Training Science Podcast How Much Training Is Enough & Why Heart Rate Still Matters - With Dr Ibrahim Akubat and Dr Martin Buchheit
Oct 17, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Dr. Ibrahim Akubat, a sports science researcher specializing in training load and heart-rate monitoring, joins Dr. Martin Buchheit, an expert in exercise physiology. They delve into the importance of heart rate in training, revealing that even a minimal dose of around 30 minutes a week can yield significant benefits. The duo explores the evolution of heart rate metrics, the relevance of TRIMP, and how to personalize training for better performance. They also weigh the trade-offs between time-in-zone and traditional metrics, making it clear that heart rate is still key in modern coaching.
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Why Heart Rate Was Neglected
- Heart rate monitoring fell out of favor as GPS metrics became the flashy new tool, despite HR capturing internal load that drives adaptation.
- Academics and practitioners under-explained HR's value while GPS's novelty shifted focus away from internal-load education.
Use Individualized TRIMP As Load Target
- Use TRIMP to combine duration and heart-rate intensity into a single weekly training-load target that guides periodization.
- Prefer individualized TRIMP weightings when possible because generic weights often weaken dose-response relationships.
400–500 TRIMP: Practical Weekly Benchmark
- Across multiple team-sport studies a weekly individualized TRIMP break-even to maintain fitness clustered around 400–500 units.
- That gives practitioners a practical weekly target to plan sessions and recovery with more confidence.
