Today an old friend and I were reunited at the gym. It was a glorious moment – shouts of delight, introductions all around and a tight hug. A really really tight hug, right around my chest. No it wasn’t Charlie Sheen on the rebound again. It was my trusty heart rate monitor, dug out of my sports bra drawer (what? Not everyone has an entire drawer of sports bras?), enlivened with a new battery and strapped on my person. What was the grand occasion? Lindsey’s interval workout from h-e-double hockey sticks. (Side note: I had a high school teacher who insisted on spelling “sex” s-e-c-k-s every time he wrote it on the board. It was strange on so many levels, not the least of which being that to this day I still confuse “sex” with “socks.”)
As part of January’s Great Fitness Experiment, Personal Trainer Lindsey had us do 15 minutes of 30 second all-out-run-till-ya-puke sprints followed by one minute of recovery walking. Lather, rinse, repeat 12 times. It was a pain in the butt. Literally. Because yesterday had us do a torturous routine called a “pulse pyramid” that involved so many squats my butt cheeks remained involuntarily clenched for the rest of the day. And running wind sprints on sore buttocal – I like to make up words – muscles is excruciating.
Sore butts (and quads) aside, the Gym Buddies and I were all kitted out in our finest gadgetry for one purpose: to make sure our heart rates were in the right zone. (Okay, two purposes – we also like to compare calorie burns. With each other. With the machines. With our other heart rate monitors *cough*Krista*cough.) Because as everyone knows, when you are all-out sprinting your heart rate should be in Zone 5.
What – not everyone knows that?! Of course almost nobody knows that. Figuring out one’s heart rate zones is akin to trying to locate all the noble gasses on the periodic table. While running top speed on a treadmill. And unlike the periodic table, heart rate zones are mushy science at best.
Which is why when Reader Joanne wrote me I got all excited. Well, that and she flattered me – I’m a sucker for a compliment. She writes:
“I was wondering if you’d be able to do a post about heart rate zones? I have a heart rate monitor I love – but I’m struggling with where I should be aiming for when I exercise. I get that not every session should be all out – but really I’m clueless, and while thinking about this the other day I thought of you. I love the blog and you have a skill at putting technical stuff into layman’s terms.”
What Are Heart Rate Zones?
Joanne, the first thing you need to understand is that fitness people are, as a rule, compulsive neurotics. And being one you know I say that with love. We love numbers. We love workouts. And therefore we love our workouts to have numbers. Basically, the heart rate zones are a set of 5 “zones” comprised of a range of heart rates, measured in beats per minute. They were designed as a way to gauge know how hard one is working (or should be working) during any given activity. Before the attack of the zones (not to be confused with the attack of The Zone, as in Barry Sears’ prolific diet), people could only measure their workout intensity by their RPE, or rate of perceived exertion. This was problematic because people are notorious liars, especially when it comes to working out.
What are Your Heart Rate Zones?
This is where it gets tricky. Each zone, 1 to 5, is defined by the amount of fat being burned for fuel versus carbohydrates. You may have heard someone say, “Don’t both with high intensity workouts, you’re only burning carbs!” or perhaps, “If you want to burn fat, you have to stay in your fat-burning zone.” So how do you know at which heart rate you reach that mythical fat-burning Shangri-La? Short answer: you don’t. Not really.
Long answer: Everyone’s body is different and therefore so is the rate at which they burn fat. This makes heart rate zones slightly different for each individual. In addition, people’s metabolisms change over time so your heart rate zones will too. The only way to find your zones for this point in your life is to get a comprehensive metabolic test done. This involves running full tilt on an inclined treadmill with a gas mask strapped to your face until you either reach your peak heart rate or suffocate to death. It’s actually a lot more fun than it sounds. Once you’ve done this test – and its partner the resting metabolic test – you will get a fairly accurate picture of where you burn the most amount of fat proportionally.
