Heat Training

[robeambro]

Welcome back to another silly thread by me.

Was looking at the INEOS YT channel where they just released a video showing Dan Bigham's prep ahead of his Hour Record ride. Among the many interesting bits, I was intrigued by how much emphasis was put on heat management. Not surprised by the concept, but by the extreme lengths (e.g. eating kilos of ice cubes!) they went to keep his core temperature down.

Which got me to think, it's very clear in existing literature that heat acclimatisation is important when one is then riding/racing in the heat, and there's many ways one can become acclimatised. However, does the same still holds when the subject is not racing in very hot conditions? I mean, one's body temperature will still be relatively hot when making an effort, thus the body's "improved heat management" can still come in handy.. No?

I suppose I am asking whether there's merit in doing my mindless 1.5h Z1/Z2 winter rides on the turbo without the fan on.

[Andrew69]

Welcome back to another silly thread by me.

Thanks! I feel right at home here because I often wonder about some dumb shit...just ask my wife

I suppose I am asking whether there's merit in doing my mindless 1.5h Z1/Z2 winter rides on the turbo without the fan on.

In a word...no

Heat acclimasation is only relevant if you are riding/racing in the heat when coming from a cool season and/or climate.
For example, I know several fairly high level triathletes that raced the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii coming out of our Australian winter (which is very mild by European or North American standards) so they would often ride their trainers in a small rooms heated well over 35 deg C with humidity as high as they could get it because that is what they were expecting come race day.
However, doing that type of training "just because" is pretty much pointless.
Im not sure where I heard it but someone once said that unless you are training to become heat acclimated, the puddle of sweat under your bike is just lost opportunity to work harder on the bike by properly cooling yourself during the workout AND it also delays your recovery from the training session meaning not only have you set yourself back during that workout, but also in subsequent workouts if you arent careful.

[robeambro]

Welcome back to another silly thread by me.

Thanks! I feel right at home here because I often wonder about some dumb shit...just ask my wife

I suppose I am asking whether there's merit in doing my mindless 1.5h Z1/Z2 winter rides on the turbo without the fan on.

In a word...no

Heat acclimasation is only relevant if you are riding/racing in the heat when coming from a cool season and/or climate.
For example, I know several fairly high level triathletes that raced the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii coming out of our Australian winter (which is very mild by European or North American standards) so they would often ride their trainers in a small rooms heated well over 35 deg C with humidity as high as they could get it because that is what they were expecting come race day.
However, doing that type of training "just because" is pretty much pointless.
Im not sure where I heard it but someone once said that unless you are training to become heat acclimated, the puddle of sweat under your bike is just lost opportunity to work harder on the bike by properly cooling yourself during the workout AND it also delays your recovery from the training session meaning not only have you set yourself back during that workout, but also in subsequent workouts if you arent careful.

Thanks! I suspected that would be the case, but I had to ask regardless. Now I've got to think of another silly thread

[Requiem84]

There is increasing scientific evidence that heat training has more benefits than simply adapting to heat for hotter events.

For example, it's been analysed that heat training results in an increase of blood plasma by a few percents, which typically is beneficial for performance. It's a relatively new performance field within cycling and many of the more traditional cyclist are still laughing about it mostly, but I expect to see quite some enthusiastic amateurs moving to some periods of heat training during the year, even if their performance event is in cooler temps.

[jo.k]

Not only blood plasma, but also hemoglobin weight. Power output also went up when test subjects went through heat training intervention for five weeks.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35394464/

[robeambro]

Things are getting interesting - though I do wonder whether DIY methods such as "not turning the fan on" would achieve the same effect as the techniques described in the paper..

[Requiem84]

Things are getting interesting - though I do wonder whether DIY methods such as "not turning the fan on" would achieve the same effect as the techniques described in the paper..

It will probably help to do heat training in a structured (and controlled) manner. If you 'do not turn the fan on', you don't really know how much your core temperature is increasing etc.

[spokenwords]

I dont remember for sure but...I dont think the heat training has to be for a very long duration in order to get the adaptation. Maybe just 30 minutes or so.

[Andrew69]

Not only blood plasma, but also hemoglobin weight. Power output also went up when test subjects went through heat training intervention for five weeks.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35394464/

Would love to see the full study, you cant learn much from just the abstract.
Ronnesstad et al also did an almost identical study in elite cross country skiers and found similar overall results, however, the figure showing pre and post study hemoglobin mass is extremely interesting in that around half of participants saw a substantial increase in Hb mass, where as the other half saw a decrease in mass!
It seems to be one of those interventions where you either respond fantastically, or you go backwards.

[Andrew69]

I dont remember for sure but...I dont think the heat training has to be for a very long duration in order to get the adaptation. Maybe just 30 minutes or so.

The linked study above was 5x50 min sessions per week for 5 weeks