training by heart rate

Training by heart rate.
There is no “miracle” cardio training routine that will work for every body type or fitness level. But heart rate training comes close.
It is still amazing to me that with so many books on heart rate training, and so many athletes training with heart rate monitors, that the majority of people still do not understand this training concept. But out of the hundreds of my co-workers and fellow triathletes out there training hard, the vast majority still train “by pace” or “by feel”. Even if they do run with a heart rate monitor, they are usually training in the wrong zones. Those people are training very inefficiently. With the majority of athletes having to juggle family and careers you’d think they’d make every minute of training count.
Everybody, no matter what their fitness level, or experience in endurance sports can make improvements through more effective heart rate training. Training in the correct heart rate zones, and in conjunction with the proper training programs will make you faster and build more endurance. Often times accomplishing more gains with less time spent training.
The majority of the triathletes I have trained with thru the years train at what some may call “my pace”. They usually go out and run or bike as fast as they can. Or they simply go out and train at the same time-measured pace at which feels most comfortable, regardless of what their heart rate is telling them. Training by “pace” leads to junk miles and is ineffective training.
These athletes would make better improvements if they trained in a whole range of paces. They should work both aerobic and anaerobic systems. You see pace is simply not a reliable indicator of how hard you are working. To many external factors can affect the effort level required to maintain a certain “pace” such as hills, heat, altitude, wind, fatigue, or even stress levels. All these factors can affect your heart rate.
Athletes training by pace usually end up training in the wrong zones. Why? Because running in the aerobic range seems too easy or comfortable. While high intensity training that develops the anaerobic system is very uncomfortable. It takes focus and discipline to maintain an anaerobic level of effort, and discipline to maintain that level of effort for any period of time. Those that are training by “pace” or by “feel” tend to push beyond the aerobic training zone, but not all the way to the anaerobic training zone because it’s so unpleasant. This in-between area is a “no mans land”. They are going too slow and too fast for optimum training of the aerobic or anaerobic system. They should be careful to avoid this in-between zone, as it leads to performance stagnation!
Effective heart rate training prevents us from training in the wrong zone, and it ensures that all of our training is beneficial and time efficient. Heart rate doesn’t lie. It will tell you how hard you are training. It automatically makes all of the adjustments for heat, wind, altitude, hills, and fatigue- whatever. Heart rate, not pace or how you feel should be your primary indicator of training intensity.
You can estimate your HR levels by using a low-tech method based off your estimated maximum heart rate. Simply subtract your age from 220. This is your max heart rate. You can figure out your training zones based off of your estimated max heart rate. I did this generic method and my max was calculated to 180. I had my heart rate tested at a physiology lab recently, and I found my max heart rate was actually 168. That is a BIG difference. Training by my estimated max heart rate of 180 would make my aerobic pace 12 beats higher than where I know my true aerobic zone to be. In addition your heart rate zones should be based on your lactate threshold. Not your max heart rate.
First I’ll show you how to how to test your lactate threshold (LT). Then I’ll give you your heart rate zones based off your LT. You need a heart rate moniter with an average heart rate function. To find your training zones for the run: warm up well, a 15 minute easy jog should be sufficient. Then do a 30 minute time trial (TT) meaning run ALL OUT for 30 minutes. At the 10 minute mark start your heart rate moniter. Your average heart rate for last 20 minutes of your all out run or TT is your lactate threshold.
To find your LT for the bike: Warm up with easy spinning for 20 minutes. At the end of the warm up do 4X90 seconds of increased effort to get your heart rate elevated. Then do a TT (all out) on a flat course. At the 10 minute mark of your TT start your heart rate monitor. The average heart rate of the last 20 minutes of your TT is your lactate threshold.
Your zones based off your LT are as follows:
Zone-1 60-69% of your LT
Z-2 70-79% of LT
Z3 80-89%
Z-4 90-94%
Z-5 100%+
Zone 1 is for active recovery and extensive endurance.
Zone 2 is for endurance. Both Z-1 & Z-2 are the only zones that you can burn fat, build mitochondria and build more blood capillaries.
Zone 3 is for increasing your lactate threshold levels.
Zone 4 is for tempo runs and bike rides.
Zone 5 is interval training. You should only do work in this zone in the build phase of your program. This zone is where you build your speed. You should only start speed work if you have built up a good aerobic base.
–Cody Hanson