Hey there,
In the instructions document to your Low Fatigue template, you describe a 20 min functional threshold test for establishing accurate heart rate targets for conditioning work. I performed said test using an air bike, and while I think that I was able to find and sustain my maximum pace, I’m having some uncertainties interpreting the result.
My average heart rate during the test was 167 bpm. In your Training Zone Calculator, you recommend inserting 95% of that value, so 159 in my case. As an alternative, however, you suggest using 90% of the calculated maximum heart rate, which would be 170 bpm in my case (with a max HR of 185 bpm).
Between the input values of these two methods there’s a discrepancy of almost 10%, so now I wonder if I simply didn’t go hard enough during the test. (Didn’t feel like it at the time…)
From your experience, would you expect the difference in the results to be in this range, and recommend me to continue with my individual values for zone ranges?
Maybe I shouldn’t worry too much about stuff like this, and I know that HR ranges or conditioning zones should be used carefully and more like a guidance in addition to RPE etc. But I tend to over-analyze stuff like this (because I enjoy it, honestly), and this topic keeps staying on my mind…
For reference: I’m a 33 years old, male, and have been doing regular conditioning work for roughly a year now, maybe a little longer. My subjective view is that I’m not good at pushing myself hard during conditioning efforts.
Thanks a lot,
Christof