27 Can you confidently say how much effort you put into your last training session? How often do you walk away from a session with ‘a little more to give’ or, alternatively, spend the next few days in an energy deficit? No matter what level athlete you are, it is not always possible to accurately predict the effort you’re putting into a session, for many reasons. Not only does the above detriment even the most robust training plan, but it can also leave you seeing little or no progression in both training and racing. So, the big question is, how can you train effectively, knowing that you’re putting in the correct amount of effort? Your heart rate is the best way to measure your exercise intensity, as it corresponds directly to your level of physical exertion. Heart rate alone is a difficult measurement to use when training. For a start, what does 123 beats per minutes (bpm) mean compared to 138 bpm regarding exertion levels other than “it’s higher”? Therefore, you should opt for using heart rate training zones. Heart rate training zones explained Everyone’s heart beats a maximum number of times per minute, and this is personal to each individual. Your maximum heart rate (MHR) is used to calculate your individual heart rate zones which correspond to level of exercise intensity, as you can see below. 50 – 59% of MHR: Recovery / easy 60 – 69% of MHR: Muscles are warming up, still breathing easily 70 – 79% of MHR: Breathless but able to speak a few words 80 – 89% of MHR: Really working hard, muscles beginning to burn 90 – 100% of MHR: Pushing yourself to the limit, only able to maintain for short duration Benefits of using heart rate zones in training Personalised. Your maximum heart rate is personal to you, therefore your effort zones are personal to you. This means that a training plan based around the training zones allows for an increase or decrease in fitness, while remaining relevant. Enjoyment and motivation. As evidenced by research, being able to visibly see your effort through heart rate zone training, while working out, correlates with an increase in session enjoyment. This is in line with what many trainers see when their athletes and clients are made aware of their effort Optimal programming. Different exercise zones and intensities are beneficial for different goals, for example training with short bursts of 90-100% can improve your lactic threshold. Similarly, no-one should be training at 80 or above for the predominance of their sessions, you need to include lower-level zones to ensure that you are allowing your body to recover appropriately. Consistency and inclusion. Whether you’re looking to compete in events or just complete them, training is more fun with more people. Myzone is a heart rate monitor platform, that focuses on zone training and with the Myzone community, you can reap the benefits of training within the heart rate zones, while sharing each experience with other Myzone users. Myzone – making zone training simple Myzone is the most accurate heart rate monitor available, with up to 99.4% PPG accuracy and can be worn on the arm, wrist or chest for optimal comfort. By allocating unique colours to each of the heart rate zones, it allows you to see instantly what zone you are training in. You can view your workout zone with ease throughout your session via the MZ-Switch heart rate monitor, which flashes your colour zone for you when worn on the wrist. Alternatively, check your zone on displays in the gym or through the free Myzone app, where you can map your workout effort in real-time. Whether it’s your first event or you’re pushing for the podium, let’s train together, support each other and overcome every obstacle. TRAINING : MHR Myzone Moves For more information visit myzone.org
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