One of the best methods for monitoring the intensity of your workout is to monitor your heart rate. Many athletes even train with special heart rate monitors, but this is not at all necessary - you can get by with a regular stopwatch or even simply calculate your heart rate using a watch that weighs in your gym. Pulse is also otherwise known as simply heart rate (heart rate). In this article we will talk about what your heart rate should be during training.
Formulas for safe heart rates during training
There is a generally accepted formula that calculates the lower and upper limits of heart rate. That is, in order for the training to be effective, the pulse must be between the lower and upper limits. How are they calculated - for the lower limit, you need to subtract your age from 200 (for example, 20) and multiply by 0.6, we get (220-20) * 0.6 = 120 beats per minute - you should not train below this heart rate, as the effect will be minimal . The upper limit is also considered, only the coefficient increases to 0.8, thus we get the maximum allowable heart rate during training - 160. You should also not go above the upper limit, as this increases the load on the heart.
But those athletes who like to train to the maximum when calculating their heart rate do not take into account coefficients; they simply calculate the maximum allowable heart rate at the rate of 220 - age and often reach 170-180 beats per minute. If your heart rate reaches such limits, we recommend quickly reducing the intensity of your workout. In order not to torment you with formulas, we present the following table, which calculates the recommended heart rate depending on age and training intensity.
It is very difficult to measure your heart rate while running using a stopwatch, so you may need a heart rate monitor, or you can measure your heart rate using the heart rate monitors that are built into most treadmills and exercise bikes.
In order to burn fat, your heart rate should be in the region of 120-150 beats per minute. In bodybuilding, in order to burn fat but maintain muscle mass, it is recommended to perform long-term cardio in a low-intensity mode (120-130 beats per minute for 50-60 minutes) - this is how many professionals burn fat, but maintain muscles and become more defined.
A high heart rate during cardio, of course, allows you to burn more calories, but along with fat, in this case there is also a great risk of losing muscle mass.
Heart rate during strength training
During strength training, experienced athletes also do not recommend reaching the upper limits of your heart rate. The best option is to keep your heart rate in the region of 120-140 beats per minute throughout the entire workout. It is very important to avoid so-called “holes”, when between approaches the heart rate drops below the lower limit, so it is recommended not to rest for more than a minute between approaches.
But even with a maximum heart rate, you should not approach the barbell for the next approach; try to keep your heart rate around 130 beats throughout the entire session, this will not only improve your athletic performance, but will also contribute to training and heart health.
Mykhail Prygunov on how to train and control your heart rate
Abstract based on “Heart rate, lactate and endurance training” (Jansen Peter)
In sports, heart rate (HR) is used to assess exercise intensity. There is a linear relationship between heart rate and exercise intensity (Graph 13).
Endurance training should be performed in the so-called aerobic-anaerobic zone, when the entire oxygen transport system is involved. At this intensity, lactic acid accumulation does not occur. The boundary of the aerobic-anaerobic zone in different people is between 140 and 180 beats/min. Often endurance training is performed at a heart rate of 180 beats per minute. For many athletes, this heart rate significantly exceeds the aerobic-anaerobic zone.
Heart rate calculation methods
The heart rate is measured at the wrist (carpal artery), neck (carotid artery), temple (temporal artery), or left side of the chest.
15-strike method
It is necessary to feel the pulse at any of the indicated points and start the stopwatch during the heartbeat. Then they begin counting subsequent beats and stop the stopwatch at the 15th beat. Let's assume that 20.3 seconds elapsed during the 15 beats. Then the number of beats per minute will be equal to: (15 / 20.3) x 60 = 44 beats/min.
15 second method
It's less accurate. The athlete counts the heartbeats for 15 seconds and multiplies the number of beats by 4 to get the number of beats per minute. If 12 beats were counted in 15 s, then the heart rate is: 4 x 12 = 48 beats/min.
Heart rate calculation during exercise
During exercise, heart rate is measured using the 10-beat method. The stopwatch must be started at the time of the strike (this will be “strike 0”). Stop the stopwatch at “beat 10”. Heart rate can be determined from table 2.1. Immediately after stopping the exercise, heart rate decreases rapidly. Therefore, the heart rate calculated by the 10-beat method will be slightly lower than the actual heart rate during exercise.
Table 2.1. 10-strike method.
| Time, s | Heart rate, beats/min | Time, s | Heart rate, beats/min | Time, s | Heart rate, beats/min |
Basic heart rate indicators
To calculate the training intensity and to monitor the functional state of the athlete, resting heart rate, maximum heart rate, heart rate reserve and heart rate deviation are used.
