This post was written by Harrison “Bear” Ross, human performance specialist, Parkview Sports Medicine.
Using heart rate-based training zones to determine fitness programs can be a great way to regulate effort level across a range of different populations. Training zones help to establish certain ranges or “levels” of activity. Most heart rate zone models are divided into five levels. In this post, we’ll cover zones one and two.
Read: A helpful explanation of heart rate zones during exercise
Find your max heart rate
Before diving into the different zones, the most important part of using zone training is calculating your maximum heart rate. There are various equations to accurately find this, but the simplest is:
220 - age
So, a 45-year-old person would have a maximum heart rate of 175 bpm (220 – 45 = 175)
Get in the zone
Zone one is commonly used for recovery with a heart rate between 50-60% of maximum. This zone can be used for everyday activities such as walking or household chores. In a fitness sense, this zone is often used for the warmup or cooldown portion of a workout. Using the same 45-year-old from earlier, the working heart rate for this zone would be roughly 87-105 bpm.
Zone two is often described as base level or manageable exercise. At 60-70% of maximum heart rate, this includes activities like jogging, hiking and other light intensity cardio exercises. Zone two is a great area to improve cardiovascular and aerobic capacity at low or moderate intensity. In this zone, the 45-year-old would want to target a range between 105-122 bpm.
Some things to consider:
Maximum heart rate is an estimate and can be affected by several factors, including:
- Age
- Fitness level
- Preexisting conditions
Some equations are more accurate than others, so find one that fits you best. Always talk to your doctor if you have a preexisting condition that might impact your ability to exercise safely.
Learn more about how Parkview Sports Medicine can support your performance goals by visiting us here.
