The Kevorkian formula

If you want to incorporate heart rate training into your running correctly, you need to use the training zones that you get from using the Kevorkian heart rate formula. I cannot stress how inaccurate the 220 minus your age heart rate formula is. If I used that, I would be underperforming in all my training. The formula is more inaccurate as you get older, mainly because there is an inherent bias built in for age.

Here's the Kevorkian formula in a nutshell:

Max Heart Rate (MHR) – Minus - Resting heart rate (RHR) = Net Active Heart Rate (NAHR). Apply the percentages for your zones (60-70, 70-8-, etc.) to the NAHR add the RHR and voila, your training zone.

Let's use an actual example (mine) to give you a sample to use as you calculate yours:

Max Heart Rate - 185

Resting Heart Rate - 55

Net Active Heart Rate – 185 – 55 = 130.

So to get to 60% of the max, it would be calculated at 185- 55 = 130 x .60 = 78 + 55 = 133. So if I want to be in the 60-70% training zone, it would be 133 to 146 beats per minute.

What are the important ranges for training?

50-60% is usually considered warm-up or if you are going very easy, as in recovery, from a heard workout the day before.

60-75% is considered Aerobic Development – Long Slow Distance, or easy days.

75-85% is when you are trying to build aerobic endurance.

85-95% is all anaerobic endurance, so this for distance that is ¼ to 1 mile in distance.

95-100% all speed, going more than a quarter mile at this level is very, very difficult.

My next blog will go over on how to get your MHR and RHR and how to incorporate these training zones.