Heart Rate Training
We're Screaming for a Standardized Language
In the biblical story about the Tower of Babel, God wanted to prevent Man from building a tower that reached into the heavens. Construction of the tower was going along very well as everyone was working efficiently toward their common goal of reaching into the sky. Now I'm sure God could have just sent a storm to knock down the semi completed tower... but then Man would have simply started over. So instead he wrecked their construction team by causing everyone to speak a different language. Confusion was rampant since no one understood what the other's were saying. Construction halted and the team disbanded. Problem solved. The recent survey we conducted included a number of questions about Teaching with Power - to get some understanding of "how's it going?" and the impact power has on...
Putting Heart Rate Monitors to Use, Part 1
By Team ICG® Master Trainer Jim Karanas Now that more of your students wear heart-rate monitors (HRM) (see previous post “How To Get Your Students To Wear a HRM”), you must teach them how to use one. An important first step is sometimes lost when introducing...
Intervals
By Team ICG® Master Trainer Jim Karanas Interval: n., the amount of time between two specified instants or events. You teach indoor cycling, so you know intervals. If you asked another instructor for the workout he/she used in class that morning, odds are...
ICI Podcast 33 Keiser Instructor Certification and New M5 Elliptical Trainer
This Podcast is was originally published on February 22, 2009, I have updated it with our new Podcast host information and I am representing it now. I hope you enjoy it, Joey Keiser Master Trainer Suzette O'Byrne and I discuss the initial response to their new...
ICI/PRO Podcast 348 Beat Down Audio Profile with Krista Leopold
As promised, here's Krista Leopold's Indoor Cycling Class Profile; Beat Down! Training Type: LT Intervals Working HR Zones: 4 Total Class Length: 55 min Objective and Intensity After recently being inspired by a boxing match I watched at the nail salon of all places,...
I didn't need to see this… even if I could
This came in the mail yesterday and all I could think was, "this has to be for my dad. It can't be for me." 🙁 No, I'm not going to apply... I guess it just one more predictable thing that comes with reaching the half-way-point. (I'm 50 at the end of the month and...
Bring Heart Rate Training Into A School Near You
While most of us are focused on adult fitness, Sally Edwards and her Heart Zones company are doing some pretty amazing stuff with middle and high school aged children - using display training technology to motivate kids and get them active :)...
Intro to ZONING in a CAN short video
If you teach "Club Athletes", what many of us see as the majority of the student in our classes, and want to educate your students / clients on Heart Rate training program, I highly recommend you look into Zoning Fitness. In the video below, Chuck Cali and Sally...
ICI Podcast 260 Understanding Heart Rate Variability HRV and measuring HRV using the ithlete iPhone app
When should you go hard... and when should you take it easy? It's a great question. Often our response depends on very subjective feelings = we may think we know, but we really aren't completely sure. As Jim Karanas pointed out in his Intervals post this week, we are...
ICI/PRO Podcast 339 Understanding the floors and ceilings of training with power
I prefer to limit the mathematical computations many Instructors typically ask of their classes. For example you'd never hear me say; "now I want everyone at 85% of their FTP" or... "this next interval is 30 seconds in Zone 5B which is 103 to 106% of your LT/AT heart...
Why we need a standard method to describe heart rate training zones part 1
Should we adopt a standard method of describing Heart Rate Training Zones? My argument is that until we (I'm talking about everyone in the fitness Industry) all speak with consistent language, manufactures will continue to put stickers like this on fitness equipment. ...
How To Get Your Students to Wear Heart Rate Monitors
By Team ICG® Master Trainer Jim Karanas Everyone agrees that indoor cycling classes using heart rate are more effective and even more fun to teach. This post is not about which HR training principles to use or the best way to determine training zones. You or the...
ICI Podcast #177 – Problem Solved – Two Threshold / Three Zone Heart Rate Training In a Blink
For the past two year's or so I have been lobbying for a universal "Standard" for the description of Heart Rate Training Zones. The purpose is to get all of us talking with a common language, so we aren't confusing our students and help them reach their weight loss...
Where are you with Heart Rate Training?
A common theme in conversations I am having these days is; "today we we find ourselves right here... what do we need to do differently if we want to end up somewhere else next year?" I have created a short survey (it should only take about 2 minutes) to learn where...
