Hi Steve,

I am interested in your comment below.

Steve Thatcher wrote:
You max heart rate will usually be higher for sking than running
because you are using your arms as well. More muscles involved, more
load on the heart, higher rate. Most people base their training zones
on Lactate Threshold heart rate. That is because LTHR is a better
indication of potential and it can be trained. LTHR is the item you
want to get higher. Read up on it. A good way to determine LTHR is to
go as heard as you can for 30-60 minutes and take your average HR
during that period. Then look up the zones bases on LTHR and plan from
there.

I thought this as well. Until I got tested.

First a bit of background. I was doing triathalon training and had some
treadmill testing done. This is where they crank up the speed every
three minutes until you cannot continue. They monitor your heartrate
and every three minutes take a blood sample. The blood is used to
figure out the latate levels. At the end of the day you get your
standard set of five training zones. (The LTHR being the boundry
between zones 2 and zone 3.)

They did the same thing for me on a bike. The bike zones were about 20%
lower.

The following winter I did a similar test with me skiing around a 400m
track. The surprising results were that the ski zones were about the
same as the bike zones, not higher than the run zones as I would have
expected.

My skiing ability is far superior to my running and cycling ability
(~20 years of ski training as opposed to two of triathlon training).
Two other people we tested that day and they had similar results. (I
skate skied they did classic). I understand the theory of more muscles
involved = more load on the heart, so I have always been puzzeled by
the results.

Is it generally known that the ski zones are higher? Is it highly
variable between individuals? Has anyone else been tested in a similar
manner for skiing?

Cheers,
Alvis