How easy it is to independently assess your fitness for mountain biking
Content
There are several indicators that determine its current shape.
Stress, appetite and nutrition, quality and duration of sleep, body pain are very good indicators.
By following a simple protocol, it is easy to visualize its shape and evolution. It’s like dieting: it’s not enough to put in the effort to achieve your goal, you have to measure it in order to understand where you are and to realize the remaining path you need to travel to reach your goal.
Every week, note your resting heart rate as soon as you wake up for one minute, which gives you a good indication of your physical fitness: a lower than average heart rate can be considered a good sign, while the opposite indicates recovery. hard.
But in the pursuit of optimal MTB training, it is important to know the state of its shape and its evolution. This allows routes to be chosen appropriately for fun or finding difficulties with full knowledge of the facts.
On UtagawaVTT it is relatively interesting to know how to enter the complexity matrix of the IBP index, which will allow you to know the REAL complexity according to its form state.
It is also an awareness of the success of regular practice, sessions to transcend oneself, and gradually observing the results on one's body.
Finally, it allows you to obtain a special status and better plan future classes in accordance with the chosen goal.
How to evaluate its shape?
Fitness scores are directly related to heart rate and fitness weight.
You must know how to measure your heart rate - with a heart rate monitor or manually.
To measure your heart rate manually:
- Place two fingers at the base of the thumb on the wrist, to the left of the tendon if it is the left hand, to the right of the right hand.
- Increase the pressure or slightly wiggle your fingers until you feel a pulse
- Count the number of beats in one minute. The normal rhythm in an adult is between 50 and 100 beats per minute.
Here are some simple protocols for measuring your shape.
Les tests
You can take these measurements weekly or daily and track the change in the measured values.
Resting heart rate and maximum heart rate
These are two very simple indexes to calculate and give a quick overview.
Reading your resting heart rate and tracking its progress is a good way to understand your state of fatigue.
For reliable measurements, they must be carried out under the same conditions of rest: for example, always upon waking up or before going to bed and, if possible, always the next day after a day without physical activity.
A low resting heart rate is usually a good condition.
If there are big changes in your heart rate and you feel tired or lacking in performance, listen to your body and slow down your workouts.
In terms of your maximum heart rate during exercise (max effort, of course), if it is close to your absolute maximum heart rate, it means you are in very good physical shape.
On the other hand, if your heart rate cannot increase during intense cardiovascular exercise, it is because you are tired and you need to do it gradually.
Calculate your absolute maximum heart rate using the Astrand method
FCMa = 226 - your age for women
FCMa = 220 is your age for men.
For example, if you are 45 and a man, your absolute maximum heart rate would be 175 beats per minute.
Ruffier and Dixon test protocol
The heart rate is measured in three stages:
After Repurchase (lying down) for at least 3 minutes, the patient's pulse is measured in beats per minute (P1)
The subject is then asked to perform 30 leg curls in 45 seconds with his arms extended in front of him. After 45 seconds of effort, the pulse (P2) is measured immediately.
The subject lies down again and the pulse is measured exactly one minute after the end of the flexion (P3);
Rufier Index
calculation
Rufier index = (P1 + P2 + P3) - 200/10
Interpretation
- Index <0 = très bonne adaptation to effort
- 0 <индекс <5 = оптимальная адаптация к усилиям
- 5 <индекс <10 = адаптация без усилий
- 10 <индекс <15 = адаптация без дополнительных усилий
- 15 <индекс = мовез адаптация к усилиям
Dixon index
calculation
Dixon index = ((P2-70) + 2 (P3-P1)) / 10
Interpretation
- Index <0 = excellent
- 0 to 2 = very good
- 2 to 4 = good
- 4 to 6 = medium
- 6 to 8 = weak
- 8 to 10 = very low 10 <index = poor adaptation
Optimal weight calculation: methods
In general, the shape also matches the weight.
There are several tools for calculating your ideal weight. However, it should be noted that these methods are simple indicators and remain approximate.
Body mass index and healthy weight
BMI, or body mass index, is very easy to calculate to find a healthy weight.
Some nutritionists consider the ideal weight to be a BMI of 22.
calculation
BMI = weight / (height) ²
Interpretation
- Less than 18,5 = lean
- 18,5 to 25 = Normal physique
- 25 to 30 = overweight
- 30 to 35 = moderately obese
- 35 to 40 = severely obese
- More than 40 = morbid obesity
Kreff's formula
Ideal weight = (height-100 + age / 10) x 0,9.
Brock's formula
Ideal weight in kg = height in cm - 100
Disadvantages
As we can see with different methods, for shape or shape weight, the results are different for the same object.
Indeed, it is very difficult to give an absolute definition to what remains very subjective and affects such a living organism as a person.
Do not remember that these methods simply provide a first impression of the state of the form, because none of these calculations take into account the specific body composition or context of the subject (sedentary, hypersport ...).
Form: a matter of feeling above all else
Form is, first of all, a matter of how a person feels. It is individual for each person and depends on his own perception.
Likewise, over the course of life, the idea of ideal shape or weight can change significantly.
Therefore, the form should be such that you feel good in your body and that allows you to perform the actions you choose to please yourself or achieve your goals.