If you don’t want to spend the money on getting regular metabolic testing done – and those tests can be very spendy – scientists have made a handy dandy chart listing the zones based on the average of people of a certain age. You’ve probably seen these posted on various flat surfaces at your gym. Something similar to this (chart courtesy of Polar):
click to enlargeHow to Use Them
Fit instructors, personal trainers and specific workouts will often call for a certain workout intensity. For instance, HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts like we did today call for working at your maximum ability for short periods followed by recovery periods at a low intensity. On the other hand steady state cardio asks you to stay at a moderate intensity for a prolonged period of time. So what exactly is “moderate,” “intense” and “low”? You can guess based on how you feel but most people aren’t honest or self-perceptive enough to get it right. So instead of guessing, you can strap on a heart rate monitor and use the number to tell you how hard to push it.
The zones range from 1 (walking slowly) all the way up to 5 (I cannot maintain this level of exertion for more than 30 seconds without dying, puking and/or seeing stars). Depending on the goal of your workout – anything from fat loss to increased cardiovascular capacity to increased speed to rehabbing an injury – you can select the appropriate zone to aim for.
Are They Useful?
This is the real question people should be asking. I will admit to some skepticism in this area. While heart rate monitors are certainly useful for pushing yourself, beyond that I’m a little leery of their ability to make a difference that would be noticeable to anyone but professional athletes. Sure research says that doing HIIT torches way more calories both during and after than steady state cardio. But research also says that long low-intensity cardio is correlated with longevity while high intensity workouts can correlate with earlier death (chant with me: correlation is not causation, correlation is not causation…). And sure the research shows that you burn more fat in a certain zone than in others – but research has not linked the “fat burning zone” to long-term weight loss. So is it really important to know which zone you are really in?
I also think that the concept of heart rate zones makes money. The watches, the charts, the metabolic testing, the special programs, the trainers to interpret the results and design the programs – all these things cost money. Lots of money. And I have yet to see a single study that shows heart rate monitoring leading to significant athletic gains or weight loss in any but the most elite athletes. But that might just be me being cynical. I do come from good conspiracy theorist stock, I’ll have you know.
Verdict
I have a heart rate monitor. I use it. You know I love numbers. For about a year I ate, slept and breathed that monitor. (Seriously – Gym Buddy Allison and I once wore ours for 24 hours just to see what our heart rates did over the course of a day.) And then I got tired of always strapping that thing on under my bra and doing jumping jacks outside the door to the child care because I couldn’t end on a “weird” number of total calories burned so I stuffed it in my sports bra drawer and forgot about it. Having been on both sides of the heart rate zone loving, I will say that it can be a useful tool if you use it to motivate yourself to work harder or to calibrate your intensity to a specific workout or just keep yourself honest. However, don’t expect it to produce any magical results and if you use the numbers to drive yourself nuts – or to an eating disorder – then you should ditch it.
But that’s just this girl’s opinion. Do you use a heart rate monitor? Love it or hate it? Do you find the heart rate zones useful?
I love mine. I don't like exercising without it! I like to see what % of my max heart rate I am exercising in, as well as see how long I am in the target zone I set for myself (60-80% of max). Other than that, I don't pay attention to zones.
My favorite feature (and biggest reason for using the HRM) is to get a more accurate calorie burn readout.
I used mine to teach myself to run. I tried the Couch to 5K thing but just kind of hated what I was doing the whole time. So I busted out my HRM and set it to beep below 70% and above 80% of my max heart rate (which I just trusted it to calculate – I don't think it really matters). I'd load some podcasts onto my iPod and set out, running until I hit 80%, then walking until I was below 70%. I loved it! The periods of walking got shorter and shorter, and then eventually I just took off and ran straight for a long chunk, despite the HRM's beeping protestations.
If anyone asks, I tell them that the first step in learning/starting to run is not hating it. I've tried to get fit enough to run many times over the years, but nothing worked until this, and it's because it was a confined amount of exertion, followed by a recovery period. Who knows about zone 3 vs. 4 vs. 5 for fat loss – I agree with you that it probably only matters for professional athletes – but I'm glad to own a HRM.
