I have not spent nearly as many hours on the trainer as many of you. So I need some advice. Since the air around me is static, I seem to sweat way more on the trainer than I do on the road. Should I use a big fan to cool me down some? Also, I find my heart rate to be higher at the same level of power. Is this normal? Should I train based on road HR zones, road power zones, or should I re-establish new zones for the trainer for both HR and for power? On the road I do not seem to experience cardiac drift at all until at least 3 hours into a ride; however, cardiac drift raises its ugly head within the first hour on the trainer. I think this is because I am sweating too much. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Re: HR, Power, Sweat Rate, Fans, and Cardiac Drift on Trainer [Flanagan]
[ In reply to ]
ok...
well, you aren't perspiring more than on the road, there is just no convection removing the sweat from your body... so you now have a better idea of how much riding makes you sweat and why you need to be drinking all the time :O
the drift you are experiencing is MOST likely due to your lack of a fan...
get a big one (I recommend one with a remote) and you should see the drift go away...
g
greg
www.wattagetraining.com
well, you aren't perspiring more than on the road, there is just no convection removing the sweat from your body... so you now have a better idea of how much riding makes you sweat and why you need to be drinking all the time :O
the drift you are experiencing is MOST likely due to your lack of a fan...
get a big one (I recommend one with a remote) and you should see the drift go away...
g
greg
www.wattagetraining.com
Re: HR, Power, Sweat Rate, Fans, and Cardiac Drift on Trainer [Flanagan]
[ In reply to ]
Actually, since there is no evaporative cooling occurring (without the air circulation, the air immediately around you is saturated), you are probably sweating more than normal in your body's vain attempt to maintain temperature. A big fan will help (a really strong fan or two will really help) move the air, but it won't be like riding outdoors. You will experience cardiac drift. I can't reach the same power levels on the trainer as on the road, but some of that is due to riding the trainer when I am least fit (winter), I'm sure.
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Re: HR, Power, Sweat Rate, Fans, and Cardiac Drift on Trainer [Flanagan]
[ In reply to ]
I find the same thing on now my 4th winter of serious indoor training on the CT.
I experience HR drift of 20-30 bpm from 200W warmup to 200W cooldown IF I've been going hard in the core workout.
1. Cool room temps and a large fan help but don't eliminate HR rate in my case. They help power a lot though.
2. I ignore HR and use my road power levels to base training upon. If I can't hold L4 or long L3 power because of excessive drift/dehyration indoors - then so be it. I see no point in fooling myself that the training is 'better'. I'd stick to normal road power levels.
3. For L4 efforts of 30-60min or hard tempo efforts, I've found I can sustain some 20-25W higher on the road (in good ambient say 10-20C conditions) so I don't worry about the slightly lower power indoors. Progress is still progress.
4. Dehydration can be a problem. Last winter I developed persistent cramping issues by January that didn't fully disappear until spring. I'm still not sure what I was deficient in ... some darned electrolyte. Right now, I drink dilute Gatorade in lieu of plain water and full-strength Gator/PowerAde when I need the sugar.
5. get outdoors when you can!
rmur
I experience HR drift of 20-30 bpm from 200W warmup to 200W cooldown IF I've been going hard in the core workout.
1. Cool room temps and a large fan help but don't eliminate HR rate in my case. They help power a lot though.
2. I ignore HR and use my road power levels to base training upon. If I can't hold L4 or long L3 power because of excessive drift/dehyration indoors - then so be it. I see no point in fooling myself that the training is 'better'. I'd stick to normal road power levels.
3. For L4 efforts of 30-60min or hard tempo efforts, I've found I can sustain some 20-25W higher on the road (in good ambient say 10-20C conditions) so I don't worry about the slightly lower power indoors. Progress is still progress.
4. Dehydration can be a problem. Last winter I developed persistent cramping issues by January that didn't fully disappear until spring. I'm still not sure what I was deficient in ... some darned electrolyte. Right now, I drink dilute Gatorade in lieu of plain water and full-strength Gator/PowerAde when I need the sugar.
5. get outdoors when you can!
rmur
Comparing power output on the road vs. power output on a CT is not a realistic comparison.
What is your speed when your power output is the highest outdoors? Most likely it's slow, when you are climbing.
What is your speed when your power output is the highest on the CT? Most likely it's fast, when you are going all out. (Conversely, your speed is highest outdoors when you are descending & your power output is near zero.)
It has always made sense to me to compare data from trainer workouts with data from other trainer workouts, and outdoor rides with outdoor rides. And ignoring your HR indoors -- where the conditions are the easiest to control -- makes no sense to me.
Track both sets of workouts and analyze the results, just don't bother comparing the two different types of workouts to each other.
-Mike
What is your speed when your power output is the highest outdoors? Most likely it's slow, when you are climbing.
What is your speed when your power output is the highest on the CT? Most likely it's fast, when you are going all out. (Conversely, your speed is highest outdoors when you are descending & your power output is near zero.)
It has always made sense to me to compare data from trainer workouts with data from other trainer workouts, and outdoor rides with outdoor rides. And ignoring your HR indoors -- where the conditions are the easiest to control -- makes no sense to me.
Track both sets of workouts and analyze the results, just don't bother comparing the two different types of workouts to each other.
-Mike