Heart Rate and FTP Zone Calculators
Math, for some of us, isn't our strong suit... especially when you are trying to compute specific training zones on the fly using Lactic/Anaerobic Thresholds (LT/AT) or Functional Threshold Power (FTP) MTB coach Curt Wilhelm has created two easy to use, online tools...
Life Time Fitness to unveil their new EDGE Cycling format & LT Connect Heart Rate Display System
Updated 10/30 below Short notice... it's tomorrow night. Here's the email invitation I received: EDGE Cycle kick-off with Bahram Akradi & quests This will be the 1st class offering in Minnesota of our “new” EDGE CYCLE signature Indoor cycle format! Expect to have...
ICI Podcast 4 Metabolic Testing The Difference Between Knowing and Guessing
This Podcast is originally from 2008, I have updated it with our new Podcast host information and I am representing it now. I hope you enjoy it. While the New Leaf systems are not easy to find anymore, KORR Medical Technologies (https://korr.com/) does have Metabolic...
Zoning Success Story
If you've followed indoorcycleinstructor.com for any length of time you know that I'm a huge fan of the 2T/3Z method of Heart Rate training which is the basis for Zoning. That simple Blue/Yellow/Red response from my Blink Heart Rate monitor is (to me) the perfect way...
ICI Podcast 279 – Can Breath Acoustics Identify VT1 and VT2?
Can the sounds of breathing identify the metabolic changes during exercise that are described as VT1 aerobic threshold & VT2 anaerobic threshold? There's promising research conducted by Breath Research and Dr. Carl Foster at UW Lacrosse. Here's your chance to...
Cardio vs. HIIT: Why Not Combine Them?
The debate over cardio vs. high-intensity interval training (HIIT) usually assumes that the issue is an either/or choice. In that debate, HIIT is usually compared to absurdly low levels of cardio exercise — not to the kinds of classes ICI-PRO instructors probably...
Pro Cycling Team Garmin Transitions Turns To New Leaf For Training
I became a huge fan of New Leaf Fitness Metabolic Testing a few years ago after I had my first Metabolic Assessment. Before that I was convinced that my AT (Anaerobic Threshold) was 155 BPM, only to learn it was actually 162 BPM. If you can stand the poor audio...
Tabata = Effective? ACE says YES!
I just read a press release and accompanying article from the ACE - The American Console on Exercise PRO SOURCE magazine about their study to gauge the effectiveness of High Intensity Training (HIT). Is Tabata All It's Cracked Up To Be? “It seems like everything...
Studio Lighting: What’s Your Preference?
By Joan Kent Indoor cycling classes have become inextricably linked with dim lighting, and I’ve never understood why. Personally, I’m not crazy about training in the dark and will tell you why in a moment. Studio lighting is one of the factors involved in creating the...
Could Breath Acoustics be our answer?
Cameron Chinatti from Stages Indoor Cycling alerted me to this Indiegogo project: BreathAcoustics All-in-One Headset. She was excited by it and I can see why. I've spoken with the inventor Nirinjan Yee who's the CEO and Founder of BreathResearch and we will be...
ICI Podcast 17 Heart Zones USA Indoor Cycling Certification
This Podcast is was originally published in 2008, I have updated it with our new Podcast host information and I am representing it now. I hope you enjoy it, Joey Dr. Alinda Perrine, O.D., M.P.H. and Red Jersey / Master Trainer with Heart Zones USA conducted the Level...
Is this the best Indoor Cycling Heart Rate Monitor Strap?
I'm thinking this new Scosche RHYTHM+ Heart Rate monitor strap could be the best I've ever tested - for a bunch of reasons that include removing what I feel has always been one of the biggest objections to wearing a HR strap. Despite all of our collective efforts...
ICI/PRO Podcast #163 — Tom Scotto on 2T/3Z Heart Rate Training Pt 2
Here is the continuation of my interview with Master Instructor Tom Scotto where we discuss if the 2 Threshold / 3 Zone system could have application in a power based class. During our conversation we discuss the idea of recruiting a number of our very intelligent...
What are your participants training for?
I need your help. Beyond fitness and weight management, many of the people in my class are training for some event this summer. Most are tied to a charity fundraiser. The MS 150 is a popular ride here in Minnesota, that happens in July each year. Could you ask your...