Heart rate at rest
For untrained people, the resting heart rate is 70-80 beats/min. As aerobic capacity increases, resting heart rate decreases. In well-trained endurance athletes (cyclists, marathon runners, skiers), the resting heart rate can be 40-50 beats/min. Women's resting heart rate is 10 beats higher than men of the same age. In the morning the resting heart rate is 10 beats lower than in the evening. For some people it's the opposite.
Resting heart rate is calculated in the morning before getting out of bed to ensure accurate daily measurements. The morning pulse cannot judge the degree of preparedness of an athlete. However, resting heart rate provides important information about the extent of an athlete's recovery after training or competition. Morning heart rate increases in case of overtraining or an infectious disease (cold, flu) and decreases as physical condition improves. The athlete should record their morning heart rate (Graph 14).
Maximum heart rate
The maximum heart rate (HRmax) is the maximum number of contractions that the heart can make in 1 minute. Maximum heart rate can vary greatly between individuals.
After 20 years, heart ratemax gradually decreases - by about 1 beat per year. HRmax is calculated using the formula: HRmax = 220-age. This formula does not give accurate results.
HRmax does not depend on the athlete’s performance level. HRmax remains unchanged after a period of training. In rare cases, in well-trained athletes, HRmax decreases slightly under the influence of training (Graph 15).
HRmax can only be achieved if you are feeling well. Full recovery from your last workout is necessary. Before the test, the athlete should warm up well. The warm-up is followed by intense exercise lasting 4-5 minutes. The final 20-30 seconds of the load are performed with maximum effort. When performing a maximum load, HRmax is determined using a heart rate monitor. Manual heart rate calculation does not give accurate results due to the rapid decrease in heart rate immediately after exercise. It is advisable to determine HRmax several times. The highest value will be the maximum heart rate.
An athlete can reach 203 bpm while running, but only 187 bpm while pedaling. It is recommended to measure HRmax for each type of activity.
Target heart rate is the heart rate at which exercise should be performed. At a HRmax of 200 beats/min, the target heart rate for a training intensity of 70% HRmax will be: Target HR = 0.7 x HRmax = 0.7 x 200 = 140 beats/min.
Table 2.2. Training load intensity zones as a percentage of heart ratemax.
| Intensity zones | Intensity (% of HRmax) |
|
Recovery zone (R) |
|
|
Aerobic zone 1 (A1) |
|
|
Aerobic zone 2 (A2) |
|
|
Development zone 1 (E1) |
|
|
Development zone 2 (E2) |
|
|
Anaerobic zone 1 (Аn1) |
Heart rate reserve
To calculate the intensity of the load, the heart rate reserve method, which was developed by the Finnish scientist Karvonen, is also used. Heart rate reserve is the difference between heart ratemax and resting heart rate. For an athlete with a resting heart rate of 65 beats/min and a resting heart rate of 200 beats/min, the heart rate reserve will be equal to: Heart rate reserve = heart rate max-resting heart rate = 200-65 = 135 beats/min.
The target heart rate is calculated as the sum of the resting heart rate and the corresponding percentage of the heart rate reserve. For example, a target heart rate for an intensity of 70% of heart rate reserve for the same athlete would be: target heart rate = resting heart rate + 70% heart rate reserve = 65 + (0.7 x 135) = 65 + 95 = 160 bpm.
Table 2.3. Training load intensity zones as a percentage of heart rate reserve.
| Intensity zones | Intensity (% of HRmax) |
|
Recovery zone (R) |
|
|
Aerobic zone 1 (A1) |
|
|
Aerobic zone 2 (A2) |
|
|
Development zone 1 (E1) |
|
|
Development zone 2 (E2) |
|
|
Anaerobic zone 1 (Аn1) |
Two athletes running at the same speed may have different heart rates. However, it would be incorrect to say that an athlete whose heart rate is higher is exposed to more stress. For example, one runner has a HRmax of 210 beats/min, while his heart rate during running was 160 beats/min (50 beats below HRmax). Another runner's maximum heart rate was 170 beats/min, and his heart rate while running at the same speed was 140 beats/min (30 beats below HRmax). If the runners have the same resting heart rate - 50 beats/min, then the power of their load as a percentage was 69 and 75%, respectively, which means the second runner experiences a greater load.
Deviation point
At high load intensity, the linear relationship between heart rate and load intensity disappears. From a certain point, heart rate begins to lag behind intensity. This is the point of deviation (HRdevil.) A noticeable bend appears on the straight line displaying this dependence (Graph 16).
