Heart Rate Training Zones
Heart rate training zones are calculated by taking into consideration your Maximum
Heart Rate (MHR) and your Resting Heart Rate (RHR). Within each training zone
subtle physiological effects take place to enhance your fitness.
The Energy Efficient or Recovery Zone - 60% to 70%
Training within this zone develops basic endurance and aerobic capacity. All easy
recovery running should be completed at a maximum of 70%. Another advantage to
running in this zone is that while you are happily fat burning you may lose weight and
you will be allowing your muscles to re-energise with glycogen, which has been
expended during those faster paced work-outs. Check out the Fat burning zone page.
The Aerobic Zone - 70% to 80%
Training in this zone will develop your cardiovascular system. The body's ability to
transport oxygen to, and carbon dioxide away from, the working muscles can be
developed and improved. As you become fitter and stronger from training in this zone
it will be possible to run some of your long weekend runs at up to 75%, so getting the
benefits of some fat burning and improved aerobic capacity.
The Anaerobic Zone - 80% to 90%
Training in this zone will develop your lactic acid system. In this zone your individual
anaerobic threshold is found - sometimes referred to the point of deflection (POD).
During these heart rates the amount of fat being utilised as the main source of energy
is greatly reduced and glycogen stored in the muscle is predominantly used. One of
the by-products of burning this glycogen, is the runners worst enemy, lactic acid.
There is a point at which the body can no longer remove the lactic acid from the
working muscles quickly enough. This happens at an individual heart rate for us all
and is accompanied by a rapid rise in heart rate and a slowing of your running pace.
This is your anaerobic threshold or POD. Through the correct training it is possible to
delay the POD by being able to increase your ability to deal with the lactic acid for a
longer period of time or by pushing the POD higher.
The Red Line Zone 90% to 100%
Training in this zone will only be possible for short periods of time. It effectively
trains your fast twitch muscle fibres and helps to develop speed. This zone is reserved
for interval running and only the very fit are able to train effectively within this zone.
Continuous & Interval Training
Continuous training is when an athlete exercises in a steady aerobic way and interval
training is characterised by repetitions of work with a recovery period following each
repetition.
Continuous Training
This can be broken down into the following sub-divisions which have slightly
different effects upon the energy pathways.
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Running at 50 to 60% of max. heart rate or 20 to 36% of V02 Max. Very easy
pace - metabolises fat - aerobic - duration 60 minutes plus. Useful for joggers
& ultra-distance runners.
Running at 60 to 70% of max. heart rate or 36 to 52% of V02 Max. Slightly
faster pace - burns glycogen and fat - aerobic - duration 45 to 90 minutes.
Useful for marathon runners. Improves cardiovascular system - capillarisation
Running at 70 to 80% of max. heart rate or 52 to 68% of V02 Max. 10km pace
- burns glycogen - aerobic - duration 30 to 45 minutes - 10km and marathon
runners. Improves cardiovascular system - capillarisation - glycogen burning
Running at 80 to 90% of max. heart rate or 68 to 83% of V02 Max. 5km pace burns glycogen - anaerobic - duration 10 to 20 minutes. Useful for 5km to
marathon. Improves cardiovascular system - capillarisation - glycogen burning
- lactate tolerance and removal.
Running at 90 to 100% of max. heart rate or 83 to 99% of V02 Max.
800/1500m pace - burns glycogen - anaerobic - duration 1 to 5 minutes. Useful
for 800 to 5km. Improves glycogen burning - lactate tolerance and removal
Interval Training
Interval running enables the athlete to improve the work load by interspersing heavy
bouts of fast running with recovery periods of slower jogging. The athlete runs hard
over any distance up to 1k and then has a period of easy jogging. During the run lactic
acid is produced and a state of oxygen debt is reached. During the interval (recovery)
the heart and lungs are still stimulated as they try to pay back the debt by supplying
oxygen to help break down the lactates. The stresses put upon the body cause an
adaptation including capillarisation, strengthening of the heart muscles, improved
oxygen uptake and improved buffers to lactates. All this leads to improved
performance, in particular within the cardiovascular system.
Before undertaking interval training a few simple rules should be understood.
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Undertake a period of Continuous running before starting Interval running
Consider the various elements of the session and ensure that they are within
the scope of the athlete.
o The length of the work interval, longer gives a better effect.
o The pace should be comfortable raising the athlete's heart rate to the
required % of MHR (see above).
o The number of repetitions should reflect the condition and age of the
athlete.
o The rest interval should enable the athlete to jog and bring the heart
rate down to near 100-110 bpm.
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Improvements can be made by altering any of the above variables, however
the coach should only change one variable at a time
All changes should be gradual in nature and take place over a period of time.
Ensure the surface to be run on is flat and even. It is usual to do interval
training on a track although it can be done on good quality grass playing
fields. Roads are not a suitable surface because of the pounding effect.
Fartlek Training
Fartlek, developed in the 1930's, comes from the Swedish for 'Speed Play' and
combines continuous and interval training. Fartlek allows the athlete to run whatever
distance and speed they wish, varying the intensity, and occasionally running at high
intensity levels. This type of training stresses both the aerobic and anaerobic energy
pathways.
Fartlek for Runners
The following are a selection of fartlek sessions for runners:
Watson Fartlek
This is good training for 10k, 5k, 3k and cross country.
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10 minutes warm up jog.
Stride hard for 4 minutes with 1 minute jog recovery - repeat 8 times
10 minute warm down jog
Saltin Fartlek
This is good training for 1500m, 5k and 3k.
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10 minutes warm up jog.
Repeat 6 times - Stride hard for 3 minutes with 1 minute jog run recovery.
10 minute warm down jog