Falling in Love with the Golden Zone – Zoning Video Profile featuring Tia Kilpatrick
I love the simplicity of the Zoning Heart Rate program. Three zones (Easy-Blue/Moderate-Yellow/Hard-Red) that are created using two thresholds; T1 Aerobic Threshold & T2 Anaerobic Threshold - AKA: AT or LT. Simple to communicate and easy for anyone to understand -...
ICI Podcast 40 iSpinning iPhone App SMHEART LINK from iTMP Technology
This Podcast is was originally published on March 26, 2009, I have updated it with our new Podcast host information and I am representing it now. I hope you enjoy it, Joey iSpinning™, the new iPhone® App, along with the SMHEART LINK™ is coming to your...
ICI Podcast 36 NuMetrex Instructor Panel Conference Call
This Podcast is was originally published on February 28, 2009, I have updated it with our new Podcast host information and I am representing it now. I hope you enjoy it, Joey Amy hosts this episode along with Celebrity Coach Dr. Alinda Perrine. Together they conduct a...
ICI Podcast 30 Dr Alinda Perrine Heart Rate Training and NuMetrex Instructor Panel
This Podcast is was originally published on January 17, 2009, I have updated it with our new Podcast host information and I am representing it now. I hope you enjoy it, Joey Dr Alinda Perrine joins me again! We discuss introducing Heart Rate Training to your Indoor...
ICI Podcast 9 Two Special Announcements
This Podcast is was originally published on October 10, 2008, I have updated it with our new Podcast host information and I am representing it now. I hope you enjoy it, Joey The first is that I”™m going to be doing live Podcast Interviews at the Heart Zones USA -...
ICI Podcast 8 Sally Edwards hosts the Active Healthy Living Conference
This Podcast is was originally published on September 29, 2008, I have updated it with our new Podcast host information and I am representing it now. I hope you enjoy it, Joey Part two of my interview with Sally Edwards. Listen as Sally explains her upcoming Active...
What's the best number of Heart Rate and/or Power Zones in our classes?
If your objective is to communicate (sell) the value of either Training With Heart Rate - or - Training With Power, teaching your class using Three Zones will be the most easily understood, accepted and remembered... here's why. The Rule of Three It's no accident that...
Prescriptive Exercise – Your Doctor writing a prescription for YOU to attend indoor cycling classes
A national policy of Prescriptive Exercise would be the holy grail* for small studio owners. Imagine; A new client walks in with her doctor specified exercise regimen for you to "fill", just like at a pharmacy. As an approved provider, you and your studio would...
ICI Podcast 7 Sally Edwards talks Heart Zones Training
This Podcast is was originally published on September 28, 2008, I have updated it with our new Podcast host information and I am representing it now. I hope you enjoy it, Joey Sally Edwards, the originator of Heart Zones Training, and I discuss the origin of Zone...
Great video for a 20 minute threshold test
I used Epic Planet's video Epic Acadia this morning in a class I subbed. Because these early AM people are very committed and they all understand the value of Threshold based training, I knew I could lead them on a ride that included a 20 minute climb at (or very...
Heart Rate Training Survey – The Language Barrier
Recently, I found myself at the local big box home improvement store looking for some primer paint. A helpful person asked if I had any questions. I explained that I had some pealing paint that I intended to scrape, prime and repaint. He suggested "brand X" as the...
ICI Podcast 131 Winter Training With Cycling Fusion
Winter Training is on the minds of many of your class participants starting today! Base building, maintaining fitness and improving power are all things that the endurance athletes are looking for from you and your class. Are you prepared to deliver these things? Gene...
Rethinking Heart-Rate Training?
The computer industry has an acronym: G.I.G.O which stands for: GARBAGE IN = GARBAGE OUT It refers to the idea that if your input data/information is inaccurate (GARBAGE IN), then any computations, using that inaccurate data/information can't be anything other than...
Putting Heart Rate Monitors to Work, Part 2
By Team ICG® Master Trainer Jim Karanas This protocol, developed by Team ICG®, outlines a “first HRM experience” to help the student connect HR with perceived exertion. The last post covered the warm-up and Level 1. From here, the progression builds to greater levels...
Heart Rate Monitor Survey – Early Results
Thank You to the 354 of you who have completed our survey! It is greatly appreciated. Because I chose to keep the survey anonymous, if you asked me to contact you I don't know who's who. Please contact me directly. My goal is to collect 1,000 responses. If you haven't...
