Ask a question service - Does heart training training work?
As a Coopah member you have access to our “Ask a Question Service”. This is a great way to get feedback on any running related questions you have like “what are the best running shoes?” or “what gels should I use during a marathon?”
Recently a member was looking for feedback on the benefits of heart rate training. Check out our response:
“Heart rate training can be great for improving your aerobic base as a runner. Making your long runs nice and easy (Zone 2) and your speed work hard and fast (Zone 4/5) is crucial for building your overall running ability. Check out our marathon running plan in the members area to get an idea of the balance of runs you need.
The feedback from runners on the effectiveness of heart rate training is mixed to be honest. We know people who have had huge success and seen exponential growth in their performance and recovery. However, we know people who have struggled and became disheartened with it. The interesting thing is those who had success seem to have trained regularly, slept well, ate well and had consistent mileage.
If you have time it is definitely worthwhile trying heart rate training with 60-80% of your running, but make sure you commit to a valid plan (examples below) and get a good heart rate monitor to accurately measure your data. Garmin chest straps work well. At a minimum, understanding your zones relative to different efforts will help you plan for race day.
Also please note, there are many things affect heart rate:
Running in hot or humid environments
Running economy and efficiency
Aerobic base
Underlying illness
Tiredness or fatigue
Maximum heart rate (different for all people)
Overall fitness
Heart rate methods
There are many methodologies out there. One method for calculating your max heart rate is:
220 - Age
Link to theory - https://www.healthline.com/health/running-heart-rate#heart-rate-training
Example for 30 year old:
220 - 30 = 190 Bpm max heart rate.
Zone 1: 50 to 60 percent of maximum heart rate | 95 to114 BPM
Zone 2: 60 to 70 percent of maximum heart rate | 114 to 133 BPM
Zone 3: 70 to 80 percent of maximum heart rate | 133 to 152 BPM
Zone 4: 80 to 90 percent of maximum heart rate | 152 to171BPM
Zone 5: 90 to 100 percent of maximum heart rate | 171 to190 BPM
This approach is extremely arbitrary and should only be used as a guide. You can only discover your true max in a lab test. This link gives you an indication of zones.
Another popular heart rate methodology
One of the most popular methodologies is the MAF 180 from Dr Phil Maffetone.
Dr Phil Maffetone is a pioneer in the field of biofeedback. He is an internationally-acclaimed author, having published more than 20 books including the first on heart-rate monitoring in the early 1980s, and the first on the benefits of barefoot running in the 1990s.
Website - https://philmaffetone.com/
Maf 180 formula - https://philmaffetone.com/180-formula/
Floris Gierman is a youtuber who has covered the use of this method.
Link to youtube blog - Heart Rate Monitor Training and Dr. Phil Maffetone
Let us know if you need any more detail.
Regards,
Team Coopah”
