Endurance Innovation 113 – Mikael Eriksson on HR-Based Training

15 Jul Endurance Innovation 113 – Mikael Eriksson on HR-Based Training

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.

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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 for 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 HRmax
  • Maintaining HR with no drift over constant power on long efforts. This one is tricky.
  • Lactate test
  • 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 / COVID vaccine 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.