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Intensity levels/heart rate zones

PETE GLADDEN
Pete’s World

Published: March 27, 2017

Do you train by intensity or do you “run” on gut instinct? And if you do use a heart rate zone system, well, just what system do you use, and more important, how did you formulate your training zones? These are important questions, because as you sharpen your training parameters you delve deeper into the precision world of exercise science.

There’s many systems to track your intensity level during cardiorespiratory activities, but for brevity’s sake I’ll just discuss several of the better known methods. And we’ll progress from the more simplistic/less precise to the more precise/less simplistic.

Let’s start with the most basic, the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale, a system that enables individuals to safely exercise within their perceived limitations. This is a scale of 6 through 20, where 6 equals no exertion and 20 equals maximal exertion. Here you arbitrarily quantify your perceived intensity based upon cues for each numerical exertion level. These cues include expiration rate, ability to converse and hold pace and proximity to muscular exhaustion. It’s a good system for the general unconditioned population, but it’s far less accurate for serious endurance athletes.

Let’s move on to the Target Heartrate Method, a system you’ve probably seen posted in health clubs. Begin by subtracting your age from 220 to get a theoretical max heartrate (HR). Then draw up training zones based on percentages of that max. For example, a 40-year-old would begin with 220-40 = 180. A 60-70 percent HR training zone could be constructed by 180 x .60 = 108, and 180 x. 70 = 126, yielding a training zone of 108 to 126 bpm. It’s much more exacting information than the Borg Scale, but still pretty general.

More precise is the Karvonen Method, but this requires minimum and maximum HR data, the latter of which involves a max-test procedure that’s not recommended for individuals over 50, the obese or folks with cardiovascular issues. In those situations the test must be done under the supervision of medical professionals.

Begin by subtracting HR-min (morning HR) from HR-max to get Heart Rate Reserve (HRR). Next, calculate training zones with the equation, HRR x zone percentage + HR-min. Let’s take that 40-year-old again, with say an actual HR-min of 50 and HR-max of 190. HRR equals 140, so the construction of a 60-70 percent training zone would look like this: 140 x. 6 + 50 = 134, and 140 x .7 + 50 = 148. As you can see, Karvonen yields much more aggressive HR zones, this due to the use of precise HR-min/max information. Now we’re getting somewhere, because this system addresses the fitness level of the athlete. How? Well, the HRR number is an excellent gage of cardiorespiratory fitness - the larger that number, the fitter the athlete, the more aggressive the zones.

Finally, let’s look at my preferred HR training system, what I believe is the gold standard, Lactate Threshold Zone Training. Step one is obtaining a true lactate threshold HR from testing and/or racing. Step two is constructing HR training zones based on that result. Now first of all, you definitely need to have a clean bill of health from your doc prior to any testing, because this is a long sub-maximal effort. It is hard and it will hurt. Period. You may even want to do this test under the auspices of an exercise physiologist or a professional coach. But you can do it yourself. The bike and run involve a 30-minute Time Trial (TT), while the swim involves a 1K TT. And if you’re a triathlete, ouch, you’ll need to test for each of these three disciplines separately.

Now the crucial test number here is average HR for the TT, and this will help to define your Lactate Threshold (LT) zone, what I call Zone 5a. That LT zone is subsequently plotted out on any one of several different tables. After that, viola, all of the other zones, Zone 1 through 5c, fall into place. There are different LT zone tables, and they vary a bit here and there with respect to their zone partitioning, so you’ll have to do a little research and a little tinkering to find the one you feel comfortable with. I personally swear by the LT tables of professional coach, Joel Friel.

If you’re still a bit confused about where to go for more information, email me and I’d be happy to point you in the right direction. Happy training.


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