Team Bikeparts.com racer, Jason Kompf, climbing the first of many hills in the Gold Rush Run
We’ve all had those moments when you swear you’re cranking it out on the bike, giving it all you’ve got, leaving it all on the table – and then – you finish the ride and think to yourself, I’ve got more in the tank! I didn’t leave it all out there. So, how can you tell that you’re working hard enough? New technological developments may surprise you!
Traditional methods to help you gauge your efforts include heart rate training. There have been many myths surrounding heart rate training. For starters, you can only compare heart rate values with your own previous benchmarks. Meaning, comparing your heart rate with your your friend or your teammate is irrelevant. The reason for this is that we all have a different anatomy of our cardiovascular system. Also, not being aware of the factors that affect heart rate can be a pitfall in effective application in heart rate monitor use for training.
But on the flip side, power training offers a different type of comparison. Power is power. Aside from spending endless funds on bike parts, many wonder why they should even buy a power meter. But aside from taking the guess work out of your workouts, power meters also provide highly accurate details about how your fitness is changing throughout the season.
Yet there’s a new technology to help you analyze your efforts. A selfie! After years of research and working with top teams and athletes, TrainingPeaks is launching their newest feature that will revolutionize how training loads are measured and quantified: the quantified selfie. Facial Awareness Strain Technology, or F.A.S.T, uses cutting edge facial recognition technology to help you determine the stress of your training. Simply take a selfie with your phone during a workout and load it into the new app. Within seconds the technology will analyze your photo, determine your effort and give you a F.A.S.T. score.
So now, you have three ways to determine your personal suffer score! If you do not have a trainer or coach to keep you disciplined during your workout, a heart rate monitor, power meter, or a quick selfie can be a great substitute. It can tell you when your exercise is falling below your ideal intensity so you can instantly improve your performance. It can be a great bio feedback tool and also help you to monitor your fitness, prevent overtraining, and take your performance to the next level. Bring on your best selfie!
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[…] You may not make it as a Tour rider but you sure can embrace the training elements of a Tour rider lifestyle. And, if all else fails, put on your best suffer face! […]