Aerobic HR range survey (Read 762 times)

Just wondering--there seems to be a lot on these forums, in the LHR training group, and online about what percent range of your max HR equals the aerobic training zone, but it's not consistent. What do you go by? (e.g. 50-70% of max, 65-80%...)

Some of the apparent inconsistency is in the nomenclature. It's not aerobic at one heart rate and suddenly anaerobic at another. There's a gradient of substrates and energy processes that are used as well as benefits at different intensities. I went through that questioning period also - where am I supposed to be?. Over the years, certain breakpoints tended to appear in the way I trained, although they moved around a bit from year to year. The zones I use are what works for me. What I consider aerobic (hence fair game during base) for me is anything from about 70-86% max hr. I believe the upper end is very near the LT turnpoint / VT when reasonably trained - can still talk in phrases but before I start gasping for air. I generally break that into 3 zones: recovery (70-78% max), easy (78-83%), high-end aerobic (83-86%). They mean something to me in terms of what I'm trying to achieve and meshing my limited understanding of what happens in the various zones (Martin and Coe's table is one of the better treatments that I've seen). Yes, some authors (e.g. Pfitz) include 80-90% in LT zone for the way they are structuring workouts. Yes, there is some lactate accumulation at that level. But the stimulus I'm looking for (mitochondria, aerobic enzymes, heart volume, etc, iirc) is still largely that of aerobic training. Admittedly, at the time I named the zones for convenience, the "recovery" zone was really easy, and I could barely run at those heart rates. Now that's the zone that's the default if I don't try to do anything special. Most of my training is in the recovery zone (near 75% give or take a bit) with <10% in the easy or high-end aerobic. below 70% is generally too low for any type of cardio or muscular stimulus for me. now that i've confused you farther ... ;) as previous poster said, it's whether you can talk or not. and that really is how i run. i use the hrm for logging, but the numbers can jump around and they're useless when working some hills or running steps (respond too slowly). in="" the="" easy="" or="" high-end="" aerobic.="" below="" 70%="" is="" generally="" too="" low="" for="" any="" type="" of="" cardio="" or="" muscular="" stimulus="" for="" me.="" now="" that="" i've="" confused="" you="" farther="" ...="" ;)="" as="" previous="" poster="" said,="" it's="" whether="" you="" can="" talk="" or="" not.="" and="" that="" really="" is="" how="" i="" run.="" i="" use="" the="" hrm="" for="" logging,="" but="" the="" numbers="" can="" jump="" around="" and="" they're="" useless="" when="" working="" some="" hills="" or="" running="" steps="" (respond="" too="" slowly).=""></10% in the easy or high-end aerobic. below 70% is generally too low for any type of cardio or muscular stimulus for me. now that i've confused you farther ... ;) as previous poster said, it's whether you can talk or not. and that really is how i run. i use the hrm for logging, but the numbers can jump around and they're useless when working some hills or running steps (respond too slowly). >

It should feel easy. When you're done, you should feel like you could turn around and do it again, assuming you didn't do a long run. The point of easy runs to me is to recover from harder runs while also getting an aerobic workout. For me this usually equates to 80-85% or less of my max HR, depending on a number of variables like the temperature, humidity, my hydration level, etc. I don't follow low heart rate training, but I do occasionally wear my chest strap just to see what my HR is.

Let's see, I do my easy runs in the 140-150 range. I know my MaxHR is somewhere in the 220's. What percentage is that? My last known resting HR was 68, but that was a couple months ago ans I think that is still going down. I guess it could be argued that my MaxHR has come down since i started training, but I keep forgetting to look at my HR at the end of races.

Unless you're sprinting, it's all aerobic.

If I run below 150 beats per minute - that is about 80% mhr for me - I consider that easy. Above 150 I consider it a hard workout.

I use the Parker method (roughly). Two values, ceiling for easy days and a floor for harder efforts. For me, my ceiling is 143 and my floor is 163 (max is around 183). Please don't look at my log as it demonstrates just how much I tend to ignore those two values.

I go by perceived effort.