My new HR Monitor
I got tired of replacing the chest-strap-battery in my old Nike monitor so I though it was time to upgrade. Based on the recommendation from a Personal Trainer at my club, I bought this Polar RS200. It is the lowest priced Polar monitor he was aware of that you can...
Is Polar moving to a three heart rate zone system?
I'm noticing that Polar is now promoting a three heart rate zone system. Welcome to the party Polar! I subbed this morning and saw the sign on the right displayed. At first I didn't give it any notice, but then I did a double take; they're showing the five zones...
ICI Podcast 369 – The Haywire Heart – How Too Much Exercise Can Kill You…
Can too much exercise be bad for you? Could the hours spend conditioning as an endurance athlete actually be damaging your heart? Sounds counter intuitive... until you read this new book from author Chris, Managing Editor of VeloNews - The Haywire Heart - How...
Is Cardio Good? Is HIIT Better? (Part 1)
In a previous post that I co-wrote with Jim Karanas, we described specific physiological adaptations of aerobic — aka cardio or endurance — training. As you may recall, they include increases in blood volume, tidal volume, and stroke volume. The capillary network...
Heart Rate Display Training Contributes to Women's World Cup Victory
The USA Women won the World Cup finals in soccer yesterday! The US team coaches are using heart rate training, aka Heart Zones Training, extensively in their preparation for what lead to this victory. I wanted to share with you an article released yesterday about how...
Is non-invasive blood O2 and lactate sensing the future of Heart Rate Training?
Hey [wlm_firstname] how hard should I be working to; get faster, lose weight, build endurance, ect... Answering that is the age old dilemma many of us face when questioned by our riders. We try to be helpful by offering subjective descriptions of what both thresholds...
Scosche Armband Heart Rate Strap vs. The New Apple iWatch
The Scosche armband heart rate strap uses optical sensors to "see" the pulses of blood flow in the blood vessels in your arm. Groundbreaking technology and pretty cool stuff if you ask me. Anything to get rid of those monitor chest straps will be an improvement. I...
Heart Rate Monitor Straps with both BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) and Ant+
I've been using a new TICKER Heart Rate Monitor straps - I'm excited to tell you about them + they'll be awesome used with the new Apple Smartwatch. The guys at Wahoo Fitness emailed me today about their new line of HR straps that send out both BLE (Bluetooth...
Using Heart Rate Monitors for the treatment of Anxiety?
ICI/PRO contributor Dr. Melissa Marotta Houser is one of those people who ask; "Why?" and "What if?" a lot... and then sets off to answer her own questions. Back on Podcast #157 we discussed the research Melissa had done, trying to understand; Are There Psychological...
ICI/PRO Podcast 277 – Just The Ride I Needed Audio Class Profile
Spinning® Instructor and Zoning Specialist Kay Mamo presents our latest class profile; Just The Ride I Needed. I”™m a personal trainer (ISSA) and group exercise instructor. I”™m certified to teach more than a half dozen indoor cycling methodologies as well as...
ICI/PRO Podcast 276 – Successfully sell your new class or programming idea to management!
If you're anything like me, good ideas are easy to come by - especially when it comes to "ideas" about how to improve my class, changes (desperately) needed at our studio and new formats / programming we should be introducing as new classes. But unfortunately many of...
ICI Podcast 253 Can Exercise be Effortless?
Endurance Coach and Author Grant Molyneux joins us to discuss his book Effortless Exercise and its importance in actually enjoying exercise, while building aerobic fitness & endurance, vs. dreading the thought that it is time to thrash yourself on the bike yet...
ICI Podcast 222 – Larry Link Russell makes $500 in a Blink – And so can you!
Would like like to make $500.00 for teaching a 2 hour workshop? While at the same time making a huge impact on the fitness of your students? Larry "Link" Russell is doing just that by conducting Zoning Fitness Workshops at his YMCA. Zoning Fitness provides everything...
Tech Tuesday – Which Heart Rate Monitor is Best?
Which heart rate monitor is best for you — digital or analog? As a heart rate monitor, i.e. ZONING fitness enthusiast, you can now choose between two different types of heart rate monitors — digital or analog. But, what is the difference between a digital and an...
Nifty New Media Player
I've added a new media player option that we'll use when embedding the full video player isn't necessary or whenever we feel that the normal player will take up too much space. It's pretty cool and you can try out the new player by clicking this link to a zone based...