The deviation point indicates the maximum intensity of work at which energy supply occurs exclusively through the aerobic mechanism. Next, the anaerobic mechanism is activated. The deviation point corresponds to the anaerobic threshold. Any load with an intensity exceeding heart rate leads to the accumulation of lactic acid. In well-trained endurance athletes, the range of heart rates within which energy is supplied aerobically is very large.
Functional changes and heart rate
Under the influence of training, the athlete’s performance increases, which is reflected in the functional indicators of the body’s fitness.
Deviation point shift
The most important change in regular endurance training is shifting the deflection point towards a higher heart rate.
For example, in an untrained person, the heart rate is 130 beats/min. After a period of endurance training, his heart rate shifts from 130 to 180 beats/min (see Graph 15 above). This means that his aerobic capacity has increased and he can now perform prolonged exercise at a higher heart rate.
Lactate curve shift
The relationship between heart rate and lactate levels varies among individuals and can change within the same individual as their functional status changes.
Graph 17 For an untrained person, the heart rate is 130 beats/min, and for a trained person it is 180 beats/min. An untrained person is able to perform work for a long time at a heart rate of 130 beats/min, and a trained person at a heart rate of 180 beats/min. This threshold is called the anaerobic threshold and corresponds to a lactic acid level of 4 mmol/l. A load exceeding the anaerobic threshold leads to a sharp increase in lactic acid in the body.
Increase in MIC
VO2 max (maximum oxygen consumption) is the greatest amount of oxygen that a person is able to consume during maximum power exercise. MIC is expressed in liters per minute (L/min). During exercise at the MIC level, the body's energy supply is carried out aerobically and anaerobically. Since anaerobic energy supply is not unlimited, the load intensity at the MOC level cannot be maintained for a long time (no more than 5 minutes). For this reason, endurance training is performed at intensities below VO2 max. Under the influence of training, VO2 max can increase by 30%. Normally, there is a linear relationship between heart rate and oxygen consumption.
Table 2.4. The relationship between heart rate and oxygen consumption.
| % of HRmax | % of MPC |
| 50 | 30 |
| 60 | 44 |
| 70 | 58 |
| 80 | 72 |
| 90 | 86 |
| 100 | 100 |
Since maximum power load can only be maintained for 5 minutes, VO2 max is not a representative indicator of the functional capabilities of endurance athletes. The most appropriate criterion for assessing functional abilities in endurance athletes is the anaerobic, or lactate, threshold.
The anaerobic threshold corresponds to the maximum level of effort that an athlete can maintain for an extended period of time without accumulating lactic acid. The anaerobic threshold can be expressed as a percentage of VO2 max or HRmax.
Graph 18. The right vertical axis shows the shift in heart rate after the training period. Before the start of training, heart rate was 130 beats/min. After several months of training, heart rate increased to 180 beats/min. The left vertical axis shows the increase in VO2max, and especially the percentage of VO2max, or heart ratemax, at which work can be maintained for a long period of time.
Factors affecting heart rate
Many factors can affect your heart rate. Athletes and coaches should consider these factors when planning training and competition performance.
Age
With age, heart ratemax gradually decreases. This decrease has no definite connection with the functional state of the person. At 20 years old, heart rate max can be 220 beats/min. At 40 years of age, heart ratemax often does not exceed 180 beats/min. Among people of the same age, there is a fairly large difference in HRmax. One 40-year-old athlete's heart rate limit might be 165 bpm, while another athlete's heart rate max of the same age might be 185 bpm. There is a linear relationship between HRmax and age (see graphs 19 and 20).
With age, there is not only a linear decrease in HRmax, but also an equally linear decrease in other indicators: resting HR, HRotcl, anaerobic threshold. The vertical bars in graph 19 indicate possible differences between people of the same age.
Underrecovery and overtraining
When an athlete fully recovers, his heart rate indicators - HRmax, HRotcl and resting HR - are quite constant.
The day after an intense workout or competition, your morning heart rate may be elevated, indicating insufficient recovery. Other indicators of under-recovery are reduced HRotcl and HRmax. In the presence of such indicators, it is most reasonable to abandon intense training in order to give the body a chance to recover. Training will reduce functionality.
Depending on the type of overtraining, your morning heart rate can be either high or very low. A pulse of 25 beats/min is no exception. Typically, during exercise, the heart rate rises very quickly to maximum values, but in case of overtraining, the heart rate may lag behind the intensity of the exercise performed. It is no longer possible to achieve maximum heart rate if you are overtrained.