Today was my first time using a hr monitor. And according to the chart, I was at max for most of it lol. Darn Lindsey and her butt kicking! My intervals were a little different than yours but my max was 190 and at 170 or higher for the last 20 minutes or so. And I still have no real idea what that means, I just tried it for fun. I was just using the strap, a cast off of my hubbys. I want a calorie counter but I'm a little fearful of the obsession with that. How many calories do you burn yelling at your kids to clean their room anyway 😉
Dear Charlotte,
I adore you. Every time I'm at the gym and see something humorous or weird, I want to send it to you (ie: two HUGE dudes doing lats in "Night at the Roxbury" fashion-hilarious!). My spin instructor has recently yelled at us "220 minus your age is the heart rate you should be reaching RIGHT NOW" and for the life of me I could not get my heartrate above 170, though try I did.
Today my best gym buddy caught me treadmilling at 9.3 miles an hour holding the hand rails trying to get my heartrate to 193 (I began to type out the math, but you love numbers so I'll let you do it). She laughed, I puked, hilarious.
Needless to say, I'm not sure I'd put too much credence in that crap either. Thank you for your post today. You honestly blogged my mind. Creepy, but cool. You rock. Thanks for your blog!
-Rachael
I love reading your posts. This one was so timely! I was one of the first 30 to email in so I'm also doing the workouts Lindsey prescribed and today I did my first HIIT workout. I did it on the bike, and about 1/3 of the way in, I realized I was ONLY 1/3 in and still had a long way to go. I got curious about my heart rate and found that when I was all out pedaling my heart rate was aroun 170, and even during recovery it stayed around 130. These numbers meant nothing to me-but they do now. Thanks 🙂
If you are confusing socks and sex, I think we may have found why you are so prolific. 😉
Anywho, I have a HRM… several, in fact. But given the variations in the numbers I see, I'm not sure I trust them. I know that my heart rate will be a little different each workout even if I'm running at the same speed/incline/temperature, but I've seen crazy variations.
After this baby pops out, the husband is going to get me a Body Bugg. I shudder at the costs involved, but apparently, it's much more accurate about calories burned than anything else out there short of stuff they do in a lab. Plus, you can get it in pink or zebra print!
I use mine on my interval runs, but that's about it. Mostly though, I do my runs based on speed, not heart rate.
One problem my Mom and I both have with heart rate monitors (and the old fashioned take-your-pulse-and-count method) is that we are almost never able to get into the higher zones. Our heart rates start out so low that it takes an extreme amount of exertion to get to zone 4. Even in an all out sprint for a solid minute I can't budge into zone 5. Are we just freaks of nature, or does anyone else have this problem?
I have two heartrate monitors; a simple one I use at the gym or at home and one with a GPS and distance calculator that I use when running outside. I've had a HRM since last Christmas and I don't remember exercising without it in all that time. I was constantly wrongly estimating how hard I was working before I had it so I mostly use it to keep track of how hard I'm working by comparison to other days and between different types of exercise (for instance running on a treadmill elevates my heart A LOT more than the elliptical does). Even if it's not an exact science, it does give me some way of measuring the intensity of my workouts. And while I'm far from neurotic in all other aspects of life, I am VERY neurotic when it comes to exercise.
I thought if it doesn't kill you it makes you stronger?
Well, since we are all about honesty here, no, I have never used a heart monitor! I think part of it is that I have been active for so long. If I was starting a running program now, I might use one. Loved all the information, however!
I don't know. I haven't used a heart rate monitor, but when I was training for the Mount Washington Road Race I noticed that running on a treadmill at a 12% grade at around 6 miles an hour made me feel like my heart was going to explode. So I started to take note of my heart rate. It never got above 160 bpm. That's pretty low for feeling like you might pass out after only a few minutes. I started to note my heart rate right directly following hard running intervals (say 400 meters at 85 seconds) and my heart rate is around 150 bpm. My resting pulse is low too. Around 40 bpm. I think I'd feel bad if I wore a heart rate monitor, because I'd never get into zone 5 (and I'm working hard).
