System And Method For Relating An Individual's Heart Rate And Power Output During Exercise

• US 20080033311A1
• Filed: 08/07/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Saris Cycling Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Saris Cycling Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Sledge, Jeffrey S.
• Application Number:
  US11/462,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20080033311A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate

Abstract

A system and method for relating heart rate and power output during exercise includes subjecting an individual to a physical activity that involves maintaining power output at a substantially constant level during a time period while monitoring heart rate. For an initial portion of the time period, there is a generally parallel correlation between power output and heart rate. Subsequently, a separation point occurs at which heart rate increases at a relatively rapid rate while power output remains relatively constant, which provides an accurate indication of the individual'"'"'s anaerobic threshold. The separation point may be used to determine an exercise regimen for the individual, which may be used in a variety of ways, including in weight loss or maintenance, athletic training, physical therapy, etc. The physical activity may involve operation of an item of exercise equipment, such as a cycling exerciser, which includes means for sensing power output by the individual.

Claims

1. A method of testing the fitness of an individual, comprising the acts of:

subjecting the individual to a physical activity that involves an output of power by the individual over a time period that includes an initial portion and a terminal portion;

maintaining the power output of the individual at a substantially constant level during at least the terminal portion of the time period; and

monitoring the heart rate of the individual during the time period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the end of the terminal portion of the time period is determined by the time at which the rate of increase of the individual'"'"'s heart rate reaches a predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, including the acts of observing a correlation between the power output and the heart rate of the individual during the initial portion of the time period, and observing a separation point during the terminal portion of the time period at which a non-parallel relationship is exhibited between the power output and heart rate of the individual.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the act of utilizing the separation point to determine an exercise regimen for the individual.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the exercise regimen is associated with a program for the individual selected from the group consisting of a weight loss program, a weight maintenance program, an athletic training program, a physical therapy program, a medical testing program, and a medical rehabilitation program.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of subjecting the individual to a physical activity that involves the output of power is carried out by operation of an item of exercise equipment by the individual.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the act of subjecting the individual to a physical activity that involves the output of power is carried out by operation of a cycling device by the individual, wherein the cycling device includes means for sensing power output by the individual.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the act of subjecting the individual to a physical activity that involves the output of power is carried out by operation of a stationary cycling device by the individual.

9. A fitness test, comprising:

a physical exertion component involving the output of power by an individual over a time period including an initial portion and a terminal portion, and monitoring the individual'"'"'s power output during the time period;

a heart rate monitoring component involving simultaneously monitoring the individual'"'"'s heart rate during the time period; and

a correlation component that relates the individual'"'"'s heart rate to the power output of the individual over the time period.

10. The fitness test of claim 9, wherein the duration of the terminal portion of the time period is determined by the time at which the heart rate of the individual reaches a predetermined threshold.

11. The fitness test of claim 9, wherein the correlation component of the test involves an initial generally parallel correlation between the power output and the heart rate of the individual during the initial portion of the time period, and a subsequent separation correlation at which a non-parallel relationship is exhibited between the power output and heart rate of the individual during the terminal portion of the time period.

12. The fitness test of claim 11, wherein the duration of the time period is determined by the time at which the heart rate of the individual reaches a predetermined threshold during the separation correlation.

13. The fitness test of claim 9, wherein the physical exertion component comprises operation of an item of exercise equipment by the individual.

14. The fitness test of claim 13, wherein the item of exercise equipment comprises a cycling device that includes means for sensing power output by the individual.

15. The fitness test of claim 14, wherein cycling device comprises a stationary cycling device.

16. A fitness testing system, comprising:

means for subjecting an individual to a physical activity that involves an output of power by the individual over a time period;

means for monitoring the power output of the individual over the time period; and

means for simultaneously monitoring the heart rate of the individual over the time period.

17. The fitness testing system of claim 16, further including means for correlating the power output and the heart rate of the individual during the time period.

18. The fitness testing system of claim 17, wherein the means for subjecting the individual to a physical activity comprises an item of exercise equipment, and wherein the means for monitoring the power output of the individual is associated with the item of exercise equipment.

19. The fitness testing system of claim 17, wherein the item of exercise equipment comprises a cycling device and wherein the means for monitoring the power output of the individual comprises means for sensing the power applied by the individual to a pedal arrangement associated with the cycling device.

20. The fitness testing system of claim 19, wherein the cycling device comprises a stationary exercise cycle.