Graph 21, 22 and 23. The cyclist was well rested before Races 1 and 3 - he felt good during the races, reaching his maximum heart rate in both of them. He raced Race 2 with insufficient recovery. The cyclist experienced leg pain and HRmax was not achieved.
Important!!! Heart rate data recorded from athletes during the Tour de France stage race showed a clear decrease in HRmax and HRot. During the Tour de France, the entire peloton is in a state of overtraining, or at least underrecovery.
When the morning heart rate is high and the heart rate corresponding to normal aerobic activity cannot be achieved or is achieved at the cost of incredible effort, the best solution is complete rest or recovery training.
A heart rate below 50 beats/min in an athlete is a sign of a trained heart. During sleep, heart rate can drop to 20-30 beats/min. Low heart rate is a normal adaptation of the body to extreme endurance loads, which is not dangerous. The low heart rate is compensated by the stroke volume of the heart. If the athlete has no health complaints and tests show an adequate increase in heart rate, this condition does not require treatment.
But if an athlete complains of dizziness and weakness, this issue needs to be addressed more seriously. In this case, a very low heart rate may indicate heart disease. It is very important to be able to distinguish between these two situations.
Nutrition
Nutrition can improve physical performance in endurance athletes. With a normal diet, ten subjects during aerobic exercise had an average heart rate of 156 ± 10 beats/min, while after taking 200 g of carbohydrates at the same load, the average heart rate was 145 ± 9 beats/min (Graph 24).
Height
In the first hours at resting altitude, the heart rate decreases, but then increases again. At an altitude of 2000 m, resting heart rate increases by 10%, and at an altitude of 4500 m - by 45%. After a few days, the heart rate returns to normal values or falls below these values. A return to normal indicates good acclimatization.
Every person can track the degree of acclimatization. It is recommended to record your morning heart rate readings for several weeks before departure and while at your new altitude.
Graph 25. Scheme of acclimatization of an athlete to altitude.
Medicines
Beta blockers reduce resting heart rate and heart rate max, and also reduce aerobic capacity by 10%. In some sports, beta blockers are used as performance enhancing agents. Beta blockers are believed to have a beneficial effect on shooting by reducing hand tremors. In addition, a rare heart rate interferes with aiming to a lesser extent.
Circadian rhythm disturbance
Most processes in the body are influenced by the circadian rhythm. When an athlete moves from one time zone to another, the daily rhythm (biorhythm) of his body is disrupted. Moving towards the west is easier than moving towards the east. Disruption of the circadian rhythm adversely affects performance. It is recommended to spend one day of acclimatization for every hour of time difference. For example, with a time difference of 7 hours, a week's adaptation period is required.
You can start adapting in advance - going to bed earlier or later than usual. Upon arrival, you need to follow a new daily routine. Short naps during the daytime slow down adaptation.
During the acclimatization period, resting heart rate and heart rate during exercise are increased. When the heart rate drops to a normal level, the adaptation is complete and the athlete can return to their normal training.
Infectious diseases
It is not uncommon for athletes to continue with their normal workouts because they underestimate the symptoms of illness or are afraid of falling behind in preparation due to rest. People in other professions can continue to work if they have a severe cold. But even a mild cold reduces athletic performance by 20%.
Important!!! Athletes are recommended to rest and sharply reduce their training load in case of infectious diseases. Only in this case does the body have a chance to fully recover. If there is a temperature, any sports activity is strictly prohibited.
When the temperature rises by 1°C, heart rate increases by 10-15 beats/min. During the recovery period after an infectious disease, resting heart rate is also increased.
To monitor the state of performance, it is recommended to regularly conduct functional tests. You can use a simple test on a treadmill or bicycle ergometer consisting of 3 series of 10 minutes, where the load is performed at a constant heart rate - 130, 140 and 150 beats/min. During the test, the distance covered and speed are recorded. During infection, a functional test will show a decrease in performance - a decrease in distance/speed.
After an infectious disease, an athlete should only perform rehabilitation exercises or light aerobic training. When performance returns to normal, as indicated by the functional test, the duration and intensity of exercise can be gradually increased.
Emotional load
Emotional stress affects heart rate. Heavy mental work can cause excessive stress. If such work is performed in a noisy environment or after a sleepless night, the detrimental effect on the body is even greater.
Air temperature and humidity
Graph 26. Dynamics of heart rate during a half marathon run of a 43-year-old runner with a heart rate of 175 beats/min. In the first 40 minutes it was dry, the air temperature was 16°C. This part of the distance was completed at a level slightly below HR. At the 35th minute it started pouring rain and the temperature dropped. The runner was very cold and could not maintain his heart rate at the same high level, which affected his running speed.
