Cardio Coach

[Sissy1983]

I am new to cardio coach. I have purchased vol 5 and 8 so far and really have enjoyed both of them. I am curious who does this work out with a heart monitor? I have one that is programed into my treadmill. When sean says that your should be in the "green" heart rate sometimes i am in the orange on my monitor. I am not excerted where I feel like i am at a level 4 at this point. I am running comfortable and able to talk at this pace. If i was in the green i feel like i wouldnt be doing that much. I am also curious if the heart monitor doesnt measure 100% accurate either. Any input is appreciated.

melissa

 

[Vee]

Melissa,

Your target heart rate zone depends on your Max Heart Rate. Each zone is a band - say 60% to 70% of Max HR.


The HRM may be accurate. It is the Max HR computation for you that could be wrong.

The default Max HR in most HRMs and equipment is based on the Age-Predicted formula. The Age Predicted Formula was not intended even by the creators of the formula to be accurate. It is a rough guideline of the average max heart rate of people based on age.

The Formula simply is Max HR = 220 - Age

The issue is that the Max HR of a person also depends on fitness level. If you exercise regularly your Max HR is likely to be higher than someone else your age. An athletes's Max HR is likely to be higher than the MAx HR of someone who exercises just enough for general fitness who is the same age.

Some HRMs allow you to customise Max HR. This may entail taking your resting HR and entering it into the HRM. The rationale is people who are more fit have a lower resting Heart Rate than people who dont exercise. If your HRM allows this, then it adjusts the Age Predicted MAx HR by bumping it up or down based on whether your resting heart rate is high or low. This is more accurate that the smple 220-Age but is still not accurate enough because resting rate rate is again a guideline.

There are more accurate Max HR tests that certain gyms will do for your based on a treadmill test. It will include pushing to your anerarobic threshhold and measuring fitness by how quickly your heart rate returns to normal after exertion.

In summary, the accuracy of the zones displayed by an HRM depends on whether it is using your true Max HR to calculate your zones.

 

[melanalyus]

I just use perceived excertion.

 

[Vee]

I just use perceived excertion.

Me too!

 

[NinjaMom]

Melissa,

Your target heart rate zone depends on your Max Heart Rate. Each zone is a band - say 60% to 70% of Max HR.


The HRM may be accurate. It is the Max HR computation for you that could be wrong.

The default Max HR in most HRMs and equipment is based on the Age-Predicted formula. The Age Predicted Formula was not intended even by the creators of the formula to be accurate. It is a rough guideline of the average max heart rate of people based on age.

The Formula simply is Max HR = 220 - Age

The issue is that the Max HR of a person also depends on fitness level. If you exercise regularly your Max HR is likely to be higher than someone else your age. An athletes's Max HR is likely to be higher than the MAx HR of someone who exercises just enough for general fitness who is the same age.

Some HRMs allow you to customise Max HR. This may entail taking your resting HR and entering it into the HRM. The rationale is people who are more fit have a lower resting Heart Rate than people who dont exercise. If your HRM allows this, then it adjusts the Age Predicted MAx HR by bumping it up or down based on whether your resting heart rate is high or low. This is more accurate that the smple 220-Age but is still not accurate enough because resting rate rate is again a guideline.

There are more accurate Max HR tests that certain gyms will do for your based on a treadmill test. It will include pushing to your anerarobic threshhold and measuring fitness by how quickly your heart rate returns to normal after exertion.

In summary, the accuracy of the zones displayed by an HRM depends on whether it is using your true Max HR to calculate your zones.

WOW Vee....As always you are spot on!

I used the Karvonen method to calculate my zones which takes into account my RHR but still just use it as a guideline. I would love to know my true zones but I'm not sure I want to do the VO2 MAX puke test I mostly go by perceived exertion as well.

JJ

 

[Miss Lee]

I've been MUCH happier in my workouts since I switched from using an HRM to perceived exertion. I think (and this is really just my opinion) that HRM's are for the serious and nerdy athlete.

I started a thread when I made the discovery that PE served me better than an HRM. http://www.thecathenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=231349

 

[Sissy1983]

thanks everyone for your answer. I got fustrated with the heart rate monitor and just decided to use percieved excertion. I dont know if there is a way to set it.

melissa

 

[RapidBreath]

I don't use cc but

I do use interval wo without cc (I may have to buy a wo to try it so that I would be in the know as it were.) but what I did is with my most intense interval I just looked at what my top hr was and use that as my max hr and say (for me its 189 really close to the 220-age but whatever.) and figure that the 180s are close to the top, 170s are where I'm pushing it, and 160s is where I like to be for steady state cardio and 150s is my recovery zone. I hope that makes sense.