Heart Rate Monitor Training

“ Time” during a workout may not be the best way to measure your improvement or results from training. The weather or your energy level could disguise your effort or perceived exertion. Consistent use of a HR Monitor can help you determine your resting heart rate, training heart rate, max heart rate, and the point of intensity below lactate production or lactate threshold.

Typically there are 5 zones associated as a percentage of your maximum heart rate. Maximum HR can be determined clinically or in a series of time trials on a track or the road. Four to six 400 m intervals on the track with a jog for rest should give you sufficient MHR readings.

There are also 2 other ways to assign your MHR depending if you consider yourself sedentary or active. If you consider yourself sedentary simply subtract your age from a heart rate of 227 for men and 221 for women. If you are active you can subtract half your age from 206. After your Max HR is assigned your workouts can be customized to a percentage of your perceived exertion.

Your Lactate Threshold is typically the low end of your zone 5 heart rate approximately at 90% of your MHR. LT is a good way to measure your level of fitness without becoming anaerobic. Improvement in your training can also be measured by improvement in your LT.

• Old Man River Half Marathon • Boudreaux Butt Paste Half Marathon • The Wall • Mardi Gras Marathon

PERSONAL COACHING Thinking about your FIRST long distance race? How about your BEST long distance race. Where do you start? How do you prepare and train for distances of the 1/2 Marathon, 25k, 30k and full Marathon race? We provide weekly training schedules based on your ability, not 20 week cut and paste schedules. Your gains are reviewed and we respond weekly Let us help you reach your base, endurance and peak training goals.