Graph 27. The effect of changing ambient temperature on the rower’s heart rate at rest.
Graph 28. High temperature and high air humidity lead to an increase in heart rate in the sauna.
Physical activity depends on complex chemical reactions in muscle and nerve tissues. These chemical reactions are very sensitive to fluctuations in the body's core temperature. At high body temperatures, chemical processes proceed faster, at low temperatures - slower.
For loads of varying duration and intensity, there are the most optimal ambient temperatures and air humidity. It is believed that the most favorable temperature for endurance athletes is up to 20°C. Warmer temperatures—25 to 35 degrees Celsius—are favorable for sprinters, throwers and jumpers who need explosive power.
At rest, the body produces about 4.2 kJ (1 kcal) per kg of body weight per hour, during physical activity - up to 42-84 kJ (10-20 kcal) per kg per hour. At high body temperatures, blood circulation in the skin increases, sweat production increases, which leads to an increase in heart rate. With the same intensity of exercise, but different body temperatures of 37 and 38°C, the difference in heart rate is 10-15 beats/min. With high intensity and duration of exercise, as well as high temperature and humidity, body temperature can reach 42°C.
When the body temperature is above 40°C, heat stroke can occur. The causes of heat stroke during physical activity are: high ambient temperature, high air humidity, insufficient body ventilation and fluid loss due to sweating and evaporation.
In the heat, after 1-2 hours of exercise, fluid loss can range from 1 to 3% of body weight. When fluid loss exceeds 3% of body weight, the volume of circulating blood decreases, blood delivery to the heart decreases, heart rate increases, and the likelihood of developing a life-threatening situation increases.
Important!!! It is important to replace fluid loss during exercise by drinking 100-200 ml of water at short intervals.
Graph 29. Dynamics of heart rate during aerobic exercise at the level of 70% of MOC in conditions of complete refusal to drink and when taking 250 ml of liquid every 15 minutes. Air temperature 20°C. The test was stopped when the athlete was completely exhausted. When refusing to drink, a higher heart rate was observed. Fluid intake during exercise kept heart rate constant. The athlete could perform the exercise for half an hour longer.
Cooling in hot conditions allows the athlete to maintain the load longer. The speed of a cyclist is higher than the speed of a runner, therefore the cooling by air when moving on a bicycle is much higher. At a low running pace, airflow to the body decreases and fluid loss increases. When cooling with very cold water, a spasm of blood vessels can occur, resulting in impaired heat transfer. The best way to avoid premature fatigue when exercising in hot conditions is to drink regularly and periodically wet your body with a damp sponge.
Graph 30. The athlete was tested twice on a bicycle ergometer with a break between tests of 4 days. The first test was carried out without cooling, and during the second test the body was cooled using a damp sponge and a fan. Other conditions in both tests were identical: the air temperature was 25 °C, the relative humidity was constant, and the total duration of the cycling test was 60 minutes. In the test without cooling, the heart rate gradually increased from 135 to 167 beats/min. In the cooling test, the heart rate remained firmly at the same level of 140 beats/min.
Heart rate is the speed at which the heart beats. is 60–90 beats per minute. But the heart rate of athletes (not during exercise, but at rest) is usually half that. In professional athletes, a low heart rate increases during exercise or stress.
Normal values for an average person
Normal heart rate (at rest) - heart rate - in healthy adults ranges from 65-75 beats/minute. If the average value exceeds 90, we are talking about tachycardia (an increase in the number of heart contractions). When the average pulsation at rest is less than 60, this is bradycardia. The exception is trained athletes, where a reading of around 40 is considered normal. A decrease in heart rate is also normal during sleep. In infants in particular, values are similar to the maximum values for most sports!
The optimal indicators are shown in the table.
| Age, years | Pulse, beats/minute |
|---|---|
| Infants (1 month) | 140 |
| 0–1 | 132 |
| 1–2 | 124 |
| 2–4 | 115 |
| 4–6 | 106 |
| 6–8 | 98 |
| 8–10 | 88 |
| 10–12 | 80 |
| 12–15 | 76 |
| 15–50 | About 70 |
| 50–60 | 74 |
| 60–80 | 79 |
How does the heart rate differ among athletes? As can be seen from the table, the indicator is the same as that of a 15-year-old teenager, i.e., the heart rate has stable indicators from 15 to 50 years. It is also clear that the child’s values are comparable to those of the athlete during exercise.
There is no clear answer to the question of what athletes’ heart rate is. During sports training, different maximum heart rates are achieved. Certain maximum values are achieved during running, a lower pulse rate is achieved during aerobics and cardio training, the lowest values are recorded during cycling, swimming, and walking.
