Interval workouts and heart rate

[AngelaRWB]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON May-02-02 AT 09:21PM (Est)[/font][p]Does anyone know if when doing an interval workout, are you trying to go all out regardless of heart rate or are you trying to keep your heart rate within a certain range?

Thanks in advance. Angela

 

[naughtoj]

Angela,
I don't really understand your post, because to me if you are going "all out", your heart rate automatically is going to be pretty darn high, if you know what I mean. I think if you want to get technical, yes, there is a range at which your heart rate should stay to be truly interval training and I believe, but am not sure, it is around 90%. Of course, you don't want to have a heart attack, but you really should be huffing and puffing for a little bit. Interval training is suggested to only be done infrequently, atleast for a short duration each session, as the high heart rate and intensity of the training tends to make you more susceptible to injury and overtraining symptoms.

But yeah, if you want to interval train you should be around 90%....which, for most of us, is pretty "all out"....Janice

 

[Aquajock]

Hi, Angela! When I'm doing an interval workout, either with Cathe's Interval Max, with my aqua interval classes, or a walking interval workout I do up and down a ski slope near where I live, I never think about heart rate. What you want to do is go to your physical limit, and your body will tell you what that is in terms of getting close to momentary failure. If at the end of an interval I'm totally gasping deeply for air and I know I can't do one or two more reps, I know I've done the interval.

Many things can affect heart rate during an exercise bout that have nothing to do with how effectively you're working. I'd suggest using a combination of the Rating of Perceive Exertion and the Talk Test when gauging how hard you're working during an interval workout.

Annette

 

[SteppingFool]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON May-03-02 AT 01:32PM (Est)[/font][p]During interval training, you usually do go outside your 'aerobic' phase, which is anerobic. Usually you do not burn as much calories during this phase. And you are not supposed to stay in this anerobic phase for a long time. That's why in interval training you do have a recovery phase where you go back to your aerobic phase... hence interval training.

Aerobic phase is different for different people. I usually set my heart rate monitor (it's better to use perceived exertion BTW) at 85% maximum. During the interval blast, I do go above this maximum heart rate (not by much though). As long as your perceived exertion is within the appropriate limit during perceived exertion check (in Int Max) after coming down from the blast, I think you are OK.

The benefit of interval training is as you do it often, you will be able to workout longer and harder. Also, you probably should not do interval more than 2X a week since interval training is harder on your joints. I have found that by adding Interval Max just once a week has improved my endurance. I have outgrown some of my tapes, and it is a little harder now to get my heart rate up...

 

[AngelaRWB]

Thanks for all the posts. They helped. I have a high maximum heart rate to begin with. I just got Intense Moves, which is my first interval workout. I decided to wear my HRM and saw that during intervals 6 and 7, I was a little over 90% of my max. heart rate. I was working hard, but didn't feel bad or anything. I just wanted to make sure this was safe. I always assumed intervals were "all out", but after getting such a high reading, I wanted to be sure. I hope that makes sense.

Thanks so much. Angela