November 25, 2008 10:55 PM

Jamie Martin says:

by Pat on Thu Oct 16, 2008 5:12 pm

Christy,
I am wondering if the formulas used to obtain a maximum heart rate using age really apply to everyone. I am 56 and ran a 10k race in the spring in 61 min. and also played a summer season of soccer so I am fairly fit. When I used the heart rate monitor to jog, it was frequently over the maximum heart rate for my age. Should one be cutting back on the intensity of workouts as one ages as the formula would suggest?
Pat

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November 25, 2008 10:57 PM

Jamie Martin says:

by Jen Sinkler on Fri Oct 17, 2008 7:34 am

Hi, all! I tried to bust in here the other day but didn't come armed with the password. Hope everything is going well!

Pat,
Great question. The formula for max heart rate is accurate for some but waaaay off base for others. If you're going over what your max supposedly is, you're definitely in the latter category, because you shouldn't be able to outdo your max.

The article "Missing Your Max" (http://www.experiencelifemag.com/issues ... r-max.html) can explain more in depth, but the shorthand version is, you can try a slightly more complex formula than 220 minus your age, or -- if you want to find out exactly how YOUR body works -- you can get your VO2 max tested.

A VO2 max test can also tell you your anaerobic threshold is, which some experts say is much more useful than max heart rate anyway (because then you know the point you're trying to cycle above and below during INTERVAL TRAINING). For more on anaerobic threshold, see "A Better Way to Burn Fat" (http://www.experiencelifemag.com/issues/january-february-2007/fit-body/a-better-way-to-burn-fat.html) and "The A.T. Factor" (http://www.experiencelifemag.com/issues/may-2005/fit-body/the-a.t.-factor.html.)

Check your local health club to see if anyone tests VO2 max or submax. Or, if you don't want to mess with it, just do interval training -- Pat, you're probably ready to try Tabata Intervals: http://www.experiencelifemag.com/issues/march-2008/fit-body/the-tabata-tune-up.html.

Take care, and can't wait to hear about everyone's progress!

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November 25, 2008 10:58 PM

Jamie Martin says:

by SFriedlander on Mon Oct 20, 2008 6:29 pm

Hi Jen,
I start my training again today and in addition to the boxing my trainer has me doing rapid step-ups. It finally got my heart rate up and we did it in intervals. I want to thank you again for working so closely with me and my bum knees.
Sharron

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November 25, 2008 10:58 PM

Jamie Martin says:

by pgerasimo on Fri Oct 24, 2008 7:35 am

Hi all, just wanted to add a note on the AT, interval training and max heart rate front ...

First, a reminder that there is a great multi-page section in your workbooks with detailed advice on how to find your personal AT and appropriate workout zones using a variety of approaches, all of which are FAR better than the conventional percentage-of-max-heart-rate based formula (expecially the one that's based on the 220-minus age max heart rate formula).

I think by using the perceived-effort-plus-formula approach described in the Finding Your AT section, you can get a very good sense of where you should be for your interval work, and that's where I'd suggest you start. Christy, can you put of a direct link to a PDF of that section here so people can find it easily?

Next, re: the automatic zone ranges on your heart rate monitors, I strongly recommend you ignore them. Rather, do the perceived exertion test, then do the formula math, then consult the zone charts and then CUSTOM PROGRAM your monitor with the appropriate ranges. It is well worth the 20 minutes or so that it will take you and you will learn a lot in the process.

Finally, an "oops!" admission: We never intended to have you use the preprogrammed zones in your monitors, or even to activate that feature during the workshop. We just had a little miscommunication about the set-up process when we were walking you through that process, and unfortunately, that pesky "Own Zones" thing got activated. No big deal (except for the maddening beeping!), you can just override the auto zones with your custom zones using the numbers you'll get from the processes suggested in the Finding Your AT section of your workbook. Then breeze through the articles Jen suggested, most of which are listed in the Workbook's Recommended Reading section on Heart Rate Training (AT Factor, Better Way to Burn Fat, Master Your Monitor, etc.), and you'll be golden.

A bonus: If you do nothing more than the simple "find your AT" exercise, you will automatically enter the top 5% of exercisers in terms of heart-rate know-how. Clever you.

Pilar

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