In MTB there is a mistake that many people make: starting by feeling.
At first, everything seems under control. Your legs are moving, you're breathing, your pace is good. Then, without realizing it, something changes: your breathing becomes shorter, your legs stiffen, and halfway through the run, you're already at the limit.
The problem is not physical fitness.
It's that you're driving "without instruments."
Your heart is your tachometer
Heart rate is the simplest and most direct way to understand how hard you are really working.
It's yours internal tachometer.
If you learn to read it, you always know:
- if you're pushing too hard
- if you can pick up the pace
- if you are managing your energy well
And this completely changes the way you experience an outing.
Not only do you pedal better, but you also arrive on the descents with greater clarity.
Why it is even more important for the cycling enthusiast
Those who don't train in a structured way have an additional problem:
the perception of effort is often unreliable.
There are days when you feel good and you push too hard.
Others where you're tired and you don't notice it right away.
Added to this are factors that have nothing to do with training:
- hot
- stress.
- sonno
- supply
And if you're no longer very young, these variables weigh even more.
It is precisely in these cases that heart rate becomes fundamental:
It gives you an objective reference when sensations aren't enough.
“I go by feeling” is like driving in the dark
Saying “I go by feeling” may seem natural, but it is often a limitation.
It's a bit like driving at night with your headlights off, relying only on what you can see on the side of the road.
Sooner or later you make mistakes.
Heart rate, on the other hand, gives you a clear guide.
It allows you to manage effort more precisely and efficiently.
Work areas: understanding without complicating things
There is no need to get into complex discussions.
All you need to know is that there are different intensity zones, linked to the percentage of your maximum heart rate.
| Area | Intensity | % HR max | Sensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Z2 | Easy | 60-70% | Fluid conversation |
| Z3 | moderate | 70-80% | More engaged breathing |
| Z4 | High | 80-90% | Significant effort |
| Z5 | Maximum | 90-100% | Short and intense effort |
The Z2: the biker's true ally
Here comes the point that many don't want to hear.
The most useful area for most bikers is the Z2.
Yes, the one that is often considered “slow”.
It is actually the area where:
- build endurance
- you really improve your physical condition
- you can stay in the saddle for a long time without destroying yourself
For an amateur cyclist, most of the climbs should be here, or at most slightly stray into the lower Z3.
“But the pros go faster…”
It's the classic objection.
But we're not talking about speed or watts here.
We are talking about energy mechanisms.
Athletes like Tadej Pogačar also spend a lot of their time in Z2.
Not because they go slowly, but because it is the area that allows them to work efficiently and sustainably.
Their Z2 is faster than yours, but the type of work is the same.
How to apply it immediately on your outings
Next time you go out, try this:
- start slowly and let the frequency rise gradually
- on long climbs it stays in Z2
- If you see that you are going too high, slow down before you go out of control.
- avoid long stretches in Z4 if you are not trained
At first, it may seem like you're going slowly.
Then something interesting happens:
after an hour you are still fresh, whereas before you would already be tired.
In short (Italian only)
Heart rate is the simplest tool to really improve your MTB riding.
It helps you to:
- don't explode
- manage effort better
- arrive on the descent more lucid
- have more fun
And above all it gives you something that is often missing: awareness.
And that's where all improvement starts.
