Heart Rate Training: What You Need To Know

The Run4It Podcast

In this episode Finlay is joined by former Podcast guest and Maybury Shop Manager, James Dunn, to shed light on training with heart rate, and help you decide whether it is right for you.

Donning their sports scientist hats, they explain how heart rate can be used as a useful tool and measure in defining and differentiating runs by level of intensity (from easy to moderate to hard), to create a varied and well rounded training routine - conducive to better overall fitness and endurance.
Key takeaways:

• In general, the lower zones are best for building your aerobic base and facilitating recovery from more strenuous sessions. Higher zones target different energy systems and bring about a specific set of adaptations. It's worth noting that the adaptations that occur in lower zone training, don't happen during harder workouts. Hence why it's beneficial to distribute your workload across the zones appropriately.
• You may find that monitoring heart rate is most useful for zone 1 and zone 2 work; those easy to aerobic miles, when it’s important to ensure you’re not overexerting and creeping up to too hard an intensity. Thus entering the ‘grey’ zone and inhibiting your recovery and ability to perform on harder days.
• For harder anaerobic training, such as interval sessions, you may find going by rate of perceived exertion (RPE) to be more effective than going by heart rate. Because of the fact that nuances in session construction and external factors such as stress and sleep, often mean HR and perceived effort don't always match up.
• The ‘MAF 180 Formula’ coined by Dr. Phil Maffetone is the recommended method for calculating your ideal maximum aerobic heart rate in which to base all aerobic training. Subtract your age from 180, then modify this number based on your current health profile.
• The two main ways to monitor heart rate are using a wrist-based monitor or chest strap. Learn about each and tips to maximise the accuracy of wrist-based HR at 00:56:54 onwards.

If you find this week's episode helpful, you may also enjoy our episode on zone 2 training.

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