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Published: 10/15/2024💡 Tips|🏋 Fitness
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Heart rate monitor training — what's the importance of heart rate in sports?
Training heart rate is the first parameter we pay attention to when we want to improve our performance, stamina or burn more body fat. Not sure what heart rate zone to run in to lose weight, or perhaps how to boost your stamina? Keep reading to learn more about the differences between the devices and ways to train with a heart rate monitor.
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What is a heart rate monitor, and why is it worth exercising with it?
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Determining heart rate zones — the core of heart rate monitor training
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Interval, strength and endurance training — how to train with a heart rate monitor
In this article:
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💓 Training heart rate is a key parameter for improving stamina and burning fat.
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Determining heart rate zones is crucial for the effectiveness of a heart rate monitor training.
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Interval training, strength training and endurance training require different heart rate zones and have various metabolic aims.
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There are some extra issues concerning heart rate monitor training, such as sticking to your heart rate zone and using training for different purposes.
Short summary:
What is a heart rate monitor, and why is it worth exercising with it?
Before we go on to explain heart rate zones, maximum heart rate and other words that should sound familiar even to a beginner athlete, let us say a few words about the device itself.
A heart rate monitor is a device that allows you to monitor your heart rate in real time, so you can optimise the pace of your workouts, achieve your goals more easily and keep yourself safe. It works similarly to an ECG machine, reading the changes in electrical impulses that reflect the heartbeat. The monitor records the constriction of arterial vessels — the greater the effort, the higher the pulse in the blood vessels.
The first heart rate monitors appeared in the 1980s and were primarily used by professional athletes. Today, most cyclists, runners and even gym-goers have the device on them, so they don't have to figure out their body reactions.
We distinguish the following heart rate monitors:
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classic — consists of a chest strap with a sensor. They transmit a signal to a receiver, allowing the heart rate to be read.
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one-piece — a watch or ring — reads the heart rate using an infrared sensor. They are considered less accurate than chest-strap based models and often work with a delay, but most people are keen to use them as they’re convenient to use and feature plenty of extra features.
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Determining heart rate zones — the core of heart rate monitor training
If you want to train with a heart rate monitor, you need to establish your heart rate zones to get the best quality and efficiency of each workout. More advanced devices can calculate them automatically, monitoring the heart zone you’re training in, but it is always worth checking the numbers.
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90-100% HRmax — zone 5 — very difficult training — improving stamina and speed endurance. It shouldn’t be continued for too long.
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80-90% HRmax — zone 4 — difficult training — stamina improvement. The body will make better use of carbohydrates as an energy source.
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70-80% HRmax — zone 3 — moderate intensity training — aerobic function improvement. Lactic acid begins to accumulate in this zone.
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60-70% HRmax — zone 2 — light workout — general stamina improvement and body fat burning. You can exercise in this zone for a longer period of time; oxidation processes in the body are improved, the organism burns fat, and muscle endurance increases with the density of capillaries.
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50-60% HRmax — zone 1 — very light workout — helpful in recovery, preparing for training in higher zones, e.g. walking, cycling.
For example, for a woman in her 30s with an HRmax of 194, zone 5 would fall between 175–193 beats, zone 4: 155-174, zone: 3 136-154, zone 2: 116-135, and zone 1: 97-115.
Some studies distinguish three heart rate zones:
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Zone 1 — low-intensity effort at about 60-70% of HRMax, aerobic training (sometimes the range is between 50-70%).
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Zone 2 — threshold effort around the lactate threshold at about 85-91% or slightly lower.
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Zone 3 — overtraining, commonly referred to as VO2max — heart rate values are not measured here. These activities are performed with the highest intensity.
Start by determining your maximum heart rate
First, determine your maximum heart rate. A stress test yields the most precise measurements, but you can also use a general formula, which is perfect for recreational and amateur sports.
