Heart monitors are often dismissed by those who prefer power meters for training. But some research doesn't support that assumption.
With the exponential growth in the use of power meters for those serious - and some not so serious - about their cycling, heart monitors are often dismissed as outdated and primitive.
However, many top pros are still using heart monitors and some research studies have not supported the assumption that power meters are far more valuable training tools, writes top coach Paddy Doran of Peak Endurance Coaching.
Heart rate Vs power meter debate, Part I
As we near the end of the 2015 season riders’ minds will be turning to ways of making improvements for next season.
You may be thinking of moving to heart rate or power-based on-the-bike training.
This piece will look at how to get the benefit from whatever system you choose to base your winter training on.
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Technology
Cyclists and triathletes have embraced technical developments and used heart rate monitors extensively before power meters went main stream.
Over the last number of years the use of power meters for training and racing by triathletes and cyclists has increased exponentially.
And some cyclists who don’t race but simply like to keep a close eye on their training or pace themselves and measure their efforts are also turning to power-based training in big numbers.
Tour de France
During this year’s Tour De France a lot of heart rate chest straps were on view when the riders had their jerseys open climbing the big mountains.
So heart rate is clearly still an important part of training and racing data for a lot of pro teams. A lot of these pros would also have been using power meters supplied by their team’s sponsors.
For example, as well as power feedback, the heart rate at the various power readings will show the level of fatigue that the rider is experiencing.
Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) is a measure of how the rider actually feels and is also an important element of data gathering.
Polarised views
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There are sometimes polarised views about the benefit of heart rate monitors compared to power meters.
Some power meter aficionados consider power to be the only way to train and that using heart rate monitors are of little or no benefit. Many riders dismiss heart monitor training as old school.
Research
However, some research studies have found that training based on power only is not more effective than training based on heart rate.
Taking into account that power meters are still very expensive, this is something worth considering.
Further research
(1) “The current general perception that prescribing training based only on power is more effective than prescribing training based on heart rate was not supported by the data from this study.”
Source: Effects of high-intensity training by heart rate or power in well-trained cyclists
(2) “This study indicates that there are no noticeable advantages to using PM to increase performance in the average recreational cyclist, suggesting that low cost HR monitor are equally capable as training devices.”
Source: Effects of High Intensity Training by Heart Rate or Power in Recreational Cyclists
The follow-up piece to this guide will look at pros and cons of RPE, heart rate, and power from a coach’s perspective.
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