You probably know it's the Chinese Year of the Dragon, but were you also aware that it's the West Berkshire Year of the Flat
Read MoreHeart Rate Monitors
Zovelo stocks a range of heart rate monitors from the very basic that simply show you your heart rate, through to those that work out the average heart rate, have the ability to set training zones as well as plenty more useful information. At the top end of the range, monitors come with a bewildering amount of features. There are several cycling specific monitors available with separate sensors that show speed, cadence, ascent and decent. This can then be downloaded either through a sonic link or through Bluetooth onto a PC to be used with the specific software supplied with the monitor. The information is then plotted on a graph or in a table to monitor your training. Some systems even allow you to send the data by email so that a coach can analyse the training you are doing.
At varying intensities of exercise, the body uses different systems; aerobic, anaerobic or working your lactate threshold. This means that effective training, on or off the bike, must be tailored to match all of these different systems. A good marker that exercise physiologists use is heart rate. In the different zones they can work out which system is being used which, in turn means that different training sessions can be set up. These zones differ for individuals depending on age and fitness. Physiological testing is a good way to find out the exact data, but if you do not have access to a coach or physiologist a rough estimate can be worked out through basic fitness tests that can normally be found included with the heart rate monitor.