The bottom line is that when training, to calculate the maximum value, you must take the maximum heart rate achieved in a particular sport as 100%. In general, if an exerciser wanted to reach the maximum heart rate in the pool that he achieved while running, the water could boil, but even so the athlete would not be able to achieve the same maximum heart rate as when running.
To calculate your heart rate when playing sports, you can use the following formula: Heart rate = 220 - age, applicable to approximately 50% of the population.
Maximum: Heart rate = 220 – 1.03 x age.
Important! When considering the question of what the heart rate should be when playing sports, take into account the fact that the athlete’s indicator during training is 180 beats per minute - this is a limit that should not be exceeded! Having reached such indicators, reduce the load.
Active (working) heart rate - AHR
The athlete's working pulse is measured during the day at rest. Normal heart rate values are 70–80. In untrained people, the heart works less economically, its beats are faster, and the number of contractions increases sharply even after a slight load on the body. During exercise, you should maintain it in the range of 60-75% of the measured/calculated heart rate, without preliminary warm-up, stretching and final relaxation.
To start training, you do not need special counters; it is enough to measure your heartbeat from time to time during training. Soon you will learn to determine how fast you can run or how intensely you can train.
When training for weight loss, it is not advisable to exceed 75% of your maximum heart rate. This will cause unnecessary fatigue without having a significant impact on body fat. However, training should not be underestimated. Otherwise, several calories will be burned, but the fat will not recognize this.
Important! Aerobic heart rate also increases metabolism for several hours because muscles must burn calories during recovery. The more muscle a person has, the higher their basal metabolic rate.
Norms and pathologies of heart rate in athletes
A simple calculation example:
- for men: subtract the current age from the number 214 and multiply by 0.8;
- for women: subtract your current age from 209 and multiply by 0.7.
Sample for calculating maximum heart rate by weight:
- for women: heart rate = 210 – ½ age – 5% of body weight;
- for men: heart rate = 210 – ½ age – 5% of body weight + 4;
- Heart rate for fat burning: HR = 60–80% of maximum heart rate (preferably 70%).
Another way to find out what your maximum heart rate is is to try it out. The ideal is to choose a steep hill that you will run up and down (optimally it should be at least 200-300 m uphill). Carry a heart rate meter with you. Run up and down the hill 5-6 times. The highest heart rate you measure while running will be your maximum. Anything higher is pathological and unsafe for health!
Reasons for deviations
Heart rate is associated with abnormal heart rhythms or cardiac arrhythmias. Physiologically, a low heart rate is common in athletes (including former athletes) and indicates a stronger heart that can pump more blood.
Causes of abnormal heart rates include bradycardia, in which the heart rate slows down. This disorder can be caused by a heart attack, intracranial injury, or a medication used. The opposite is tachycardia, in which the heart rate increases. This is typical for sports overexertion and stressful situations. However, such a disorder may also indicate a febrile illness, anemia, heart failure, poisoning, a thyroid disorder, or hypertension.
Conclusion
You probably very often meet people while jogging with fashionable gadgets on their hands that show pulse, distance and other indicators of stress on the body. It seems to you that these are ordinary show-offs and that spending money on unnecessary trinkets is stupid. The main thing is to train well and regularly and the results will come. Now we will dispel your doubts and you will understand that knowing your pulse during training is very important if you want to control your sports results.
Why measure your pulse?
Pulse is an indicator of your body. Speedometer of your capabilities. If you drive a car with a constantly high tachometer and push it to the maximum in corners on a bad road, then sooner or later something will break in it. It's the same with your body. You need to understand where you can speed up and where it’s better to slow down, otherwise all the stress can not only help you achieve good results in sports, but, on the contrary, harm your body. To do this, you need to know your resting heart rate, the maximum allowable heart rate for training, and the ranges of your cardio zone.
Each person has his own indicator of maximum and optimal loads. It consists of several indicators: pressure, temperature, pulse and so on.
If it is quite difficult to measure pressure and temperature during training, then with the pulse things are much easier. You can always time 10 seconds the old fashioned way and multiply the number of beats by 6, so you will get your heart rate and understand what zone you are in now.
But this is what we did in the distant nineties and now - it is irrelevant, because there are many modern gadgets that can show all the indicators in real time and allow you to watch them without stopping.
By the way, about heart rate modes and zones. There are several zones, they are also called training zones, they differ in the number of heartbeats per minute, which are aimed at certain results, knowing which you will not harm yourself and will make your training much more effective.
