Training control in endurance training
What should you pay attention to when controlling your training?
Optimal training control in endurance training stands for:
- The right training zone at the right time
- The right training zone for the right duration
To be able to orient yourself, it is important to know your optimal training zone.
Heart rate as an indicator
Sports medicine uses heart rate as a simple indicator to draw conclusions about the strain on the cardiovascular system. A heart rate monitor makes it possible to record heart rate. This is usually done via a transmitter in a chest strap, which picks up the electrical signals of the heart. An alternative is a measurement in the palms of the hands through a training device.
The intensity of the load is identified via the pulse. At resting pulse on the couch at home, the heart beats on average between 60 and 80 times per minute. For well-trained people, this rate can also be lower. During training, on the other hand, the heart beats significantly more - values of up to 140 or even 200 heartbeats can be measured.
Exertion makes the heart beat faster so that blood is transported to the muscles. In the muscle cells, the blood provides the necessary oxygen and nutrients. It then returns to the heart and on to the lungs, where it is again enriched with fresh oxygen while carbon dioxide can escape. The faster and more intense a movement is, the more work the heart has to do.
These values are different for everyone. Two athletes can train together and see very different values on their heart rate watches. Relevant factors include:
- Age
- Build
- Weight
- Training status
- Gender
- Nutritional status
- Genetic predisposition
A heart rate monitor is only meaningful insofar as it is combined with a sensible determination of training zones. Within this framework, a maximum heart rate measurement or a performance diagnostic should be carried out. Without this supplement, training control in endurance training via pulse value is not recommended. You can take a performance test, for example, at Ortho SG.
Degree of load
The intensity of a load can be determined via individual physiological parameters. The basis is the percentage of a maximum performance achieved. You can choose between a percentage of the maximum heart rate reached (max. HR) or the maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max.).
For example: if a heart rate of 195 beats is measured on the bike, this equals 100 %. Starting from this number, the optimal percentage can now be chosen for each training zone. In the area of fatigue resistance, this corresponds, for example, to 85 % - 90 %. This ensures that you always train at the most efficient intensity.
For a long time, heart rate has been one of the preferred physical parameters. This is because its behaviour at rest, under load and during recovery shares similarities with exercise intensity and endurance capacity. It shows how an external load affects the body internally. In the aerobic range, heart rate is proportional to the performance delivered.
The heart rate factor is also to be viewed subjectively and shows noticeable differences from athlete to athlete. In general: the more muscle mass that is used, the higher the heart rate.
The subjective perception of load
Anyone who trains regularly generally senses what is good for their body. The athlete knows which pace is appropriate, what is enjoyable and how they feel during training. Paying attention to this feeling is good advice. However, to avoid falling into complacency, this comfortable pace should also occasionally be questioned. Subjective perceptions can be analysed and critically assessed.
Breathing is an indicator of subjective perception. Panting is a clear sign of intense training. The rise in pulse rate is just as noticeable as increased sweating and a heavy feeling in the legs. During intense training, willpower is needed to stay in the desired training zone. Increasing experience helps here, in putting all bodily functions together into an overall picture and recognising the current load zone.
If you want to determine the training zone using subjective feeling, this is possible, for example, through the speed of your breathing. The more intensely you train, the sooner you start to pant. You notice how your pulse rises, that you sweat more and that your legs become heavier. The more intensely you train, the greater the willpower required to stay in the training zone. With increasing experience, the athlete is increasingly able to recognise from this overall picture of bodily functions which load zone they are currently in.
