Heart Rate Zone Training
Why do I care?
• Understanding your HR and the Zones can allow
you to:
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Train more efficiently.
See improvement quicker.
Workout longer.
Exercise safer.
Monitor fitness.
Maximum Heart Rate (MHR)
Basic Calculation: 220 – age = MHR
• To establish your actual MHR you should do a
properly supervised test.
• Calculation is only an estimate.
• The type of sport: The calculations relate to
running. MHR for swimming and cycling may be
lower by 5 to 10 bpm.
• Females tend to have a higher MHR then males
• It is genetically determined and can vary.
• Drugs/medication can affect it.
• A higher MHR does not predict better
performance.
• It is the anchor point used for HR training zones.
Aerobic vs Anaerobic Exercise
• ACSM, describes aerobic exercise as "any activity
that uses large muscle groups, can be maintained
continuously, and is rhythmic in nature."
• Anaerobic activity may target large or small muscle
groups and differs from aerobic activity in that it
involves short bursts of strenuous exertion, followed
by periods of rest.
• Thus, aerobic activity generally has a low to
moderate-intensity and long duration, while
anaerobic activity is highly intense and shortlasting.
Aerobic vs Anaerobic
Aerobic
Anaerobic
• Ability to exercise or compete
for a long period of time.
• Low to Moderate intensity.
• Large muscle groups.
• Heart rate and breathing do
increase.
• Less recovery time.
• Ability to work at a high intensity
for a short period of time.
• Anaerobic exercise can only last for
about 40 secs, about the time it
takes a world class 400m runner to
complete the race.
• The repayment comes in the form of
gasping breaths at the end of
activity.
• This is to enable as much oxygen as
possible to get back into the
respiratory system and to eliminate
as much of the waste product as
possible.
• This is known as OXYGEN DEBT.
Sample training zones
Healthy Heart Zone
(50 to 60% of MHR)
• Goals:
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Develop your basic endurance and aerobic capacity.
Easiest and most comfortable zone.
Burn mostly fat calories.
Burn approximately 5 calories per minute.
You get healthier in this zone, but not more fit -- that
is, it won't increase your endurance or strength but it
will increase your health.
▫ Great zone to start a fitness program.
▫ Benefits: lowered blood pressure, lowered cholesterol,
decreased risk of degenerative diseases.
Fact
• The body does burn a higher percentage of
calories from fat in the 'fat burning zone' or at
lower intensities. But, at higher intensities, you
burn a greater number of overall calories which
is what you should be concerned about when
trying to lose weight.
Temperate Zone
(60-70% of MHR)
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Can maintain conversation during.
Intensity is comfortable to moderate.
Burn 85% fat calories.
Burns approximately 5-8 calories per minute.
Benefits: healthy heart, fat mobilization by
moving fat from cell, fat to muscle, increase of
mitochondria, increase of fat release from fat
cell.
Aerobic Zone
70-80% of MHR
• Preferred zone for highest amount of benefits per time.
• Metabolizing fats and carbohydrates at about a 50-50
rate.
• Intensity is moderate to high.
• Able to speak in short sentences.
• Burn 8-10 calories per minute.
• Benefits: improved functional capacity, increases
number and size of blood vessels, respiratory rate, max
pulmonary ventilation, pulmonary diffusion, increase in
difference in arterial – oxygen, increase in size and
strength of heart.
Threshold Zone
(80 to 90% of MHR)
• Transition from aerobic to anaerobic
metabolism.
• Get faster and fitter, many athletes regularly
train in this zone.
• Burning more carbohydrates than fat.
• Expend 10-15 calories per minute.
• You can stay in this zone only for a limited
amount of time, usually not more than an hour.
Red Line Zone
90-100% of MHR
• For performance and athletes.
• This is the equivalent of going all out.
• Most common as "interval" training -- exertion done
only in short bursts.
• World-class athletes can stay in this zone for only a few
minutes at a time.
• It's not a zone most people will select for exercise since
working out here hurts and there is an increased
potential for injury.
• Expend 15-18 calories per minute.
Review
Target heart rate training allows you to control
your exercise routine by keeping track or how
hard you are working by keeping track of your
heart rate during exercise.
Staying in your proper target heart rate zone
means you seeing better results from your
exercise routine.