Heart Rate Guided Training 101
What is Heart Rate Guided Training (HRGT)? Exercise done by monitoring the heart rate using a heart rate monitor
Why? HRGT is used to help appropriately scale exercise to the individual
When? During exercise - cardio and/or strength
How? Using a heart rate monitor. Chest strap = most accurate. Wrist based = much improved over past couple of years but not as reactive, especially during intervals/speed work
HRM Options
Chest Strap
- Polar FT 4
- Garmin 235
- Garmin 25 with chest strap (purchased separately)
Wrist Based
Heart Rate Zones
Zone 1 - Active recovery
Zone 2 - Train body to use fat efficiently, build endurance
Zone 3 - Increase tolerance for anaerobic threshold, tempo pace, utilizes more carbs than fat
Zone 4/5 - Intervals, No longer burning calories from fat
How to determine zones?
- Karvonen Method
- VO2 Max Test (Columbus, OH resources)
Resting Heart Rate (RHR)
- Find RHR by taking heart rate first thing in the morning before getting out of bed. Do this for 3-5 days (not consecutively) and then average. This is your AVG RHR.
- Monitor regularly during training to gauge training response to exercise/recovery.
- Extended or larger increases in RHR may indicate possible need for additional rest day or active recovery versus a planned more intense workout. Increases in RHR can be caused by a number of things including dehydration, not getting enough sleep/exhaustion, overtraining, illness.
Interval Training/Speed Work
- More advanced - not for beginners
- 1-2 days/week max
- 10 min or 1 mile warm-up and cool down required
- HR Avg = Zones 3/4/5
- Following day = complete rest or active recovery
- If RHR is elevated by more than a couple of beats or has been trending higher consider postponing the workout and doing active recovery or skipping and taking a rest day.
Check out our Facebook Live (April 12, 2017) spot on HRGT:
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