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Categories: Mountaineering Fitness & Training
As you design a training plan to prepare for your next climb, data about your training and level of fitness is a really useful tool. One of the best ways to get an objective idea of your current level of fitness and to measure your gains is by tracking your heart rate with a heart rate monitor.
There are two main types of heart rate monitors available: watches that use an infrared sensor to your heart rate at your wrist and monitors that use a chest strap with two electrodes to record the electrical pulses from your heart. The infrared sensors on watches measure the change in the size of veins to record your heart beat, and can give a good rough idea of your heart rate trends. Movement of the watch on your wrist can interfere with the accuracy of the sensor however, so the normal movement that comes with training activities can mean that it doesn’t record your workout very effectively. The electrodes on a chest strap pick up the electrical signals from your heart very effectively despite any movement, and therefore and the best way to get a good picture of your workouts, and what we recommend.
Heart rate monitors are effective for a couple of different purposes. First and foremost, a heart rate monitor gives you the ability to track your training more accurately. Heart rate monitors use versions of the 5 training zones that most athletes utilize, so you can begin to build an accurate picture of how much time you spend in each zone and how effective a given period, week, or workout might have been for you.
A heart rate monitor also helps you to hit your target intensity zone for a given workout. This works in both directions; it can help you to tone it down on your long level 2 endurance training if you start to push a little hard, or it can let you know that you need to push even harder to make it to your target L4 zone on a set of intervals. One of the most helpful is setting an upper heart rate threshold alarm during your aerobic building workouts to warn you when you go too hard, which happens to most!
Tracking your heart rate over a period of time can also give you a picture of your overall fitness. As your training pays off, your resting heart rate should drop, and you will find yourself covering more ground and going faster, but at the same intensity. Conversely, a sudden spike in your resting heart rate may indicate that your training load is adding up and that you need to focus a bit more on recovery.
As an added bonus, most of the better heart rate monitors also have the ability to track your workout with GPS, so you can keep track of your training routes. A heart rate monitor won’t make you fitter, but it gives you invaluable information that allows you to create a more informed training plan.
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On The Map
Posted by: Brent Okita, Leon Davis, Lindsay Mann
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 9,500'
On The Map
Hi Brent:
Wishing you and your team good luck and a successful trip to the top of Mt. McKinley. Considering the miserable condition of your trip, please stay safe and healthy. We are proud of what you are attempting to accomplish. Keep up the good work!!
George & Fujiko Okita
Posted by: George and Fujiko Okita on 5/30/2012 at 9:17 pm
Phil- Wishing you and everyone a safe and good climb. You definitely have earned it with all the training you have done. Have fun. Stay warm. Carol and Jon Holmquist
Posted by: Carol Rank on 5/27/2012 at 6:53 pm
On The Map
Keeping you all in our thoughts and prayers. Good luck and enjoy the journey. Love to Andy.
Dad and Nita
Posted by: Nita Pennardt on 5/31/2011 at 7:31 am
Good luck and be safe! Love to Andy!
Mom
Posted by: Ingrid Pennardt on 5/31/2011 at 6:37 am
We did not have so far to go today, so we took it easy getting started at Karanga Camp. We got walking at 9 AM in the perfect morning weather we’ve become accustomed to. The team practiced the “rest step” and some “pressure breathing” on the gradual but steady ascent to 15,200 ft. We took two rest breaks along the way and made the move in less than three hours. Our amazing support team had camp well established at Barafu and that made it quite easy for us to just roll in and rest up. We sat down for lunch together and then lingered for a comprehensive talk about our summit bid. Things had clouded up a little, as we’ve found to be normal in midday, but less sun just made it a little easier to lounge in the tents for the afternoon. Early dinner was in order, because we’ve got big plans for the night. Just when the team thought the day was done, our fabulous chefs and waiters surprised Rob with a birthday cake (brought specially and secretly by runner from Arusha yesterday) and a round of singing and dancing. The entire team will remember Rob’s high altitude birthday for a long time. It is 7:30 PM now and all are in bed. We’ll wake at 11 PM and walk at midnight. We’ve got mountains to climb.
Best Regards
Woohoo!! Looking strong everyone! Can’t wait for tomorrow’s post! Good luck!
Posted by: Alisha Palmef on 8/20/2022 at 11:00 pm
Hi to John and Jeanne!
Been thinking of you two! You and the team are getting there! If I read the report right you have reached 15,200! Can’t wait to hear about this trip and see pictures! Wishing you both well!
Gav and I miss you John! The animals too! All is well though!
It has to feel amazing to FINALLY be on this trip!!! You both keep enjoying the climb!!
Love, Joleen
Posted by: Joleen & Gavin on 8/20/2022 at 9:50 pm
The team enjoyed an evening kayak near the large icebergs on Lago Grey yesterday. Today we had a windy but scenic 6.5 miles through the 2013 wildfire scar. The terrain is a series of rocky bluffs and valleys covered in burned and sun bleached trees. While holding onto thier hats, some were able to get pictures of Glacier Grey. Some, decided to forge ahead and get out of the wind. This Refugio is located on Lago Pehoe pay way) which has a brilliant turquoise color. We got our first views of the Cuernos (horns) of the Paine Massif. A short stay here tonight and we’ll head up the French Valley tomorrow morning on our way to Francis Domes.
Posted by: Brent Okita, Leah Fisher
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 17,200'
On The Map
Stay strong! You are almost there! Well, actually you are already doing and seeing places and things that most of us only dream of, so please appreciate how far you have come as well!
We love you, Dennis!
Shelly, Jon and Tasha
Posted by: Shelly Uhlir on 6/5/2013 at 8:50 pm
Jeff H and friends—Hoping today is the day! Here’s to a fabulous summit.
Posted by: Jill Cathey on 6/4/2013 at 8:52 am
Posted by: Mike Haugen, Jenny Konway, Grayson Swingle
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 7,300'
On The Map
Welcome Home…almost.
Love Mom and Zeppelin
Posted by: Kristi Kennelly on 7/7/2019 at 9:46 am
Posted by: Win Whittaker, Mike Uchal
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
Go ALA Team & Congratulations!
Posted by: Sue Newby-House on 7/19/2015 at 8:19 am
Thanks RMI for another great ALA climb! We appreciate your special care and partnership.
Posted by: Joe on 7/18/2015 at 10:02 pm
Posted by: Brent Okita, Pete Van Deventer
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
Congratulations to Mike and everyone else in this group. Can’t wait to see pictures. What an accomplishment.
Posted by: DEBBIE on 8/21/2012 at 8:15 pm
Daniel, Awesome pics my love…the inter glacier is beautiful. I’m sure the pics don’t do it justice. Rendido ante ti mi amor! Eschchur yo eschando otra did mas had ta, Jennifer
Posted by: Jennifer Penn on 8/21/2012 at 7:01 pm
There are so many choices with heart rate monitors. Can you make a few recommendations? Thank you.
Posted by: Mike on 10/8/2023 at 9:17 pm
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