Heart rate zones with gaps inbetween.

+1

Great suggestion! I'd love to be able to set the HR zones independently of one another.

Hi...I'm frustrated that I'm not able to enter different heart rate zones into the garmin 500 without the start of one zone being the end of the last zone. In all my training my zones never follow on. For example zone 2 is 138 to 148 , zone 3 is 158 to 168 , so there's a gap but I cant enter this.Is it possible for this to be changed ?
Regards.

I am just curious. Why would you want a gap?
And what should the software do with any beats that fall in the gap?
Could you make a zone where you want a gap and then just ignore it?

I have related my speed zones to my HR zones. So running in speed zone 2 puts my HR in zone 2 etc unless the grade gets too steep up or down. I have a loop that I run a lot, RaceDay calls it a "Test Effort" loop. Most times I run it in speed zone 3 with my HR in zone 3. Lately I have noticed that I can be at the top of speed zone 3 with my HR at the bottom of zone 3. I think that that indicates an improvement in my condition.

Some day I hope to be running in speed zone 4 with my HR still in zone 3 so I cannot have gaps in my zones or it would look like I was running with no HR or visa versa.

I am certainly no fitness guru so if there is some reason to have gaps I am always ready to learn a new trick.

Hi Don....I guess it depends how your zones are. I recently took a VO2 max ramp test to get my zones more accurate. The result was that my endurance zone was 138 to 148 and my threshold zone was 158 to 168. As you see there's a gap between 148 and 158. For me this is a dead zone , its too hard for building endurance but not hard enough to improve power so I don't want time in this area. Currently I do as you suggest and have a dummy zone but its a pain and would be much easier to just be able to set up zones as I want them.

Cheers,
Steve.

It doesn't depend on how 'your zones are'. It depends on the training philosophy you follow. Some advocate the 'dead zone' others don't. That is still a side issue.

Irrespective of where your training zones are, it's quite simple to manage - train at the intensity you need to train at. If you find yourself in the 'dead zone' then train harder or easier as required.

Hi Philip...I agree , you just need to use the zone that you chose but the point of my post was that currently you can't enter zones unless they follow on from each other.I just gave my numbers as an example.

As heart rates exist on a continuum, ie there are no gaps, there is no reason to expect, or even provide for, other than a linear progression.

Hi Philip....thats your view and thats fine.If the feature existed you dont have to use it. For me and others following similiar training the ability to enter non consecutive zones would be useful.Im just asking for more flexibility , im not sure why you have a problem with that.