Anyone using HRV to guide training load?

[carpetrunner]

Burners,

I hear most of the top XC riders and some of the endubro/DH riders are using Heart Rate Variability (HRV) to guide training load.

HRV indicates the balance between relaxation/recovery and fight/flight. Low HRV indicating overtraining. Gradually raise training load until HRV falls, then back off until HRV is back to baseline.

Is anyone here using HRV?
Do you have a good training manual?
How are you measuring it?
What tools are you using to calculate it?
What numbers do you get?

I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours....
Training manual: I haven't found one yet, most of the people who know are not saying or have trademarked a "system" and codified the numbers. Some good scientific papers out there.
Measurement: Garmin 920XT / Garmin ANT HR belt, at rest, 12 minutes, before I get out of bed.
Tools: Download from Garmin connect, open in Kubios to get the numbers, long term trend tracking in excel
RMSSD baseline=29.86ms stressed < 15ms
Resting HR baseline 53bpm, stressed > 55bpm

-carpetrunner

 

[PepsiMax]

There is a whole host of things that come into play when seeking the optimal time to train.

HRV is new to me and will research some journal papers on it more to give a better answer.

However, I would suggest doing a clinical maximal V02Max test. Then you can prescribe optimal training zones by your heart rate.

Doing this you can then dial in your training loads, then progressively overload over a 12 week cycle to your desired goal - aerobic or anaerobic capacity.

You could do this for free if you ask a university with an exercise science department, they are always willing to have another lab rat to study.

I've done one or two before (as I am studying exercise science) plus you might get a decade scan too if you are a research subject

 

[carpetrunner]

Thanks @PepsiMax - I'd love to do a Vo2max study, the biomedical data and relationship to exercise is a fantastic resource, the power meter on the roadie has been a whole world of entertainment, but maybe at 58 I'm out of the age range for a uni exercise science dept unless they were doing geriatric exercise studies

My interest is in not overdoing it in prep for XCM type events. HRV looks like it will tell me when to have an easy day.
I now know I do too much long haul travel for work - it takes me over a week to get back to HRV nominal after an international flight, whereas I used to think I could get back into the thrash the day after.

Let me know if you need an older model for a V02max study.

- carpetrunner

 

[creaky]

Was it Jesus or Jason English that describes their training load technique a few years ago as “if I feel like going fast, then I’ll go fast that day” ?

I haven’t read up on the resting HR method you’ve mentioned but I find it hard to commit to anything based upon a few bpm difference in resting HR. Surely other mental/emotional issues would influence resting HR that are unrelated to training load ?

 

[carpetrunner]

@creaky - I was in the unbeliever camp, so I baselined the data for a couple of months.
There was a very strong correlation between a string of a few hard rides and HR variability dropping.
Sure I didn't really feel like riding the last day - so the Jason English method also correlates.

The mental/emotional/ work stress issues play a part. After an easy week of commuting but a hard week of work stress the numbers drop. A big night out on the piss or a few restless nights of broken sleep also.

I'm starting to think that hammering out a quick 50 to clear the head after a hard week at work or a big night is not a good thing, and that taking a more holistic approach is better for me.

- carpetrunner

 

[RichJS]

I decided to try the Garmin Stress test (Edge 820, HR Chest strap, 3 minutes standing, middle of the day) .. On a range of 1-100 .. I scored 1. Either I need to train way harder (doing maybe 500 TSS per week now), or it doesn't work too well for me.

 

[PepsiMax]

I'd love to do a Vo2max study, the biomedical data and relationship to exercise is a fantastic resource, the power meter on the roadie has been a whole world of entertainment, but maybe at 58 I'm out of the age range for a uni exercise science dept unless they were doing geriatric exercise studies

The uni's actually prefer older populations as students typically conduct the research on fellow classmates and some teachers dont like this as it gives a false sense of what will occur in the workplace. Many now encourage students to bring in parents or extended family in older age brackets.

If you are really fit for a 58 yr old, they would love to test you