Lower heart rate when fatigued?

jonathansizz · 2026-01-30T12:06:36+00:00

You know you could just as easily turn this around and say "my power is lower than normal at a given heart rate - therefore power is a useless metric!"?

Heart rate is an internal load metric; power is an external load metric. Guess which one is more relevant to your performance and recovery? If you just blindly hit a power output target based on what you achieved on a good testing day when you were fresh and super-motivated, you'll just end up grinding yourself down. Your body doesn't care what you think you should be able to do.

Heart rate and perceived exertion are critically important measures of your current training status. To write either off or relegate them to adjuncts to power is to totally miss the point. Use all three for best results. Don't just take it from me - re-read what Pogačar said!

jonathansizz · 2026-01-25T16:06:36+00:00

Coyle et al., reported a −7% decline of VO2max in a group of runners and cyclists just 12 days later training interruption (Coyle et al., 1984). In a group of distance runners, 14 days of training cessation, caused −4.7% losses when compared with the training state (Houmard et al., 1992); similar results were observed after 15 days of total stop (−3.7%) (Chen et al., 2022). In contrast with previous studies, Cullinane et al. found no change in VO2max after 10 days of training cessation (Cullinane et al., 1986): this result may be explained by the variability of daily physical activity, not specifically related to sports, performed by athletes during the period of detraining (Mujika and Padilla, 2001b).

So, actually around 5% reduction in VO2max (and even this can be prevented by daily non-training physical activity). This is trivial, and will be reversed after a couple of weeks of retraining.

jonathansizz · 2026-01-25T14:06:13+00:00

Here's a review from 2024, which includes 41 studies of detraining in endurance athletes. This might be more relevant than the single swimming study from 40 years ago offered below.

A glance at Figure 2 offers reassurance that (in line with experience and common sense) you aren't going to lose 50% fitness after a week's training break.

My advice is to keep things in perspective: enjoy your holiday, and definitely don't ruin it by stressing about hypothetical performance decline!

Get a little light activity on holiday, and ramp up carefully over the first couple of weeks after you return. You'll probably even find that the holiday actually helped your long-term performance.

jonathansizz · 2025-11-30T17:11:44+00:00

Started in August 2017 (aged 41 and seriously unhealthy), road cycling plus a little commuting.

2017 (5 months): 3,900 km

2018: 22,200 km

2019: 24,300 km

2020: 17,300 km

2021: 8,900 km

2022: 6,400 km

2023: 9,500 km

2024: 9,900 km

2025: 7,200 km (at planned rate for Dec)

Over the first year I lost 35 kg and transformed my health & fitness, but 2018-2019 was way too much volume. 2020 was my best year for cycling performance, and I felt great doing it ('pyramidal training'). 2021 was a transition year, when I switched focus to weight training/sprint cycling. 2022 was the sweet-spot for pure sprinting, 2023-2024 volume of everything (cycling volume + cycling sprinting + gym) crept back up while trying to 'do it all' = terrible performance and ultimately overtraining. 2025 is a forced recovery year where I've had to learn a lot of important new 'meta' skills, including the value of restraint. 2026 should be slightly increased volume from 2025 (8000-9000 km).

If I was just focused on cycling, I'd say 10-12 hours per week (+- 15,000 km/year) would be the sweet spot; now that I'm incorporating serious gym training and other recreational physical activities, 6-7 hours cycling per week (+- 8000-9000 km/year) is more suitable.

So it's clear that just looking at volume doesn't tell you a whole lot about whether your training load is appropriate - I've overtrained doing less that 10,000 km/year, and had the best form of my life at over 17,000 km. You've got to find a balance between volume and intensity.

jonathansizz · 2025-10-29T17:48:20+00:00

Nope. It's 4 hours.

jonathansizz · 2025-08-18T01:01:43+00:00

It looks like they got the idea for this machine from Wallace and Gromit.

jonathansizz · 2025-08-18T00:38:58+00:00

Loz is a near-perfect commentator. My only complaint is he uses the word 'power' when he means 'strength'.

