Heart Rate Training: What You Should Know
The journey back to fitness is ~humbling~ to say the least.
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Last week I went on a run that felt so hard, I finished and went right to the store to buy a COVID test. Granted, I was definitely jet lagged. Also: Navigating the result of what happens when you take a decent break from running (in my case, about a month). The test was negative, but you wouldn’t have assumed that looking at my heart rate data. In June, I was hitting paces the same paces and averaging a heart rate between 128 and 140 beats per minute (bpm). Last Tuesday? I was sitting closer to 160.
I posted about feeling as though I was passenger No. 1 on the struggle bus via my Instagram story, and I was met with a flurry of questions about heart rate training. So! I’m going to chat about it briefly here today. Of note: I’m a certified personal trainer (ACE), run coach (UESCA), but not a medical professional. As always, please consult with a doctor or coach one-on-one to answer any further questions on a more individualized level.
What is heart rate training?
There are a few different schools of thought when it comes to heart rate-based training, but the most popular divides your heart rate into five different zones. A really precise way to learn your zones would be going through a V02 Max test at a physical therapy studio or lab.
If that’s not available to you, there’s good news: You can gauge things pretty well on your own at home, too. Get a rough estimate of what your max heart rate is by subtracting your age from 220. For instance, if you’re 30, your max heart rate is 190. The five zones then are as follows:
Zone 1: Less than 60 percent of max heart rate (super light)
Zone 2: 60 to 70 percent of max heart rate (light)
Zone 3: 70 to 80 percent of max heart rate (moderate)
Zone 4: 80 to 90 percent of max heart rate (high intensity)
Zone 5: 90 percent and above (near maximal)
How can I apply heart rate training?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend at least 150 minutes (for example, 30 minutes a day on five days a week, or 22 minutes a day) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as brisk walking. This activity falls predominately in zone 2. If you happen to be training for a marathon like me, your goal is to keep things mostly easy. In other words, accumulate a fair amount of low intensity cardio time to support harder efforts. So, knowing what your heart rate range is to sit in that Goldilocks arena (for me, between roughly 120 and 148) helps me train smarter (not harder), running paces that keep me in the ideal zone. Heart rate climbing a bit too high? The answer is simple: Slow. Down.
Two brief notes. Firstly, if you’re hoping to do something that demands more of your body, then you will have to expose your body to that effort level so that it can become acquainted with it. That’s why a lot of great training plans have both threshold and interval efforts dispersed throughout.
Secondly, if this all feels a bit overwhelming, then go back to the good ‘ol rate of perceived exertion strategy (RPE). Ask yourself: How does this effort feel on a scale of one to 10? My goal is to be sitting comfortably around a 4/5 most days on my run. Whereas intervals or threshold work could take you into the 7, 8 or rare 9 zone.
That’s enough nitty gritty, for now. As for me? By the time this newsletter hits, I’ll be waking up to run my first-ever Hood to Coast. Wish me luck! And if you’ve run it before, leave your tips in the comments below.
Like this topic? Have other questions about training? Leave them in the comments, too.
Keep hurdling,
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
I’m Listening To: The Interview from The New York Times
Stumbled on this podcast as a recommendation in my feed, and I’m really digging the format.
I’m Reading: Modern Love Edited By Daniel Jones
Based off the most popular, provocative, and unforgettable essays from the past fifteen years of the New York Times “Modern Love” column—I needed a read that was a little less serious (read: not self-help). Bonus: These shorts make me feel all warm and fuzzy.
Prompt I’m loving: What’s one thing that’s been on your to-do list forever that you can check off this weekend?
Quote I’m Loving: “Each of us has a fire in our hearts for something. It’s our goal in life to find it and keep it lit.” - Mary Lou Retton
Thanks to LMNT — an electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don't — for supporting Hurdle.
Gotta give some love to LMNT, zero-sugar hydration to support your active lifestyle. I’m a salty sweater (cute, I know). These electrolytes are my go-to to perform better. I like them not just because they taste great (the watermelon salt is my favorite as of late), but they’re also without artificial ingredients, sugar, and coloring. With LMNT, you can:
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NEW ON THE SHOW 🎧
NEW PODCAST EPISODE🎧: 311. Emily Gets Interviewed About Her Trip, Aspirations & What Happens Next
Extra special guest host alert! Welcome Lauren Nemeroff to the hot seat, co-founder of Flow State Creative (and, Emily's Paris partner-in-crime). Lauren's asking Em about her trip to The Games: How it happened, what it was like, how she felt about the long work days, and what she's looking forward to now that this major goal is checked off the bucket list. Plus: Emily offers some great advice to her younger self, and gets emotional talking about what it's like to be a solo-preneur.
NEW PODCAST EPISODE🎧: 312. Confidence As A Superpower: Ari Chamers On Uplifting Women In Sport & Owning Her Seat At The Table
Ari Chambers knows a thing or two about hard work. Today, she's behind the desk on-air at ESPN, but not all that long ago she was building HighlightHER from the ground up. Ari and I sat down together in Paris while she was working with Team USA, aiming to give fans a behind the scenes look at all things Olympics. We talk about how Ari got to this point in her career as a journalist, what motivates her to focus on the mission of sharing stories of women in sport, and the proudest moments of her work thus far. She also gets real about the highs and lows of being so ambitious, how to start something from nothing without letting overwhelm win, and how she relies on movement as medicine in times of struggle.
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Another (weekly) Hurdle conquered. Catch you guys next week.