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226 — age (women) = HRmax
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220 — age (men) = HRmax
For example, a maximum heart rate for a man aged 30 will be 220 — 30 = 190 beats per minute, and for a woman of the same age it will be 196 beats. If you do not want to use this formula, you can always resort to the heart rate formula by Sally Edwards:
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For women: HRmax = 210 - 0.5 x age - 0.022 x weight
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For men: HRmax = 210 - 0.5 x age - 0.022 x weight +4
For a 30-year-old man with a body weight of 80 kilograms, we obtain the following result using this formula:
210 - 0.5 x 30 - 0.022 x 80 + 4 = 197.24, or 197 in round numbers.
Now let’s say it’s a woman of the same age weighing roughly 65 kg:
210 - 0.5 x 30 - 0.022 x 65 = 193.57, or rounded up to 194.
What if you have already achieved or exceeded the HRmax calculated according to the formula during a workout? If this is the case, add 5 to the maximum value measured by your heart rate monitor. If, for example, you have reached 190, and your HRmax according to the formula equals the value, assume that it is higher, and its result is 195.
If you don't want to use formulas, you can also measure HRmax yourself. Go for a 5 km or 10 km run at maximum capacity. After a warm-up and a 20-minute run, do a 4-minute run, giving it your all. The result will be your maximum heart rate.
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View productDon't overlook resting heart rate
Percent values calculated from maximum heart rate do not take into account an individual’s fitness. That’s why we consider resting heart rate. There are no formulas available here — just use a watch and check, preferably in the morning, what is the lowest value on your heart rate monitor. Don't check averages or statistics, but go for the lowest value — the more fit a person is, the lower the values tend to be.
If you know your maximum heart rate and resting heart rate, you can determine your heart rate reserve, which is the difference between these values. Let’s say that the lowest recorded heart rate value was 45 and the maximum was 190. The reserve equals 145 beats. What do you need that value for? It is the basis for making further calculations of energy zones.
It's all about changing the intensity of the heart function. See: a person with a decreased fitness level, even of the same age and weight, can increase the intensity of effort by 60% while their heart rate value amounts to 160, when a fit person achieving the same value of 160 will work 80% more intensively.
The following formula is used to calculate the values:
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Number of heartbeats — HRrest x 100 / HRmax - HRrest
For example, for a person with a resting heart rate of 45, maximum heart rate of 190, while running at 150 BPM heart rate: (150-45) x 100 / 190 - 45 = 72.4 - this means that your heart is working at an intensity that’s 72% higher.
The second example for a person with a lower fitness level and with a resting heart rate of 80, maximum heart rate of 190, while running at 150 BPM: (150-80) x 100 / 190 - 80 = 63.6 - this means that this person's heart is working at an intensity that's 63% higher.
What does it mean? It means that person 1 will start to feel fatigue sooner and reach such high values quicker. It may also mean entering another heart rate zone which one may not be aware of. This is especially important for long-distance runners, such as marathoners.
If you don't want to bother with such complex calculations, you can use the Karvonen formula:
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maximum heart rate = % heart rate reserve + resting heart rate.
For example, 85% of HR Reserve + resting HR equals 85% x 145 + 45 = 168.3, and in a person with lower fitness level 85% of Hr Reserve + HR rest equals 85% x 110 + 80 = 173.5.
The differences can be smaller and larger in different people. It is worth comparing your calculations with the following summary:
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Recovery: 50-60% of the heart rate reserve
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Long runs: 60%-75% of the heart rate reserve
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Marathon: 80% of the heart rate reserve
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Half-marathon: 85% of the heart rate reserve
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10-kilometer competition run/intervals: 90% of the heart rate reserve
Interval, strength and endurance training — how to train with a heart rate monitor
Each type of workout, whether you enjoy or dislike it, participates in shaping other metabolic processes. In a nutshell:
We distinguish the following heart rate monitors:
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interval training — stimulates the circulatory and respiratory systems, improves stamina,
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strength training — increases resistance to fatigue and muscle strength,
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endurance training — stimulates metabolic mechanisms responsible for obtaining energy from fats stored in the body.