First you need to calculate your maximum heart rate. There are several formulas and even special calculators, but they all produce a minimal error in comparison with the generally accepted and simplest formula for calculating MHR. It's very simple. Take the number 220 and subtract your age from it, unless of course you are over 18 years old. Otherwise, you need to consult a specialist.
Once you know your maximum heart rate, you need to decide on the purpose of your training, namely why you are training, and why you need to get off the couch and improve your body.
There can be several goals. And in order to understand what loads you need to train with, you just need your heart rate indicator, namely MHR, which we calculated above. Remember it and always keep it in mind.
Now let's move on to choosing your training goal. There are five main zones that are aimed at different end results:
Let’s say right away that it’s better not for ordinary people like you and me to come here, as there is a high probability of getting injured or harming your health. Do you remember the example with the car at the beginning of the article? So, if you are not prepared for such loads, then it is quite possible that you will damage some of your “spare parts”. However, no one excludes this zone, and a sufficient number of people are engaged in it, but all of them undergo proper training before this.
How to measure pulse
Now that you know why you need to constantly monitor your heart rate, you need to figure out the gadgets that are best suited for this. We consulted with a fitness trainer we knew, who explained to us what types of fitness trackers there are.
There are several main types of gadgets that measure heart rate:
With chest strap;
- without chest sensor.
Let’s immediately clarify that advanced sports watches with a chest sensor are mainly used by professional athletes. They have many body indicators built into them. Such as GPS tracking, cadence measurements (step frequency when running) and so on. This is, of course, great, but for ordinary people and even ordinary athletes, so to speak, using fitness trackers with chest sensors is quite inconvenient, especially since modern technologies have come so far that a fitness tracker without a chest sensor shows only a small error unlike its older brother with a chest sensor. It is approximately 3%, which is not at all critical in this situation. So we'll focus on real-time heart rate monitors without a chest strap.
Since our expert is a fan of the MIO company, we decided to review this line of fitness trackers from the most expensive to the most affordable heart rate monitor in order to understand the entire market and not make a mistake in choosing. We found several owners of these gadgets in their official group, and we were even lucky enough to meet an acquaintance at the gym with one of these models.
- As expected, we will start with the most expensive model in this line -. It turned out to be from our expert, who helped us with the article, which is no wonder, since it is the most functional and is suitable even for professional athletes. The coolest feature, as the owner noted, is a customizable sound alarm about the transition from one heart rate zone to another. That is, simply put, you will be able to set up all your heart rate zones and as soon as your heart rate increases or falls to the zone in which you would not like to be, the heart rate monitor will immediately notify you about this, and you can already time to speed up or slow down your workout to get exactly the result you're looking for. It is really very convenient and practical during training.
- You can buy a heart rate monitor a little cheaper. To be honest, we noticed it while visiting the gym, after work, on the arm of one friend and without hesitation, we asked about how this gadget helps her. Evgenia, the owner of MIO Fuse, was attracted to this gadget by its functionality, which is not very different from more expensive models, and most importantly, it’s design, because your heart rate is constantly displayed on the main display and you can easily monitor it both during sunny days and during intensive training.
- The third model in our rating is located and nothing can be done about it, we were not able to quickly find the owner of such a fitness tracker. But we have fully studied the Velo reviews and can confidently say that its functionality is close to the most expensive model in this line, namely the Mio ALPHA 2, which also has customizable heart rate zones. The only difference is the design and the lack of a display, which is not a minus at all for some people.
- The fourth most expensive heart monitor and, frankly speaking, finding the owner of such a gadget was the most difficult, we don’t know why, but after sending several dozen messages on social networks, we finally found the owner. His comment was terse, but the main criterion for choosing this gadget was that it does not have a screen, like previous models and turns out to be much more convenient in some everyday situations, that is, you do not need to remove it if you are afraid of breaking the screen. Considering that its functionality is almost identical to its more expensive counterparts, its convenience in everyday life turned out to be its main advantage.
- And as a bonus, we’ll tell you about a model that will go on sale in the future, but you can already pre-order on the website. We learned about it again from our expert, and it turns out that this is the model that many users are waiting for. This . Why are they waiting for her so much? They explained it to us simply. Firstly, this is the design, it should be thinner, more convenient and lighter than its predecessors. Secondly, it will be possible to receive notifications about messages and calls, which is very convenient during training, so as not to take out your smartphone every time. And thirdly, and this is the most interesting thing, this gadget will be able to give ratings to its owner based on various readings. Agree, it will be cool to get an excellent grade for a workout and know that you did a great job.
