Monitoring your heart rate is a great way to structure your training, and is a useful tool to improve your fitness and enhance your performance. Once you understand the different heart rate zones, you can apply this to your training to help build fitness in each of the two energy systems of the body. However, there is a lot of confusing terminology surrounding these different training zones. This article will give you a basic<\/strong> guide to get you started. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHAT ARE YOUR AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC THRESHOLDS?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before we start, it is important to understand your aerobic system, anaerobic system and threshold points. The aerobic system requires oxygen to be present to metabolise fat and carbohydrates in order to produce energy. When we are walking or jogging at a very low intensity we are in Zone 1<\/strong> and using our aerobic system. At this very low intensity the body is burning predominantly fat and some carbohydrates for fuel. As we increase the intensity slightly we move from Zone 1 <\/strong>into Zone 2<\/strong>. We are still using our aerobic system but our source of fuel begins to shift and we start to burn slightly more carbohydrates. Increase the intensity slightly more and we reach the upper end of Zone 2<\/strong>, which is referred to as our aerobic threshold.<\/strong> Your aerobic threshold is a metabolic point in which your body burns an equal mixture of fat and carbohydrates to fuel your training session. Intensity at this point is moderate and can be maintained for an extended period of time. We can calculate a specific heart rate to determine this metabolic point and we can base all of our easy aerobic training sessions at or below this heart rate value. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you increase the training intensity further, you start to move into Zone 3<\/strong>. We are still using our aerobic system to produce energy, however, we start to also break down carbohydrates using our anaerobic system in order to keep up with fuel demands. We always burn a combination of fat and carbohydrates to fuel our body, but carbohydrates are quicker to convert into energy than fat, so we start to rely more on carbohydrates as we move through Zone 3 and above. However, there are limited supplies of stored carbohydrates in the body, so regular fuelling during these higher intensities becomes more important to maintain performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Increase the intensity a little further and you start to move into Zone 4, <\/strong>where your body is now relying heavily on carbohydrates for fuel. In Zone 4 we start to accumulate more lactate in our blood, which the body can still metabolise into fuel, but is working hard to do so. Towards the higher end of Zone 4<\/strong> you approach your anaerobic threshold point<\/strong>, which is an intensity of training that can only be maintained for about an hour. This threshold point can be determined by a certain heart rate value and is a very useful number to know for setting your training zones. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we move past our anaerobic threshold<\/strong> and into Zone 5<\/strong> and above, our aerobic system simply can’t keep up with the demands for fuel, so we rely heavily on our anaerobic system to break down carbohydrates quickly to sustain this intensity. At this intensity we burn through our carbohydrate stores quickly and lactate starts to accumulate in our blood at a rate in which our body is unable to clear out of our system, which ultimately limits the time you can spend at these intensities to minutes and even seconds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO KNOW?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Training at different intensities will develop each energy system, allowing you to balance your training program and maximise your performance in target events. Furthermore, knowing what heart rate zone you are in will help guide you with your race day, recovery and training nutrition. As an endurance athlete it is important to focus a large proportion of your training towards aerobic fitness (Zone 1 & 2)<\/strong>. Doing this will help develop the aerobic system and maximise your ability to use fat as fuel, which is slow burning and in abundance. Aerobic training is the foundation to any endurance training program, however, including some harder sessions in Zone 3 and above <\/strong>will help develop strength and fitness at higher intensities. This becomes very useful when faced with a big hill climb or a final push to gain a personal best. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

SO HOW DO WE STRUCTURE OUR TRAINING?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matt Fitzgerald<\/a> coined the term 80\/20 training. Simply put, 80% of your training week should be at lower aerobic intensity (Zone 1 & Zone 2)<\/strong>, leaving 20% focused towards your higher intensities, Zone 3 and above. A common mistake is often made where we spend the majority of our training sessions in Zone 3<\/strong>, where the intensity is too hard to fully develop our aerobic system and simply not hard enough to fully develop our anaerobic system. We end up accumulating too much fatigue into our training week, increasing our risk of injury and never fully developing either system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

FINAL THOUGHTS.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adding a variety of intensities into your training and structuring your week around the 80\/20 rule will develop you as an athlete and make you perform better. As an endurance athlete it is important to be robust and build a solid foundation of fitness across the different training zones. How do we find our specific heart rate values for both our aerobic and anaerobic thresholds? Check out my article on setting your training zones<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Add structure to your training to reach your ultimate goal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1652,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-training"],"yoast_head":"\n