How to Train with Heart Rate Zones - The Science Explained

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The five commonly recognized heart rate zones are based on a percentage of an individual's maximum heart rate (MHR). The MHR is typically calculated using the formula 220 minus the person's age. The zones are:

Zone 1 - Very Light (50-60% MHR): This zone is ideal for warm-ups, cooldowns, and light recovery exercises. It promotes blood circulation and helps prepare the body for more intense workouts.

Zone 2 - Light (60-70% MHR): This is the aerobic training zone, where the body primarily relies on oxygen to produce energy. It is suitable for longer duration exercises, building endurance, and burning fat.

Zone 3 - Moderate (70-80% MHR): In this zone, individuals begin to push their limits, experiencing increased intensity. It is effective for improving aerobic capacity, stamina, and overall cardiovascular fitness.

Zone 4 - Hard (80-90% MHR): This is the anaerobic zone, where the body relies more on stored glycogen for energy. Training in this zone enhances cardiovascular performance, increases speed, and improves the body's ability to handle lactic acid.

Zone 5 - Maximum (90-100% MHR): This is the highest intensity zone, suitable for short bursts of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Training in this zone improves power, speed, and anaerobic capacity.
Individuals can benefit from heart rate zone training by customizing their workouts based on their specific fitness goals

Heart rate zone training offers a personalized and effective approach to cardiovascular exercise. By understanding and utilizing the different heart rate zones, individuals can optimize their workouts, achieve specific fitness objectives, and improve overall cardiovascular health in a systematic and sustainable manner.

Disclaimers:
Information contained in this video or otherwise provided by The Movement System is for educational purposes only, and does not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals. Always consult with a medical professional before making changes to your exercise routine.
This video does not have any affiliation with, or any recognition, sponsorship, or endorsement by, the NSCA. CSCS® and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® are registered trademarks of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

✅ Let’s Connect:

[gmelliot]

The problem with using heart rate based training zones is that you need to calibrate your heart rate (as measured by heart rate monitor) to your individual aerobic and anaerobic thresholds (as measured by blood lactate tests). There is a lot of variation in aerobic/anaerobic thresholds across individuals and over time. The relationship between heart rate and blood lactate is also modality specific, meaning the heart rate that corresponds to zone 2 when you’re running is different from when you’re cycling, swimming, rowing or skiing.

Because of this it’s often as good or even better to just estimate training zones based on how you feel.

Heart rate IS useful for tracking your fitness. If you keep track of your distance, average pace and average heart rate for runs you can track how your fitness improves over time (heart rate should decrease for the same distance and pace).

[Baunbaunbaun]

Great explanations 🙏 Thank you for helping a newbie out!

[manuelreyes]

Zones as lobg as I know must be calculate considering your resting heart rate. For a 192fcmax and a 60bpm resting heart rate 70% is ((192-60)x.7)+60= 152bpm

[ItscameraRob]

“Zone 4” or whatever one calls the zone above your capacity to effectively shuttle lactate (ie above lactate shuttle threshold) is NOT anaerobic. It’s still aerobic. Anaerobic should be Zone 5 - you can do very little at anaerobic level - like minutes.

[chrisnickerson]

Damn, I must have a heart condition or something. I've been running and exercising for years, my resting heart rate is consistently 80bpm and I regularly go for 1 hour runs at 170-180bpm the entire run. Am I putting to much strain on my heart? EDIT: as a teenager I could regularly get my HR over 200bpm

UPDATE: Got a fitness watch. My resting HR is around 55 ish. When up and doing casual things it's 80. I just did a 5k in under 25m and my HR averaged 190bpm, maxing at 201bpm. I did push myself to my limit tho, as I am getting back into running after some months

[ypmaklaes]

I am 61 and have great benefits from running 1 time a week in zone 5. Nordic 4x4 with 4 minutes in zone 5 and then 3 minutes walking and that 4 times. The rest of the week as much zone 2 training with sometimes a minute all-out sprint at the end. For people 55+, I don't see any benefits for zone 3 or 4 training. You can better skip it for a weekly zone 5 training 🏃‍➡️

[DMGC]

These percentages only work if you use heart rate reserve otherwise the are way too low if just using raw % of your max heart rate. Eg: using this calculation, if my MHR is 190 then 85% of that (zone 4) is only161 and that is nowhere near anaerobic for me, thats low end of tempo range (zone 3). If I used HRR then it comes out as 170 which is much closer. 70% of my MHR would only be 133 and that is nowhere near the top of my zone 2.

[RunnerXJonas]

Does it makes a difference when i calculate my zone 2 with 0, 75?

[cafecitoconnicolle]

Insane! I love my Whoop and love to see hit zone 5 but never knew what it meant 😅😂 thank you so much for the educational video!

[AllHailSuhail_]

2 questions )
- How would i program these during the week alongside strength work, conditioning work and sports practice ?(i do jiu jitsu and wrestling, ill lift once a week, im currently trying to do some conditioning like sprints/jumps but its difficult with school/work and ill usually get my cardio from weekend soccer/football with friends)
- and then how would i program/periodize these over the course of a season and off season? Would i just do mostly the higher intensity zone 4/5 with a little of zone 2/3 during off season, and then switch it to mostly 2/3 and less 4/5 during the season?

[garrettbenham]

What do u think about alternatively using Heart Rate Reserve HRR to calculate training zones?

[rogerpettersson]

Good information in general, but why don't you use the Karvonen formula for calculating the heartrate-zones?

The zones should be calculated on the basis of Heart Rate Reserve (HRR) i.e. Max HR- Resting HR, not on the basis of the Max HR.

The logic is that you can not get under your resting heart rate so that should be viewed as 0%

[DanielSuh]

I am running 12 minutes a mile and my heart beat is 165. For my age group that is 100% at zone 5. Something does not add up.

[missalouie]

I’m 30 years old and training for a 5k. It’s taken a few months, but I can now run about 20 mins without stopping to walk. My pace is about 14:25/mile. But my heart rate gets higher than it should, like 180-190s. How can I train myself to run with a lower HR?

[mojo]

Last night I did a 10 mile run right in the middle of what would be Zone 4 for me. I was able to keep my heart rate at the same rate for the entire run. And I completed the run in 1 hour 40 minutes. Is it bad if I do this type of training once a week?

[_baller]

I think for someone very trained in cardio it’s more like 220 - age + 10, but for a non exercise person yeah 220 - age is pretty accurate, tho it makes me wonder as someone gets older their max heart rate drops, so what does that mean? They’ll never be as athletic? Or is the heart getting more efficient?

[EZScalping]

Sir can you make a video about power training. Like in the middle of the strength-velocity curve. Thanks in advance sir.

[Fire_soul]

How do the zones apply to different types of sprinting workouts?

[riderboys]

Is it really that important to build aerobic base??
I do mma and i like doing zone 4-5 always otherwise i dont enjoy and feel like ive done nothing.
And also is it easier to regain lost anerobic and aerobic fitness?

[nothinbutms]

so with the heart rate test, it's expected to be at max HR by stage 7? or we keep going up stages pass that until we can't?