Last week, we began an investigation into using heart rate training zones (HRTZ) in our workouts.
If you missed that one, you can find it by following the link . . . Heart rate training zones – pt 1, understanding complex systems
Fundamentally, HRTZ allows us to be more efficient with our workouts. We can achieve better results during the time spent.
Whether using your strength and conditioning program for sport or general fitness, training should aim to improve power and performance.
To incorporate HRTZ into your workouts, you want to know three crucial heart rate numbers – max heart rate, aerobic threshold, and anaerobic threshold.
Your genetics decide your max heart rate. Training isn’t going to move it. However, max heart rate does incrementally decline with age.
Aerobic and anaerobic thresholds are moments when your body’s energy systems “shift gears” to adjust to rising intensity (power). These gear shifts occur around a particular heart rate determined by your activity and level of health.
Training can move aerobic and anaerobic thresholds closer to your max heart rate. This shift allows you to go farther faster and do more work in less time — i.e., you become more “fit.”
For these emails, I will use aerobic and anaerobic to define the two moments on your energy system continuum on which we base the training zone divisions.
In the previous email, I introduced you to four character profiles I will use to help illustrate some heart rate training concepts — Rookie, Enthusiast, Athlete, and Professional.
Today, we will consider some strategies a Rookie might employ to bring heart rate training into their workouts.
Meet the Rookie
The Rookie exercises consistently. They show up and do the work. The Rookie puts in as much effort as they feel is appropriate. And they’re making progress, which is the most important thing. The Rookie keeps a training journal and is proud of their consistency. But the Rookie feels like they need more challenge.
The Rookie has heard about heart rate training zones. They see that their smartwatch has a training feature that measures heart rate during workouts. The Rookie is interested in learning how to use this feature.
Heart Rate Training For Rookies
If you’ve never used heart rate to guide your training or have used HRTZ before but felt it was more complicated than necessary, this could be for you.
First, you’ll want to start paying attention to what your heart is doing during your workouts. If you already wear a smartwatch (Whoop, Oura, etc.) when you exercise, then you can use that to record your heart rate. If you have a chest strap heart rate monitor, use that.
There are two heart rates you’re going to want to identify and use. The first is your max heart rate. The second is the heart rate associated with your aerobic threshold.
Max Heart Rate To Improve Anaerobic Capacity
With your device securely fastened, record your heart rate when you exercise. At the end of the workout, look to see what your max heart rate was for the session. Record this number in your training journal or wherever you keep track of your activities.
If your tracking device divides your heart rate into training zones, ignore that. You’re not going to need it, and it’s likely inaccurate.
For two weeks, record your max heart rate achieved during workouts. Become aware of the types of exercises that elicit a higher heart rate. Pay attention to how you feel (energy, mood) during and after workouts. Record all of this in your training journal.
After you’ve tracked your max heart rate during your workouts for a while, begin to push yourself during workouts, reaching for higher max heart rates.
Use the max heart rate as a benchmark. Treat new max heart rates like one might for personal bests in a competition or race. You will find it difficult to get a higher max heart rate quickly. You’ll have to work for it.
Once you reach this level, you will want to do this for only some workouts. Pick your days and workouts. Depending on your goals and current fitness level, once a week might be plenty. Once a week might be too much.
Tracking your performance and mood can determine how many times a week you want to go full-throttle in a workout.
Heart Rate For Base Training
Base training, sometimes called Zone 2 training, occurs below your aerobic threshold. Depending on the fitness of the individual, it can be anywhere in the range of 60%–85% of the max heart rate.
There are formulas that people use to estimate their max heart rate and HRTZ. I don’t recommend them. Instead, use the “talk test” and perceived exertion to hone in on your base training effort.
Initially, selecting an easy movement to maintain steady effort is easiest — walking, hiking, jogging, cycling, etc.
Exercise for 45–90 minutes at an intensity that you can carry on a conversation with some effort. You’ll be breathing hard but don’t have to pause the conversation to catch your breath. You want to conduct your base training at a perceived effort of 4–5 on a 1–10 scale.
Monitor your heart rate during these workouts. However, instead of looking at your max heart rate, you will want to look at your average heart rate. Your monitoring device should display this number at the end of the workout.
Over time, two things will happen. One, you’ll know precisely where your aerobic threshold is. And two, as your conditioning improves, you can exercise at higher intensities (power) and elevated heart rates while perceived effort remains the same.
Keeping It Simple
For most people, incorporating the methods I’ve laid out here will massively improve the results of your training efforts. It doesn’t need to be more complicated than this.
In the following email, we will introduce HRTZ strategies for our Enthusiast. The Enthusiast tests and records everything in their training journal. They’ve been tracking their max heart rates in workouts and have a good sense of their aerobic threshold.
Next email in series
Heart rate training zones – pt 3, Entusiasts