The purpose of this article is based more on weightloss/body composition goals, but of course heart rate training gives individuals significant performance benefits as well as you know from most of the other articles I have on the blog. Even if you are training for performance, who doesn't want to look better and feel better through exercise?
Stalled weightloss/body transformation can be frustrating, but there is a solution! By using heart rate based training. You can do this by gauging your intensity and using your heart rate to personalize your program. This way you train at the right intensity, for the right amount of time and using a heart rate monitor gauges and tracks your workouts.
By finding your "happy place" or anaerobic threshold, your heart rate based training zones can be set. Knowing your heart rate zones, a individualized program can be put together for you based on your performance and/or body composition goals.
There are 5 heart rate zones -
Heart Rate Zone 1 -
-Warm up & active recovery zone
-Beginning & end of workout
-Easy pace workouts
-Generally burns more calories from fat than carbohydrates
Heart Rate Zone 2 -
-Aerobic development zone
-Easy pace workouts
-Builds your aerobic base & efficiency
-Improves overall conditioning & endurance
-Typically burning more calories from fat than carbohydrates
Heart Rate Zone 3 -
-Aerobic endurance zone
-Typically burning more calories from carbohydrates than fat
-Depletes carbohydrates (glycogen in muscle) & increases fat burn post exercise
-Higher caloric burn rate
-Improved endurance & cardio efficiency
Heart Rate Zone 4 -
-Anaerobic endurance zone
-Increases tolerance to lactic acid system
-Depletes carbohydrates (glycogen in muscle) & burns more fat post exercise
Heart Rate Zone 5 -
-All out intensity & effort for short intervals
-Challenges your body to reach full athletic potential
-Carbohydrates used as energy source (depletes muscle glycogen & burn more fat post exercise)
-Level of exertion extremely hard
-Maintained for a few seconds to few minutes
If your primary goal is weightloss or body transformation...
-Helps develop a solid aerobic base
-Exercise harder & longer as ease
-Burn more fat as primary energy source!
*you need to burn fat, to lose fat!!*
Developing your aerobic base to a higher intensity allows you to burn more calories from fat in a more efficient workout. The higher intensity you can go and still burn a greater caloric expenditure from fat, the more efficient you will lose body fat from your current workouts. Developing your aerobic base builds your metabolic rate, you burn more fat at higher intensities, & improve your exercises endurance.
Do you want to go from stalled, no result workouts to stellar workouts turning your body into a fat burning machine?
Working out 3-4 days per week in the appropriate heart rate zones for 3-4 weeks will get you the results you want through changing your cardiovascular and muscular systems and improving your metabolism!
Cardiovascular system -
-Heart becomes more efficient
-Easier to work out harder for longer
-Burn more calories at greater ease
-More efficient workouts
-Resting heart rate decreases
-Cardiac output & efficiency improves!
Muscular system -
-Increases number of mitochondria in cells
-Burn more fat calories - at rest & during exercise
The key to metabolic training success is consistency & variety! Working out in different heart rate zones boosts overall fitness level, increases range using fat for fuel, maximizes post exercise caloric burn & your body stores carbs as glycogen NOT fat!
Overall, cardio 30 minutes each day is great for general health, but over time fitness & weight loss can plateau. Heart rate based training adds varying levels of challenge. Challenge your body & see results!!
I am a personal trainer and metabolic technician at Lifetime fitness. Here we do an active metabolic assessment where you can get your heart rate zones and intensities at those heart rates. Based off that information we provide you with a program to get you stellar results! I recommend getting your heart rate testing done whether you are a Lifetime member or somewhere else to get your testing done. Also a heart rate monitor to gauge your workouts and heart rate.
If you have any questions feel free to ask or email!
Happy Stellar Running :)
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