Interval training is completed in the heart rate zone of 65-93% HRmax (maximum heart rate), strength training in the zone of 75-85% HRmax, and endurance training at 65-75% HRmax.
The first one can be very varied, as you can run or do other intense activity for 4 minutes, then rest for 2 minutes, or do, for example, sprints for 1-minute and rest for 2 minutes. The most important thing is to choose resistance intensity in such a way as to reach the expected heart rate as quickly as possible. In the rest phase, your HR is supposed to be at 65-70% as quickly as possible, and then you pick up the pace again.
Strength training consists of blocks lasting several minutes with a short break. When working, you should aim to approach the upper heart rate range for this activity, and during a short break, keep your heart rate at 75% of HRmax.
Endurance training should not exceed 75% of HRmax. Ideally, the heart rate should remain fairly consistent, without dropping below 65% of HRmax.
The pitfalls of heart rate monitor training
Keep in mind that the heart rate monitor will not display your heart rate value immediately, but do so with a delay. This is known as HRL or Heart Rate Late, which is the phenomenon of the heart's delayed response to exertion. It takes up to several minutes for the heart for the devices to show the current level of effort.
HRD or Heart Rate Drift is the phenomenon of a slow increase in heart rate along with the duration of activity. For example, you start a long workout with a heart rate of 140 BPM. After two hours, your watch displays the value of 150: you should not slow down at all, because the level of effort is the same and it’s the body's response that has changed. Other pitfalls of heart rate monitor training include the fact that the heart rate depends on many factors including hydration, coffee intake, sleep duration and quality, altitude.
If you've slept poorly for the past few days, your heart rate during training will be elevated. If you happen to forget about it and kick off your workout, you'll quickly find that you struggle to keep the set threshold value.
More questions and answers
Why does the heart rate remain elevated after exercise?
Elevated heart rate after physical effort is entirely normal. There’s nothing to worry about! Such a state can be triggered by completing an intense workout; it may be challenging for the body to effectively cool down afterwards. You may also be dehydrated, so replenish fluids as soon as possible. Heart rate recovery is also related to the fitness level — the higher it is, the faster it returns to normal.
What is a good heart rate when running?
Heart rate during running usually reaches values between 40 and 85% of HRmax, depending on a number of factors. You should establish its value depending on what you want to achieve — to burn body fat, start running after a long break, or perhaps to boost your stamina. Use all the generally accepted zones or, if you want to be precise, the formulas we provided.
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I struggle to stay in a certain heart rate zone — what should I do?
If you struggle to stay in your heart rate zone, try intervals to slow down for a while and then pick up the speed again. You don't have to perfectly stick to heart rate zones. Staying within a margin of 5 points (e.g. when you border the zones).
Is heart rate training for everyone?
Unfortunately, no. It is mostly recommended to beginner and recreational athletes due to easier interpretation of results and body control. In addition, it is worth checking with your doctor whether this type of training is safe for your health.
Heart rate and fat burning
Fat-burning heart rate is zone 2, which constitutes 60-70%, at most 75% of your HRmax. However, truth be told, our body uses fat and carbohydrates as fuel at the same time, but the ratios change not only as heart rate zone alternates, but also with the duration of a workout. Still, there’s no rule that people training in the ‘fat-burning’ zone will burn more fat than someone training for the same amount of time in the endurance zone, so it is worth approaching this with caution.
Are you ready for a heart rate monitor training? Drop by 4F to see our latest collection for runners and other athletes and get to work on your life form — it won’t happen on its own!
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Sources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/feel-the-beat-of-heart-rate-training
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise-intensity/art-20046887
https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=80256
https://www.runnersworld.com/beginner/a20812270/should-i-do-heart-rate-training/
https://www.polar.com/blog/running-heart-rate-zones-basics/
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/exercise-heart-rate-zones-explained/
https://100hrmax.pl/
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