Heart rate training
The idea behind heart rate zone training is that within each zone subtle physiological effects take place to enhance your fitness. Your heart rate training zones are calculated by taking into account your maximum heart rate and your resting heart rate.

To calculate your resting heart rate (RHR) it is best to take the reading first thing in the morning before you have done anything else, take these over 3 consecutive morning and then use the average of these figures.

To calculate your maximum heart rate (MHR) there are quite a few different formulas to use but ultimately the best way is to conduct a stress test. Simply find a good hill and run up it several times as hard as you can jog back down and repeat taking a reading near the top each time you should find that as your eyes are about to pop out you record your highest reading. Of course there is an easier way and that is to use the following formulae but then this isn’t as accurate.

MHR = 217 - (0.85 × age)

Once you have these figures you can then calculate your zones X%:

  • Subtract your RHR from your MHR giving us your working heart rate (WHR)
  • Calculate the required X% on the WHR giving us “Z”
  • Add “Z” and your RHR together to give us the final value

Example: My MHR is 192 and my RHR is 50 so to find my 70% value

  • MHR – RHR = 192 – 50 = 142
  • 70% of 142 = 99
  • 99 + RHR = 99 + 50 = 149 bpm

But what is the point in training in different zones, well as I mentioned earlier each zone has different physiological effects –

60% – 70% is the energy efficient or recovery zone, within this zone you muscles have chance to re-energise with glycogen, which has been expended during those faster paced workouts. This zone also helps develops basic endurance and aerobic capacity which also burns fat which may help you lose weight.

70% – 80% is the aerobic zone, most of my running happens in this zone as it helps develop the cardiovascular system while you run within this zone your body’s ability to transport oxygen to, and carbon dioxide away from, the working muscles can be developed and improved.

80% to 90% is the anaerobic zone which will develop your lactic acid system. During these heart rates, the amount of fat being utilised as the main source of energy is greatly reduced and glycogen stored in the muscle is predominantly used. One of the by-products of burning this glycogen is lactic acid and there is a point at which the body can no longer remove the lactic acid from the working muscles quickly enough. This is your anaerobic threshold (AT) through the correct training, it is possible to delay the AT by being able to increase your ability to deal with the lactic acid for a longer period of time or by pushing the AT higher.

90% to 100% is the red line zone training in this zone will only be possible for short periods as it effectively trains your fast twitch muscle fibres and helps to develop speed. This zone is reserved for interval running and only the very fit are able to train effectively within this zone.

So there you have it, well that is what I have picked up in a relatively short space of time I’m sure there is a lot more to learn and I have only skirted around the issue but I’m sure as I find out more I will make sure I mention it here.