Calibrating Your Inner Power Meter: How to Train Better with RPE

Training Babble: Off-Road Insights for Mountain Bike and Gravel Cycling

Summary
In this episode, Coach Dave discusses the importance of calibrating your inner power meter by pairing your perception of effort with objective metrics like power, heart rate, and pace. He emphasizes the need to tune into how different sensations feel and not blindly follow the numbers on your devices. Dave explains the three energy systems our bodies use and how they work together during different intensities. He also challenges the idea of false precision in training and encourages athletes to focus on effort and how their body feels rather than getting fixated on specific numbers.

Takeaways

• Pair your perception of effort with objective metrics to get more accurate information about your training.
• Tune into how different sensations feel to account for variability in devices and conditions.
• Understand the three energy systems and how they work together during different intensities.
• Training is not as precise as it may seem, so focus on effort and how your body feels rather than getting fixated on specific numbers.
• Pay attention to your breathing and how your legs feel to gauge the intensity of your workouts.