Using MHR and RHR to calculate out everything necessary for your running program

So you have your MHR and RHR rates, now it's time to use these numbers to determine all of your heart zones.

Let's use an example to demonstrate the zones. First take you MHR and subtract your RHR. For our example, we will use 185 for the MHR and 55 for the RHR. Using the result, multiply it by .60, .70, .80, .85, and .90 and add your RHR to all of these percentages. Let's look at the example:

185 – 55 = 130

.50 – (130 x .5) + 55 = 120

.60 = (130 x .6) + 55 = 133

.70 = (130 x .7) + 55 = 146

.80 = (130 x .8) + 55 = 159

.85 = (130 x .85) + 55 = 166

.90 = (130 x .9) + 55 = 172

Your probably wondering why we use 85% for one of our calculations while all other calculations are done on increments of ten. 85% is used as a common threshold for the body moving from an aerobic state to an anaerobic state. This means that you are using your muscles without oxygen, which will limit the amount of time you can continue running before the muscles will give out. Outside of speed workouts, you normally don't want to exceed the 85% even in your running or risk failure of your muscles to continue to perform. 50% is widely accepted as the minimum training threshold for gaining any type of endurance for running.

So how should we use these zones? Well, from my past post, remember that you can use these zones to determine what zone you should be training in for each running day:

50-60% (120-133) is usually considered warm-up or if you are going very easy, as in recovery, from a heard workout the day before.

60-75% (133- 152) is considered Aerobic Development – Long Slow Distance, or easy days.

75-85% (152-166) is when you are trying to build aerobic endurance.

85-95% (166- 179) is all anaerobic endurance, so this for distance that is ¼ to 1 mile in distance.

95-100% (179 and above) all speed, going more than a quarter mile at this level is very, very difficult.

Now I want to stress that these are just averages. If you have your maximum and threshold rates determined by a certified health club trainer, the reading will be a lot more accurate. For example, I have a 185 MHR and 55 RHR. When I have been tested, my zones end up like this:

Warm-up = 127 – 142

Aerobic Development = 142 – 152

Aerobic Endurance = 152 – 162

Anaerobic Endurance = 162 -172

Speed/Power – 172 plus.

As you can see, the feedback from the testing done at a health club monitoring my heart rate through various speeds, inclines and stresses is a lot more accurate than using the percentage formulas. Again, not a wide margin of difference, but still more accurate to the point of letting me know the exact number of beats for the training, especially in terms of moving from aerobic to anaerobic.

Tomorrow, we will put this together to put together a weekly training program for your running improvement.

Maximum Rate and Resting Rate Heart Rates

Before I begin, I do want to point that if you are just getting into running and haven't had a physical in a few years, this might be the time to do it. Before beginning any exercise program, you should just make sure that you do not have any condition that would preclude you from increasing the effort of this training. Now that I have that disclaimer out of the way, let's discuss heart rate maxes and resting rates.

 

The best way to determine Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) and Resting Heart Rate (RHR) is by having it read professionally. Most health clubs have some type of program that can do this for you. I have a membership at Life Time Fitness and they use the New Leaf program that will read your heart rate while performing stress tests at different speeds and inclines on the treadmill. You can also have this done at running expos or hospital outpatient or same day surgery centers. The running expos are probably not the perfect set up and the hospital is probably the highest cost. But any of these methods are more accurate than doing the poor man's method (described below). I highly recommend checking your local health club to have this done to get the most accurate reading. It will give you the anaerobic and aerobic thresholds that are invaluable for your training program.

If you cannot afford or do not wish to pay for the accuracy of these readings, here is the poor man's method. After putting on your heart rate monitor, warm up for 15 minutes and find a hill with a 10% to 15% incline that is at least ¼ to 1/3 a mile long. The object of this exercise is to get you to run up the hill for at least two minutes at you full all out. So after your 15 minute warm-up, run up the hill for at least two minutes as quick as you can without losing your running form. Your should be gasping for air when you finally reach the two minutes. Jog back down for two minutes before your next run. Watch your heart rate reading at least one full minute at the end of your run. Sometimes the heart rate monitor takes time to read what your heart rate's beats are. After four trials, you should have a good heart rate max, your top reading. If you can't find a hill [live in Kansas City for example] you can use the incline on a treadmill as they usually will incline up to 15% on most health club machines.

For resting heart rate, this exercise is a lot easier. After waking, put on your heart rate monitor [on the nightstand next to your bed that you put there the night before]. Stay vertical for at least 5 minutes, checking once each minute. Your lowest reading is what your RHR is.

Tomorrow's blog will give you a step-by-step formula for calculating your heart rate zones for your running program.