The question: “What should your heart rate be during training?” This question is asked by many aspiring athletes and people leading a healthy lifestyle. And they do the right thing, because the effectiveness of training directly depends on the pulse. This fact was established by scientists through many years of research, so there is no doubt about it. Depending on the goals that the athlete has set for himself, he should train in different pulse zones. When playing sports, you should remember this, because if you choose the wrong load, achieving the desired result is much more difficult.
Before starting training, you should decide on the result you want to get, and also, if you are not a professional, it is advisable to consult a doctor.
Pulse zones are determined from the maximum possible heart rate, which is individual for each person. Of course, the maximum heart rate depends on many factors, such as gender, general physical fitness, as well as age and specific diseases.
How to determine the maximum possible heart rate?
The most accurate method for determining the maximum possible heart rate is to conduct stress tests on a cardio machine, for example, a bicycle ergometer. However, due to the fact that during such testing the heart receives extreme stress, it should be performed by people with a trained cardiovascular system and athletes. For others, it is highly not recommended to use this method. If you are not sure about your health, you should not overload your heart and take measurements on a bicycle ergometer.
This article is aimed primarily at ordinary people who lead a healthy lifestyle and try to keep themselves in shape. A special formula for calculating maximum heart rate is quite suitable for them.
Formula for calculating maximum heart rate
The simplest and most common formula for calculating a maximum heart rate of 220 is age. For example, if a trainee is 40 years old, then his maximum heart rate is 180 beats per minute. It is worth noting that this formula does not take into account the physiological characteristics of people (overweight, physical fitness) and gender. Therefore, professional athletes use a slightly modernized version of this formula.
For men: 214 minus age multiplied by 0.8
Let's calculate the maximum heart rate for a 40 year old man = 214 – 40*0.8 = 182
For women: 209 minus age multiplied by 0.7
Let's calculate the maximum heart rate for a 30 year old woman = 209 – 30*0.7 = 188
The formulas give almost identical results, but with increasing age, the second formula gives a slightly larger figure than the previous version of the calculation. For non-professionals, the formula “220 – age” is the most optimal.
Now that we have decided on our maximum heart rate, we can move on to looking at different target zones.
Target HR zones (heart rate)
1) Cardiovascular system training area.
If up to this point you have had nothing to do with sports, have not held anything heavier than a pencil or a TV remote control in your hands, then this zone should become the only one for the next 1.5 - 2 months of training. It corresponds to 50-59% of maximum heart rate and is best suited for preparing the cardiovascular system for more intense training. According to many, training at such a heart rate is not active enough and cannot be beneficial, but this is a common misconception. The amount of cholesterol and fat is reduced, the respiratory and cardiovascular systems are strengthened.
2) Light training area (fitness area).
The fitness zone is within 60-69% of your maximum heart rate. The intensity of training in this zone is greater than in the previous one, therefore the healing effect is better. During training, more calories are burned, which leads to more intense fat burning. This zone is optimal for keeping the body in good shape. The loads are enough to get rid of extra pounds, and the heart works in a moderate mode. The following heart rate zones are designed for athletes. To train with such loads, you must be absolutely confident in your health and most importantly, you must understand why you need it. To improve your health and keep your body in good shape, training at 60-69% of your maximum heart rate is enough. Exceeding this threshold is recommended for people who want to play sports professionally.
3) Aerobic zone.
The main goal of training in the aerobic zone is to work on general endurance. The aerobic zone lies between 70-79% of maximum heart rate. Heart strength increases, resting heart rate decreases, and lung capacity increases. The peculiarity of this training is that the number of calories burned is divided in a 50/50 ratio between carbohydrates and fats, while with less intense training almost 90% comes from fats. This once again emphasizes that this zone is more suitable for improving the athletic capabilities of your body rather than getting rid of excess weight.
4) Anaerobic zone.
In this zone (80-89% of maximum heart rate) there is already a more noticeable bias towards burning carbohydrates. More than 80% of the calories burned come from carbohydrates, the so-called “short calories”, and fats account for no more than 15%. This zone contributes the most to increasing performance. 5) Extreme load zone. This is the last zone we will look at. As you may have guessed, its range is from 90 to 100% of the maximum heart rate. Even professional athletes are advised to train in this area only under the supervision of doctors who monitor the condition of the body. Of all the calories burned, only 5% comes from fat. Training at this intensity is extremely difficult to sustain for a long time, so they are used as interval training. For example, you train in the aerobic zone for a while, then increase the intensity, keep your heart rate at 90-100% for about a minute, and then reduce it back to the aerobic zone.