Resources - Training

Effective Heart Rate Training

By Bill Comer, MPH

In the previous article, "A Heart Rate Primer," we discussed the basic elements of a heart rate training program. The article describes the formula used to calculate your heart rate training zones and includes an example of its application.

The core of a successful heart rate training program, establishing safe and effective training zones, involves the use of an equation named after the Swedish physiologist Karvonnen. Also known as the Heart Rate Reserve (HRR) method, the formula depends on a couple of key factors for its success. We determine training zones by multiplying our HHR figure by percent of effort and then add our Resting Heart Rate (RHR) to the result. We determine the HHR figure by subtracting our RHR from our Maximum Heart Rate (MHR). For your zones to be accurate and thus contribute to a successful training regimen, RHR and MHR need to be measured with precision.

The first, RHR, is easy to obtain. When you first wake in the morning, before lifting your head off the pillow, find your radial pulse. It is located on the thumb side of the wrist just below the hand. Use the radial pulse rather than the carotid artery at your neck because pressure to the carotids lead the brain to send a message to the heart saying "speed up heart, blood flow is slowing." Once you've found the radial pulse, count the number of pulses (heartbeats) that occur over a 15 second interval. Then, multiply that number by four to get beats per minute.

The hardest part of measuring RHR is remembering to do it! I find a post-it on the alarm clock helps and, of course, you want to keep a watch with a second counter near bedside for convenience. You also want to measure your RHR over a couple of days and plug the average into the formulas. Don't rely on a one day measure as training and other factors contribute to day to day variation in resting heart rate. As a matter of fact, a sure sign of over-training is an elevated RHR that doesn't return to normal following a day of rest.

The second key element, MHR, is a little harder to measure. The "220 - age" formula is notoriously inaccurate and should only be used as a stopgap until your true "max" can be measured. Until recently, the only option for obtaining a precise measurement of MHR was a graded exercise test in a physiology lab or in a cardiologist's office. Recently, another, more convenient - and less expensive! - option was added to the list when researchers at Tufts University completed a study showing a test done on an outdoor track produced results similar to those obtained in the lab. The Benson test, named for famed running coach Roy Benson, is a simple 4 stage, continuous 2 mile run conducted on an outdoor high school or college track that increases in intensity until you reach "max" in the final stage.

The directions for the Benson test are as follows: go to a nearby track with a friend, preferably a fellow runner, who is with you to ensure safety and provide motivation. After strapping on your monitor, run the first half mile (two laps) at a slow jog, the next half at long run pace, the next half at 10k pace, and the final half at maximal effort. In terms of effort, the first half should be very easy, the second half moderately hard, the third uncomfortably hard, and the final half mile very, very hard. During the last lap occasionally check your monitor, during the last 100 feet check it more frequently, and give it a final check once you cross the finish line. The highest reading on your monitor over the course of the final lap will be within five beats of your true maximum heart rate.

On a final note, both RHR and MHR measurements are rarely accurate when obtained on the day following a hard effort such as a long run or an interval workout on the track. Rely on measures obtained following your recovery day. That means, do not do the Benson test on the day following a tough hill workout!