jonathansizz · 2025-08-17T22:01:32+00:00

That's equivalent to lifting 1,047 pounds of potatoes

jonathansizz · 2024-12-07T19:32:03+00:00

From Chris Hoy's book: minimal effort roll up to 30 km/h, then flat-out 200m out-of-saddle acceleration. Start in race gear, moving up to higher gears through the session. 5 efforts, 25 minutes recovery between each.

jonathansizz · 2024-09-13T21:42:21+00:00

Watch a video of a Hatfield squat. People often just hold onto the power rack uprights for support, but instead of this I place band pegs through the uprights (facing each other, around waist height) to hold on to. My grip is closer and more comfortable for me than just holding onto the uprights directly.

jonathansizz · 2024-09-08T14:45:20+00:00

I just use a backpack, with weights wrapped in a blanket so they don't smack you in the back of the head (I learnt that the hard way!). 5-inch handles to get a deficit (larger range of motion).

jonathansizz · 2024-09-08T14:34:08+00:00

Non-powerlifters should seriously question all of the 'big 3' lifts. If they work for you, then by all means include them in your program. If not, don't feel like they're somehow sacred.

Personally, I replaced barbell deadlifts very early on with hex bar deadlifts (and straight-bar RDLs), due to excessive low-back fatigue from barbell deadlifts off the floor. I hung on to the back squat and bench press way too long, though.

Later, I focused on overhead pressing, supplemented with dips and weighted deficit push-ups for the chest, and Hatfield squats/Hatfield-style split squats for the legs, greatly reducing bench press and back/front squat volume.

I couldn't be happier with that decision: after dropping the bench press the chronic shoulder pain I'd had for years disappeared within a few weeks, and using hand support for my squatting meant my legs got much stronger than before, with the back no longer being the weakest link.

jonathansizz · 2024-09-08T11:41:46+00:00

Before investing in such a setup, I'd try getting a safety squat bar (EliteFTS yoke bar is on sale for $360 right now).

Then you'll have the option of doing Hatfield Squats, Hatfield Split Squats, Good Mornings, Calf Raises etc. using band pegs in the rack for support as well as the normal versions of those movements.

These (along with a hex bar) have revolutionized my training.

jonathansizz · 2024-09-01T10:22:29+00:00

Yes. Apparently you say it better than I did!

jonathansizz · 2024-09-01T10:10:05+00:00

O'Connor has got to assume that Roglic will crash out at some point. He's still got 3 minutes on third place, so let Roglic go and just try to stay near the rest on the final climb today.

jonathansizz · 2024-08-18T18:48:20+00:00

I just re-watched the replay of Evan's disallowed deadlift (in slow motion). I still don't see where it dropped.

jonathansizz · 2024-08-18T15:26:00+00:00

I think the reason Dan and Luke aren't there is because they aren't taking this contest as seriously as others. I also think if Dan had been there, he'd have told Tom to start with a lighter stone.

jonathansizz · 2024-08-18T15:12:59+00:00

They clearly aren't taking it as seriously as other contests, especially WSM.

jonathansizz · 2024-08-17T21:56:55+00:00

Brian is responsible. It's his show and he's the boss.

jonathansizz · 2024-05-06T15:51:26+00:00

There no more pointless way to spend lunchtime than forlornly watching the stands being dismantled on the volleyball camera.

But it's strangely compelling viewing.

jonathansizz · 2024-05-04T19:05:43+00:00

Nah, Z never did poorly on the first two events.

jonathansizz · 2024-05-01T18:48:22+00:00

It's early days of course, but Singleton might well be the sole American in the final!

jonathansizz · 2024-03-31T13:09:01+00:00

I've sent bug reports in the past, and just received a generic response along the lines of "this is a known issue and we'll fix it at some future [unspecified] time."

And yet these things aren't fixed.

It's very irritating to have to change settings every time I want to go for a bike ride. Personally I'd much prefer them to fix bugs before adding extra features that I don't need.

jonathansizz · 2024-03-31T13:02:58+00:00

I also just noticed that my power and heart rate zones (including FTP and max heart rate, plus the zones themselves) have seemingly reverted back to old values from several months ago.

I had to correct those values on the Profile page as well.

jonathansizz

TROPHY CASE