If you’ve been looking to get faster on the bike, then most likely you have explored cycling training tools, as in power meters, heart rate monitors and the like. No doubt, today’s technology provides instant biofeedback and structure to workouts. And over time, this aggregated training data offers visibility to your training program and progress. The ultimate goal of using training tools is to get faster, stronger, fitter, and optimize athletic performance. Given that, which training tools are best for you? Read on to find out.
Heart rate Training – Heart rate training has been viewed in many ways over the years, from very precise to not so precise. Now, a growing number of coaches and exercise physiologists support the use of heart rates as an important part of biological feedback, as heart rates are a direct reflection of what is happening internally. The post, The Variables and Trends of Heart Rate Training, walks you through the steps of learning your “threshold” heart rate range, setting up heart rate training zones, and identifying the daily variables that affect heart rate. If you do not have a trainer or coach to keep you disciplined during your workout, a heart rate monitor 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 biofeedback tool and also help you to monitor your fitness, prevent overtraining, and take your performance to the next level.
Power meters – Training with a power meter is one of the most effective ways to get results. The more power you can produce, the faster your bike will go. Unlike a heart rate monitor that is subjective, watts or power output is not. Watts are watts. Training with a power meter helps establish a baseline fitness and eliminates the guesswork out of measuring fitness gains. The data provided also helps to get a better handle on overreaching and overtraining during training blocks. There are different power meters available based on your fitness goals and budget. So be sure to stop by the shop to dial in which power meter is best for you.
Bike Fit – While a bike fit isn’t necessarily a training tool, it is your first defense in injury prevention. It’s also one of the quickest ways to get faster on the bike. Leg strength, endurance, and fitness are at the heart of cycling speed, but without a proper bike fit, you are sabotaging your training efforts. As you know, bikes come in all sizes and shapes, and there are endless bike parts and cycling accessories that can be added or swapped to make a bike become a better fit for you. At Peak Cycles Bicycle Shop, we believe that there is much more to fitting a cyclist to his/her bicycle than just the physical dimensions of a bike. Each cyclist has a different history, experience, comfort level, and goal on the bike; each of these variables is important to the bike-fit process. Take advantage of our bike fit studio and schedule a bike fit to align your bike with your body posture and improve your cycling
Use power meters and heart rate monitors to guide you through you. By monitoring your training efforts with specific data, you objectively know when you are pushing beyond your targeted indicators, as well as when you aren’t pushing hard enough. This allows your body to adjust to increased training load over time and in a manner that meets your 2019 cycling season goals.
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