Training Zones
One of the key pieces of an effective training plan is training in different heart rate zones. What does that mean?
Well, for starts our heart rate fluctuates from our resting heart rate (typically 60-80 for nonactive individuals) up to our max. This range is part of what factors into HRV, or heart rate variability (another post on that forthcoming). Both our resting heart rate and max heart rate are impacted by a variety of factors. Some factors are out of our control: genetics, chronic health conditions, etc. Other factors are in our control. These include training in the appropriate zones and learning how to get comfortable pushing ourselves on the high end.
Heart rate “zones” are essentially constructed based on percentages of our maximum heart rate. Paying attention to just one hard workout or even one test to determine your zones is flawed. On any given day our heart rate will also be impacted by fatigue, hydration levels, and environmental factors (heat, mostly) to name a few. So, how do we figure out our appropriate training zones? Using a heart rate monitor consistently, especially when starting a new program. Also, learning how your body feels at different levels of training. Easy training days should feel sustainable for a long time. High-intensity intervals should only feel sustainable for 30 seconds to a few minutes.
So, use a heart rate monitor but also pay attention to how you feel at a certain effort level. You should spend most of your time at a level/zone that feels very comfortable. For most people that is 60-70% of maximal heart rate. Don’t worry about speed when trying to train easy, especially if the sport is new! (More experienced runners will be comfortable gauging their runs off of mile pace, but if you are just getting started in running. Or just new to more structured training. Don’t worry about paces. The speed will come!)
It’s also important to tap into our high-end heart rate 1-2 times a week. Start short (30-60 seconds) and give yourself plenty of recovery (2-3 minutes). Over time, you can extend the “on time” of an interval and shorten the recovery. But to start, give your body a chance to absorb that hard work!
