While the bike computer beeps, the heart rate monitor presses and the smartphone constantly demands new training data, some bikers simply enjoy the ride - and still train effectively. Training by feel, i.e. the conscious decision not to constantly record data using a heart rate monitor or power meter, has not died out. What is particularly remarkable is that even professionals such as Swiss mountain bike marathon specialist Urs Huber swear by this method, and his successes prove him right. But how can you train effectively without constantly monitoring your watts and heart rate? And who is this approach suitable for?
Advantages and disadvantages of training by feel
Advantages:
- Greater flexibility in adapting to the form of the day
- Greater focus on the driving experience instead of numbers
- Better development of body awareness and the feeling of exertion
- No need to purchase expensive measuring devices
- Less dependence on technical devices
- Greater confidence in your own abilities
- Promotion of flow experiences through fewer distractions
Disadvantages:
- More difficult to quantify training progress
- Risk of over- or underchallenging, especially for beginners
- Precise control of high-intensity intervals of demanding
- Less comparability and objective data for training analysis
- Less structured training without clear objectives
- Possible neglect of certain intensity ranges
The art of body awareness
Training by feel is based on highly developed body awareness. Over time, experienced bikers learn to interpret their body's signals precisely. "Breathing is one of the most reliable indicators of the current intensity of exertion," explains Florian Schön, former national MTB rider and team rider for Team Scott Generation. "If I can still speak complete sentences, I'm in the basic range. If only short groups of words are possible, I'm already in the intensive exertion range."
Florian has been training successfully for many years without any technical aids. In addition to breathing, muscle tension, the general feeling of exhaustion and, last but not least, the mental state also play a decisive role. With increasing training experience, bikers develop a finer and finer sense of these signals and can control their intensity accordingly.
I tried it out several times, but had to admit to myself that a fixed training plan doesn't suit my erratic life. In my private life, I only train by feel. However, a trained body awareness is a prerequisite. The development of this starts in childhood. In my experience, bikers with a lifelong sporting socialisation in particular can benefit from training by feel. - Jan Timmermann, Head of the BIKE Fitness editorial team
Freedom instead of number slavery
A key advantage of feeling-based training is the freedom it gives you. "I realise that practically every amateur athlete today is already investing in training planning, measurement systems and so on. Sure, it can be fascinating, but for me the joy of movement and the experience has always been greater," emphasises Bulls pro Urs Huber. Moving away from technical devices and permanent data monitoring can lead to a more relaxed approach to training for bikers. They can react more flexibly to the form of the day, spontaneously adjust the intensity and don't have to be pressurised by predetermined figures. It is precisely this flexibility that can lead to more enjoyment of training in the long term and thus to greater motivation - a factor that should not be underestimated for long-term success.
Limits of feelings-based training
Despite all the advantages, training by feel also has its limits. Beginners in particular can easily misjudge their workload without the appropriate reference values. "Without experience, there is a risk of over- or under-exertion," warns Florian Schön. "Occasional performance diagnostics as a reality check can therefore also be useful for feel-based training." In addition, it is more difficult to quantify training progress without objective measurements. While experienced bikers can perceive subtle improvements in their body awareness, beginners often lack the necessary comparative values. Another aspect: during high-intensity interval training, precise control by feel can be particularly challenging, as small differences in intensity can have a big impact.
Practical implementation in everyday training
If you want to train by feel, you can use some tried and tested methods as a guide. The Borg scale or RPE values (Rating of Perceived Exertion) offer a structured way of categorising the subjective feeling of exertion. On a scale of 6 to 20, a value of 11-12 corresponds to easy basic training, while values around 17-18 already represent high-intensity exertion. Breathing control is also a practical tool: as long as complete sentences are possible, you are in the aerobic range. If bikers can only speak single words, they are already travelling in the anaerobic range.
Professionals like Urs Huber also utilise muscle perception: "I can feel very precisely when my legs are getting heavy and when the kick still feels round and loose." Training by feel is therefore a valuable alternative to data-driven training methods. It requires experience, self-discipline and good body awareness, but can lead to less commitment, more training enjoyment and lasting success, especially for experienced bikers - provided you learn to interpret your own body's signals correctly and act accordingly.
Interview with Urs Huber: Training by feel as a recipe for success
Swiss rider Urs Huber (Team Bulls) is one of the most successful mountain bike marathon riders in the world. In this interview, he explains why he doesn't use a heart rate monitor or power meter.
BIKE: Why don't you train with a heart rate monitor or a power meter?
URS HUBER: In my case, I got into (elite) sport more by chance. I was never given any special support. It was always learning by doing. So the question of a power meter never came up for a long time and it worked anyway. I also made it my game as a 'freestyler' to challenge top coached athletes and often drive them to despair. I always have a heart rate monitor with me, but not for training control, but more to compare how I feel after training with the recorded heart rate values.
How can you train specifically and achieve peak performance without these aids?
I was never afraid to try something when I was young. And I made a lot of mistakes in the process. However, whenever something didn't go well, I always tried to get to the bottom of it and did it differently the next time. Until I finally found out what worked for me. When I analysed things with my colleagues after the races, it always turned out that my assessments were confirmed by the values I had achieved. So I never saw any reason to lug around a measuring device.
Weren't you curious to see how it feels to train with these devices?
I may have wasted some of my potential. However, joy has always been my greatest motivation. I was also afraid that too many numbers would drive me crazy. I would have been dissatisfied and demoralised if I hadn't achieved the figures I was aiming for. Looking back, I'm sure that my career would have been over sooner if I had trained according to a plan that didn't give me complete satisfaction.
What tips can you give bikers who want to train by feel?
Enjoy the joy of exercise and the experience. Go your own way and invest the money in a cool bike weekend rather than a training plan.
Jan Timmermann
Editor