GREAT POST!!!!!!!! BUT that first pic.. UGH! OMG, where do you find these pics! 🙂
I don't use a heart rate monitor & use perceived exertion for me. I tend to be in better shape for my age so I don't necessarily fit into what is suggested for my age.
As for HIIT, intervals, longer & steady state, I do all of them & I think this cross training helps cause I hit all the things they say are supposed to work! 🙂
PS: That workout sounded awesome!
Let me first say that you're absolutely hilarious and I'd pay 15 bucks a ticket to see you live at some standup comedy place. Just so you know.
Moving on… I don't own a heart rate monitor and I've never used one. I'm afraid I'd find out I'm only barely alive. I think I'll have to get much more in shape before I strap one of those babies on. Thanks for the great information!
I don't have a heart rate monitor, though I have thought of getting one more than once. May still happen one day.
Just had to say though, I loved this:
"fitness people are, as a rule, compulsive neurotics…We love numbers. We love workouts. And therefore we love our workouts to have numbers."
So true!
Our YMCA has a couple elipticals that use a HRM program. I love it!! You punch in your goal heart rate and the machine does the rest, adjusting inself accordingly. I can read my magazine without giving a second thought to keeping my heart rate in the zone.
I recently got a heart rate monitor because when I'm on a treadmill, I didn't trust that it was giving me accurate numbers (it would regularly be in the 160s-170s, and as I'm 30 years old, that says that I'm at 90%, but my RPE was definitely not that high).
Well, it turns out that is my heart rate. And what's more, I regularly get up into the high 170s teaching step aerobics, even though if you asked my RPE, I'd tell you it was moderate to low. So I've no idea what my zones are, no idea at all.
But I do find that the monitor helps when I'm on the treadmill or going solo on the spin bike. So I can be sure my HR comes down to 110 or 120 on recoveries, then I can push it up to the 170s on the sprints (or sprint intervals, I can start at 150, then 160 on the next, then 170). I now get bored without it.
The hubby bought me a new heart rate monitor for Christmas, and I am in absolute love with it. I use it to help me be more honest about the intensity of my workouts.
such a great post! i've been debating whether or not to buy a HRM lately. i don't currently have one but i loosely track my hr the good old fashion way: by checking my pulse after i run, 2 minutes after i'm done and whatnot.
Huff, huff, puff.. whew!
I'm just back from a mad dash to my blog and blogher, where I'd just posted about "beginning cardio" before coming here! So I had to run back to edit both posts to make sure the 3 people reading them could find out the scoop on heart rate monitors here, where you've totally got all the skinny.
Anyway, I'm currently using a heartrate monitor again, after a long break, because I've been forced to switch to a new form of exercise (biking) while my foot heals. And sure enough, it turns out I have to totally KILL my legs in order to get to the same place I did with running. Grrrr.
Generally, once I get a sense of how my perceived effort correlates with the heatrate numbers, I start leaving the strap at home.
I'm like leth, too, in that I have a really high heart rate even at moderate exertion, and I don't like seeing those high numbers 'cause they freak me out.
I always use a HRM when I work out, and have for 3+ years. I really like it for HIIT, but also like to have an idea of my calories burned (I typically use DVDs, so have no idea) and my Polar F6 tracks my weekly data, so I know how much I worked out that week. Also, it makes it easier to calculate Weight Watchers activity points (100 calories = 1 point).
I'm definitely a numbers person (aka, an accountant), so it works for me!
Oh zones 3-5, I have come to know ye well during the last 6 weeks of half training. I have actually never used a heart rate monitor but I am entering into the number geek teritory with my xmas present on back order (the garmin forerunner). I didn't want one before because I figured the numbers would drive me crazy, but I've been better lately and it will really help me not be so afraid to deviate from my normal running routes (since I know exactly how long they are).
And I totally plan on wearing mine for 24 hours sometime to see how many calories I burn. 😉
I'm dragging out the HR monitor after more than a year just to see what's changed. Glad your post reminded me. Mine always wedges itself up under my bra and drives my crazy. Anyone else have that problem?
cammi99
I don't know what it is, but every heart rate monitor I've ever had goes wonky after the first couple of weeks. They just stop working. I don't know if they give up in despair, or if maybe all those X-rays I had as a kid (I fell down A LOT) have messed with my innards. (Maybe I'll eventually have super powers!)
