Low HR Training

1

What setting to use for MAF alarm (Read 43 times)

philipfromga


    My MAF rate is currently 134.  I have been using that marker for a week now but I want to make sure I am maximizing my training.  Should i keeping my average heart rate at 134 and keeping it from bouncing more than a couple of bpm either direction or should I set the alarm for around 131 so I have the 3 bpm when I start to run uphill.  I know the idea is to stay between like 124 and 134 but I have also read that its better to stay to the upper side of the range especially since 124-130 means walking a lot.  All of my run have ended in an avg of around 132 with me purposely slowing to a walk every time it alarms at 135 and sometimes it takes as much as 20 seconds to come back down under that. Today I set the alarm for an average heart rate of 134 and it didn't go off the entire run and the max bpm was 137 while going uphill and immediately declined on the downhill.  So which way is more correct?

    Buzzie


    Bacon Party!

      I tried setting an alert when I first started. It drove me nuts, so I stopped.

       

      If you're set on using the alert, then set it a couple of bpm  under your MAF HR. That will give you warning so you can back off just enough that you won't have to walk.

       

      Yes, it can be advantageous to work at the top end of the range ... without going over.

       

      You'll get the hang of it. And so will your body ... You'll learn what the right intensity feels like and get used to keeping it there, avoiding wild swings.

      Just takes a little time and deliberate self awareness.

      Liz

      pace sera, sera

        I set alarms for my MAF and MAF - 10 (135 -125 for me) on normal runs and for a narrower margin on MAF test type runs. I was using 5 beats (130 - 135), but I tried 133-135 today, and it wasn't too annoying (beeps at 132 and 136).

        I just try to run or ride at even pace to stay in the zone of 5 or 10 beats and not let the watch beep. It seems to work. On the test type runs I normally get averages of 134/135.

         

        As to your average HR alarm method, it sounds like you managing it well enough if your max was only 137. Even though my watch beeps as soon as I go above my MAF at 136, and I try to stay under it, I just about always get a max heart rate of 139 or 141 at some point.

          no need to be so OCD over a couple of beats. just keep it around 134 and don't give it any thought if it goes over a tiny little bit for a tiny little bit of time

           

          I'd let it go over for even as much as 20 secs instead of trying so hard to bring it down by slowing to a walk.

           

          and why no need to worry - there is no such thing as a specific and unchanging number for some magical threshold that would signal such a drastic change in your metabolism (fat burning percentages etc). it's much more gradual. things aren't so black and white.

           

          good luck with your running Smile