart Rate Training by Burke.

By: Curtis Cramblett, PT,CSCS, Expert Cycling Coach










Quicksearch: Intensity – The performance variable most often left unmonitored Monitoring the intensity of your workouts is the quickest way to: - Avoid overtraining / injuries - Increase cruising speed - Increase hill climbing abilities - Increase base endurance by improving your fitness foundation Intensity is defined as: How hard you are working. The heart is the muscle that is responsible for getting blood to those other hard working muscles. Think of the heart as your body’s engine, and like the engine of a car, when you increase speed or go up a hill, it has to work harder. Many cars have an RPM (revolutions per minute) monitor to show how hard the engine is working. You also have such a monitor to gage how hard your “engine” is working. It’s known as your BPM, or Beats per Minute. How do you monitor your intensity? The simplest way is to monitor your heart rate with a heart rate monitor. Heart rate monitors range from $50-$150. I like the monitors made by Polar. My favorite model is the A5. You can get them online at www.performancebike.com or at a local bike shop. Expect to pay $95-$105 for the A5. Once you know your beats per minute (BPM) you can then understand at what percentage of your maximum heart rate, or at what intensity, you are working. How To Determine Maximum Heart Rate: First, start with 220 and subtract your age: (220- your age) Intensity = Workout Heart Rate/ Max Heart Rate (age contributes approximately 75% of the variability of Max HR) Example: you are working out at 155 BPM; and you are 35 years old. Approximate Max HR = 220 - 35 = 185 % HR max = 155/185 = 84 % (Age is only approximately 75% of the vriability of heart rate maximum. Thus this formula is an estimate based on age alone and does not take into consideration a person’s fitness level or other variables) ”Okay”, you say, “But at what intensity should I be working?” Most of your riding should be in the aerobic zone of 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. One to two days a week you should focus on training higher intensities between 70-80%. This will improve your hill climbing ability and your cruising speed. Many people OVERTRAIN by spending most of their training above 75% this not could cause you injure yourself but is SLOWS your bodies abilities to make gains! Some people find themselves weak on hills and in the back of the pack because they have not worked the higher intensities. When you plan your rides also plan the intensity as well as the duration. If the ride is supposed to be an aerobic ride (60-70%) don’t do a hilly route. You also need to use your smaller gears and spin. On group rides, make it your ride, don’t let yourself be pulled out of your goal zone by trying to keep up with others! For more information on intensity check out: Serious Cycling by Ed Burke, Cyclists Training Bible by Joe Friel and Precision Heart Rate Training by Burke. By: Curtis Cramblett, PT,CSCS, Expert Cycling Coach