When we finish a workout we may think we have had a great workout because we are tired and sweaty. But how do we know if we really worked out to achieve our goals? This is where Heart Rate Training (HRT) can be a benefit.
What is HRT?
By monitoring your heart rate and staying within a certain range (zone) you achieve different health goals.
For example, exercising in Zone 2 (60-70% of HR max) is considered the target range for aerobic and base fitness work, this zone helps in improving endurance and increasing the efficiency of the cardiovascular system. It is sustainable for longer durations and aids in fat metabolism12. See what each of the zones help at the end of this article.
MyZone Heart Rate Monitoring at The Fitness Edge.
At The Fitness Edge we use the MyZone heart rate monitoring system. When using one of the MZ chest straps they are 99.4% accurate to an EKG machine. You may have noticed one of the TV’s in front of the cardio equipment displays an individual’s heart rate from time to time. This happens when someone is wearing the MZ belt and enters the gym. The MZ system detects the belt.
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MyZone can help adults of all ages stay motivated to exercise through several key strategies:
1. **Exploring Different Workouts**: MyZone encourages users to try various workouts and use the app’s “rate my workout” feature to identify which activities they enjoy most. Enjoyable exercise is more likely to be sustained over time.
2. **Social Engagement**: MyZone facilitates finding a workout buddy or group, creating a sense of community and accountability. This social aspect can significantly boost motivation.
3. **Rewards**: Offering short and long-term rewards for exercise achievements can serve as a powerful motivator. MyZone supports setting and tracking these goals.
4. **Friendly Competition**: Engaging in MyZone Challenges introduces a competitive element, making exercise more fun and engaging. Regular challenges can keep motivation.
5. **Goal Setting and Adjustment**: MyZone allows for the adjustment of goals and training zones every few months, ensuring that workouts remain challenging yet achievable. Understanding the difference between training for a goal and just exercising can make exercise time more efficient and effectiv.
6. **Heart Rate Monitoring**: The ability to monitor heart rate and understand different levels of workout intensity helps users tailor their training to meet their goals, including necessary recovery times. This personalized approach can enhance motivation by making progress more visible and tangible.
7. **Accessibility**: MyZone can be used anywhere, making it easier for older adults to incorporate exercise into their daily routine without the need for specialized equipment or locations.
8. **Real-Time Feedback**: MyZone provides accurate, real-time feedback on effort and intensity during physical activity. This feedback can motivate users to push themselves within safe limits and track their improvement over time.
In summary, MyZone helps older adults stay motivated to exercise by making workouts enjoyable, fostering a sense of community, offering rewards, introducing friendly competition, allowing for personalized goal setting, providing heart rate monitoring for tailored training, ensuring accessibility, and giving real-time feedback on effort and progress.
The different zones of heart rate training and their effects on the body are as follows[4]:
1. Zone 1 (50-60% of HR max): This is the target range for warm-up and recovery work. It helps in increasing blood flow to muscles and preparing the body for more intense exercise[1].
2. Zone 2 (60-70% of HR max): Considered the target range for aerobic and base fitness work, this zone helps in improving endurance and increasing the efficiency of the cardiovascular system. It is sustainable for longer durations and aids in fat metabolism [1][2][5].
3. Zone 3 (70-80% of HR max): This range is for aerobic endurance work and helps in further improving cardiovascular fitness, enhancing oxygen utilization, and increasing the body’s ability to clear waste products from muscles[1][3].
4. Zone 4 (80-90% of HR max): Training in this zone is considered hard and is beneficial for improving speed and strength. It can lead to significant improvements in cardiovascular fitness and overall performance[2].
5. Zone 5 (90-100% of HR max): This is the maximum effort zone, used for very intense, short-duration efforts. Training in this zone can lead to improvements in anaerobic capacity and overall performance[3].
In summary, the different heart rate training zones affect the body by influencing factors such as warm-up and recovery, endurance, fat metabolism, cardiovascular fitness, speed, strength, and anaerobic capacity. Each zone targets specific physiological adaptations and contributes to overall fitness and performance.
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Citations:
[1] https://chhs.source.colostate.edu/how-to-target-heart-rate-training-zones-effectively/
[2] https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/how-to-train-with-a-heart-rate-monitor.html
[3] https://www.polar.com/blog/running-heart-rate-zones-basics/
[4] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/exercise-heart-rate-zones-explained
[5] https://www.howardluksmd.com/zone-2-hr-training-live-longer-less-injury/