Happy 93rd Birthday Pinkhouse!
Here's a walking testament to the utter fallacy of (220 - your age) as a predictor of Maximum Heart Rate. Paul Pinkhouse Camerer is having his 93rd birthday today. To celebrate the occasion, Pinkhouse and a few of his friends will all train together at his...
PRO/Deal of the Week – Save 50% on Blink HR Monitors for your entire family
Santa Says; “It”™s time you had a Blink Heart Rate Monitor of your own.” Today”™s PRO/Deal of the Week is the perfect Christmas gift for yourself, your family members or friends planning to start a work out program in 2012. Sally Edwards says, “The joy of working out...
Free Heart Rate Monitor Inside
In a typical fitness conference "sponsorship", Company A pays Event Promoter B a bunch of money to to be part of the event. That sounds good, but if you have been following us for any length of time you know that we don't always do what's "typical" here at...
Is a 20 Minute Threshold Field Test realistic for your class? Part 3
In Part 1 and Part 2 of Is a 20 Minute Threshold Field Test realistic for your class? I was trying to make the point that although completely appropriate for Endurance Athletes, these 20 minute assessments aren't really appropriate for the typical students in our...
Is a 20 Minute Threshold Field Test realistic for your class? Part 2
Who's really in your class? Do you look up at a room full of smiling, fit, self-directed, endurance athletes? Or does your class more closely resemble the population where you live? In Part 1 I shared survey results that showed that a 20 Minute Threshold Field Test...
Is a 20 Minute Threshold Field Test realistic for your class? Part 1
I am continually fascinated at the results of the Heart Rate Training Survey over 600 of you completed. It's well documented that a 20 minute Threshold Field Test is effective in determining an Athlete's T2 (Anaerobic/Lactate Threshold) or FTP (Functional Threshold...
Using your Heart Rate Monitor as a GPS, not a speedometer.
Reaching the end of the MS150 yesterday Amy commented to me that she was still relatively fresh and willing to go longer... which was the exact opposite from last year when we arrived completely trashed at the end of both days. I was in complete agreement and began to...
The 80/20 Rule
Now I think we can start working on some solutions. While researching this article I learned that the the 80/20 rule is also called the Pareto principle. It's more of a rule of thumb drawn from multiple examples where roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the...
The Paradox of Choice – Why More Is Less
And less becomes a whole lot easier to understand and embrace... As I continue to collect responses to the Heart Rate Training Survey -513 so far, and I would still love to know your experiences - it's becoming clear that beyond the confusing Heart Rate languages we...
Do you teach with a focus on Heart Rate? Does your club promote it?
Response to the survey on Heart Rate Training has been fantastic! I want to thank the 474 of you have expressed your experiences 🙂 We would still love to hear from you. Here's the link to take the short, anonymous survey. I asked the question; Do you teach with a...
More on ZONING – the video!
In this post I mentioned that I was using a Blink Heart Rate monitor because I can't see the numbers any more. It's flashing light shows me when I'm below JRA ( T1 or aerobic threshold), between T1 and T2 (T2 is anaerobic threshold) or above T2. Very simple. I like...
Why we need a standard method to describe heart rate training zones part 2
Ask Amy about her biggest teaching challenge while on a working fitness vacation at a Caribbean resort and she will tell you it's accommodating all the different languages of the guests. Jamaica is very popular among Europeans and Asians, so in one class she may have...
Heart Zones® Training Rocks!
Tomorrow we officially hit the half way point of our 16 week Winter Training program at the Global Ride Training Center. We”™ve employed the Keiser M3 power indoor bikes and Cycling Fusion principals to maximize our use of the indoor environment. However, the...
Heart Zones JumboTRON Heart Rate Display
This was very cool. Here is a video of the Heart Zones JumboTRON in use. Sally Edwards demonstrated it at the Heart Zones Indoor Cycling Certification Conference I attended. Heart Rate and training zones for everyone in the class is displayed on the screen. The video...
Upcoming Indoor Cycling Podcasts!
I'm finally getting ahead on my interviews so I'm not scrambling to meet my biweekly Podcast commitment to you. Get them automatically (and free) by subscribing with iTunes. Here's what you can look forward to... ICI Podcast #7 - Part One Sally Edwards talks about the...