SO I really on my HBM. Heavy Breathing Monitor. If I can barely breathe, like in spin class, I'm exerting myself a bit too much. If I can quote the entire "Now is the winter of our discontent" speech from "Richard III," I may need to pick up the pace a bit. Sure, people look at you funny when you start randomly quoting Shakespeare or turning various shades of purple, but I figure if I fall somewhere between the two extremes, I'm doing OK.
I said it before and I'll say it again; I'm screwed.
-Joshua
I got one about a month ago and like PC am using it to do my own personalized Couch to 5K. I had done the program before and successfully completed a 5K, got hurt in the process, and didn't run again for years. I tried it up again this summer and made it three weeks before quitting, telling myself I hate running and wondering why I try to do this to myself.
With my trusty heart rate monitor on yesterday I took out and ran and walked according to it beeping at me, and I found I was averaging about a minute and a half of walking with 20-30 seconds of running, which is about half of the C25K running amount. Those extra 30 seconds of running make a lot of a difference though; rather than finishing my work out beet red, looking like I was ready to die and wishing I had, I was fine at the end and could have kept going if I wanted to. In that respect I think the HRM works really well, because you can use it to customize it to you.
As for the max heart rate, those charts are kind of crap. I did two different methods to find mine; one was taking a resting heart rate when you first wake up in the morning and googling a calculator that will figure out your max using that info. The second was using two exercise tests and averaging the results (compliments of the little booklet that came with my HRM). The resting one gave me 205, the two tests gave me an average of 207, so I'm happy with that result. (The age guide would put me at 193).
I found a whole list of tests that you can do to try to figure out your own: http://www.howtobefit.com/determine-maximum-heart-rate.htm
My test was the step test and one where I kept sitting and getting up from a chair for three minutes. I just moved or I'd post the numbers you're supposed to add for that one.
I'd try doing one of those things to get a better idea of your real max heart rate. Then I think the monitors are great. 🙂
I got one a few years back when I first worked with a personal trainer, he really wanted me in "the zone" – not sure if I ever got there. I has been in the box ever since but only does heart rate, nothing continuous.
I got a bodybugg last year but had let the subscription lapse until I started with Lindsey last week. I am currently bugged up and just with you could burn calories typing. I am not sure if it does heart rate specifically but does show the calorie burn which I love to graph and regraph. I stopped using my bug because logging my food and graphing my calories was taking time away from actually working out – I hope I am tone it down a bit this time around.
p.s. If anyone wants a hardly used Polar F1, I will gladly pass it along.
I don"t have a heart rate monitor, but Lindsay's workouts are kickin my butt as well.
In the past I tried using some machines at the gym that have monitors, but I could never get them to work!
Oh gosh Charlotte, you're going to think I've stolen all of your posts. I have had a post written/unfinished for about 4 months in the queue about heart rate monitors. I think that the reason I haven't finished it is b/c I have such confusion over HRMs
Let me summarize briefly. I used to train at high intensity alot (I love that). I used to get body fat/lean muscle tested on a regular basis. I was losing muscle. The guy told me I was hanging out above my lactate threshold for too long, too often: eating my own muscle away. Drats.
Turns out my perception of what feels easy is actually a high HR. Then I got the mask-on-the-face test and now know my LT. Now I try to stay below it (barely!) except for a few bursts of HIIT (like 3 or 4 MAX)so i don't burn my muscle up.
I am not 100% convinced about the science and I've looked around. But one of the last times I went back about a year ago, I had been dieting, but adhered to the new lower HR recommendation, and I had put on muscle and lost fat which is unusual as you know. (usually you lose both muscle and fat)
Thanks for another great post and forgive me when mine comes out in the distant future. 🙂
Wear. When I'm finding my work out hard, I'm up around 92 or 95% of MHR. Sometimes I run it up above 100%. Should have died a few times but apparently my heart is comfortable working at 113% of my max. The monitor that I've used for a year gives ranges and percentages but not actual heart rates. I just switched to one that shows beats per minute (usually I'm around 180, which is still too high for 220 minus my age). I don't think these things are accurate and I think you better shell out the $ for testing before you decide your max heart rate.
