A scientific approach for Mt. Whitney hiking (8) ~ Apply heart rate training method to a hiking

Trail Camp @ Mt. Whitney Trail

Strength of exercise and human body reaction

   Back to the running world, there is a method called “heart rate based training”.   It is a known thing that the heart rate has a good relationship with a strength of exercise.   Typically a percentage of the maximum heart rate or possible range of heart rage defines a class of the strength.    Depending on the purpose of training, people can pick a right range of the heart rate during a training.

   For long distance running or hiking, one of key factor is LT (Lactic Threshold) where is a point the blood concentration of lactate and / or lactic acid begins to exponentially increase in the blood in certain level of strength of exercise.   It is not only a factor to continue do exercise for a long time, but it is one of major factor to continue to do certain level of strength of exercise for a long time.

   Since required amount of oxygen for a certain level of exercise won’t change.  If people are in a low oxygen environment, then they needs to increase the heart rate to provide required amount of oxygen.  Therefore, even if the moving pace is not changed, but the heart rate will be increasing as a body reaction when the altitude is getting higher.

 Heart rate monitor

(wear on the chest)

   This indicates equivalent strength of exercise is increasing.   So that a similar concept could be applied to define a reasonable pace with given heart rate number.

   Also, once people is taking a rest, the heart rate supposes to be lower.  However, if the heart rate stays high, I think it indicates that the current altitude is beyond the safe zone for that person at the altitude.  Only difficult part would be I do not have a clear idea what heart rate number needs to be considered that situation.   To define the value, we need to have more data from various people / situations.

   Activity tracker which can monitor the real time heart rate

(Garmin VivoSmart)

   At least, it is a better method to use "heart rate" instead of the SPO value by pulse oximeter for a short term hiking.   Nowadays, there are many devices which can monitor the real time heart rate in the outdoor fields.

(To be continue .....)