I have been using this approach for running since the mid 90’s and have been thrilled with the results. Most notably it keeps me from getting injured as I tend to get a tad over zealous with speed work. However, it finally dawned on me that I should take this approach into cycling perhaps?
I always get sucked up into what the group is doing and rarely if ever have a plan on the bike. Just meet up and go with egos usually winning the day. Running has always been different. I train alone and pay very close attention to doing what I know works for this guy only. It keeps me injury free and steadily progressing.
Not sure if I have ever read an article stating that Maff’s approach is for all aerobic activities, but can’t believe I never thought of this before.
Ideas?
Just to nip it in the behind. No I can’t afford a power meter and if I did I don’t have the time or patience to analyze all the data or hire a coach to help me learn it:/ Not at this time anyway.
the method might work but you would need to adjust the heart rate zones. a maffetone-esque heart rate for running would be quite a bit more intense on the bike for most triathletes I think.
I’ve been using the same approach for cycling with success. I just lower the cap by 10 beats and it seems to be spot on. I always get passed in training but never by the same people in a race…
That is kind of what I had surmised taking my HRM out the past couple of weeks. Keeping my cycling HR in the run zones was quite the workout. I’m going to try -10 and see how that goes.
I keep my run HR for aerobic at 142 max through experience. Maff says it should be 140 given my fitness, but there are lots of + and - variables. I know a notch above 142 and the lactic starts a comin’ quick.
I’ve been using the same approach for cycling with success. I just lower the cap by 10 beats and it seems to be spot on. I always get passed in training but never by the same people in a race…
I really don’t agree with this unless you are putting in absolutely huge mileage. The injury risk is not really there with cycling, and (at its essence) TT’ing is a power activity.
Not having a plan on the bike, and putting out big efforts mixed with recovery is close to perfect training. I may be mistaken, but I doubt any really good cyclists use Maffetone unless they are doing 4+ hours/day.
Trust me, I once watched a stage of the Tour de France, so I’m an expert
OR unless you have had your right ACL and left ACL/PCL done + 2 meniscus repairs. Then you might be worried about injury. Football chose my training intensity for me years ago as my knees have been bludgeoned.
As my ortho has said, 'all this triathlete stuff you are doing is great for your lungs, but remember you are a ‘57 Chevy under the hood so tread lightly unless you want to end up on my table again.’
OR unless you have had your right ACL and left ACL/PCL done + 2 meniscus repairs. Then you might be worried about injury. Football chose my training intensity for me years ago as my knees have been bludgeoned.
As my ortho has said, 'all this triathlete stuff you are doing is great for your lungs, but remember you are a ‘57 Chevy under the hood so tread lightly unless you want to end up on my table again.’
Ahhh, sorry about that. I went to college to play football before switching sports and losing all the upper-body muscle*, so I understand the knee issues a bit.
Ahhh, sorry about that. I went to college to play football before switching sports and losing all the upper-body muscle*
Yes, lugging water bottle around at practice every day really puts on the cosmetic bulk. Sorry you had to give all of that up to live your dream.
To the OP - riding a bike is pretty much what all Orthos and PT’s make you do to rehab from knee surgery. Why would it be bad to do for actual training?
I can understand if you can’t do high-torque stuff (big ring grinding, sprinting, etc.) but if you can spin at 90-100 rpms at a lower HR (a al Maffetone), why couldn’t you spin at 90-100 rpms at a higher RPE/HR??
You’d get a helluva lot more training benefit (in a lot less time) if you incorporate more of the latter into your program.
FWIW, I’ve had one knee scoped, and the other one needs it (but I’m working around it for as long as possible).
Granted, my knees may not be as far gone as yours, but they are not a limiter for me on the bike.
YMMV.
I’ve read a good deal of Maffetone’s writing and how it has been interpreted by Mark Allen and I don’t think you should lower the HR cap for cycling. Yes, the perceived level of exertion will be higher on the bike than on the run, but the HR is still the same.
OTOH, if you don’t care specifically about Maffetone’s theories about HR and fuel burning, ride at the same perceived level of exertion that you’re running and use your HR as a guide to stay at that level of exertion.
Seems to me that your goal is to avoid excessive intensity. Listening to your body, not Maffetone’s theories, seems to be the key to doing that.
I found that running a ton of mileage, even with no/little speedwork, I can do well and qualify for Boston consistently this way.
Lots of long slow biking just made me someone who can bike long and slow.