My resting heart rate upon wakening is dead. Does not compute.
i have always enjoyed working out at the higher end of my training zone(although i use that word loosely since i don't know what those are!). whenever we would do a heart-rate check in step i would be off the charts but feeling great…like i was getting a good workout. When i get on the elliptical i would like for my 10 second heart-rate count to be between 35-40 beats and that is considered too high….but i didn't feel like i was going to pass out or anything so maybe it was/is OK? I teach spin now and push my limits way more than i ever did on the machines….and crave that intensity.
i want one of these devices now! but am afraid i will get hooked on the numbers…how do you keep in check?
great post!
Whoo! I'm glad I'm not the only one who totally got her butt kicked by the weight lifting/cardio combo from this personal training deal (I was one of the winners)
Stairs were the enemy at work today, I was like a Dalek from the 60's Dr. Who.
I love mine too and used it for Lindseys HIIT!!
But I still have one question: How do you get your heart rate up in Zone 5?? I just cannot do that in 30 seconds, even if I sprint very fast (I think an old man walking with his dog was thinking of skyrockets when i was flying by, haha ;-)) and cannot do more than 30 seconds…its no problem to get it down again, thats fast (what is a good sign, it means i'm athletic isn't it?! ;-)), but high up in 30 seconds is a big problem (tried also with stationary bike and cross trainer – treadmill won't work, because it takes so much time until the speed changed, that the 30 seconds are already over and i have to change it again)
thanks!!
ps: i love your blog 😉
"And then I got tired of always strapping that thing on under my bra and doing jumping jacks outside the door to the child care because I couldn't end on a "weird" number of total calories burned…"
I LOVE this! Although I've never quite gotten this far in my relationship with my Polar, I can see doing this–I've been known to use my metronome to plan exercise playlists that will keep my cadence at exactly the right speed when riding the stationary cycle. And my husband used to always leave a tip that would result in a round number at the bottom of the restaurant bill (until I pointed out that all the other charges–gas, clothes, supermarket, etc.–were still uneven and we'd hardly ever have a round number at the end of the month).
I read your blog, but hardly ever write to you, but I wanted to let you know that this has kept me grinning all day long, especially when I braved the snow to go to the gym, wearing my trusty chest-strap, of course.
Happy new year!
TDH
Great article. I'm just getting into heart-rate based workouts. I don't understand why manufacturers don't provide more support for training programs designed based on someone's goals. Seems like they leave it up to consumers to try and figure it out on our own.
Thanks for the article!
I love my HRM. I'm so attached to it now that I feel a little bit naked working out without it. I think it does help me in workouts for 2 opposing reasons which are really 1 reason.
1. I tend to overwork myself – with my HRM I can see that I'm doing it and lay off a bit.
2. When I'm tired & lazy – I'm tired & lazy and if my HRM is on, I can see I'm not really trying and I will then work harder to get myself into the desired zone.
Summary: My HRM helps me maintain a consistent workout.
I also have an unusually high max heart rate, it seems. When I tried to take a HRM jogging, it beeped constantly that I was above my max. ITS max, actually. That gadget did not believe that anybody could have a HR above whatever its setting was (190?) … but when I was running hard I was 200+. I was 27. "220 minus your age", yeah right.
At the gym, too, I'm always out of my "target" zone even before the warmup is over. And yet my resting HR is low-to-average, about 60. I wish I could use a HRM but they end up being kind of useless for me.
I'm on Lindsey's plan too (I wasn't one of the 30, but I decided she's worth the $) and she gave me RPE levels, which works fine. 10 is "I'm gonna puke," 9 is "I can only keep this up for 20 seconds", so my 30 second sprints are at an 8.