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Knowing your heart rate zone allows you to optimize your workouts. Different zones target specific fitness goals, like fat burning, endurance, or anaerobic performance, so training in the right zone ensures you're working towards your goal effectively. Knowing your zone also helps you monitor intensity and effort so you can avoid overtraining or under training by working within your target zone. This is especially important for beginners!
Step 1: Find your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR).
One popular formula is: MHR=220−Age. However, this formula often underestimates or overestimates MHR, especially for certain age groups. For younger individuals, the formula may underestimate MHR, leading to overly conservative heart rate zones. For older individuals, it often overestimates MHR, creating unrealistic targets that might be unsafe.
A better formula is:
Example for a 30-year-old:
208−(0.7×30)=187 bpm
Step 2: Determine your zones. Multiply your MHR from the above formula by the percentages below:
Zone 1 (50-60%): Warm-up and recovery.
Zone 2 (60-70%): Fat-burning and endurance.
Zone 3 (70-80%): Aerobic fitness.
Zone 4 (80-90%): Anaerobic performance and speed.
Zone 5 (90-100%): Maximum effort.
Example for the same 30-year-old:
MHR =187 bpm
Zone 1 (50-60%): Warm-up and recovery = 94-112 bpm
Zone 2 (60-70%): Fat-burning and endurance = 112-131 bpm
Zone 3 (70-80%): Aerobic fitness = 131-150 bpm
Zone 4 (80-90%): Anaerobic performance and speed = 150-168 bpm
Zone 5 (90-100%): Maximum effort = 168-187 bpm
CrossFit workouts have you spend time in each of the zones, promoting well-rounded fitness. The definition of CrossFit is constantly varied, functional movement done at a high Intensity. Therefore, CrossFit training primarily uses Zone 4 (80-90%) and Zone 5 (90-100%), such as in AMRAPs or EMOMs. However, during the recovery periods we take during the workouts (either as prescribed rest or the rest we choose to take), heart rates may drop to Zone 2 (60-70%) or Zone 3 (70-80%), mimicking interval training. Additionally, warm-ups and aerobic portions of workouts also utilize lower zones like Zone 1 and Zone 2.
CrossFit and other high intensity interval training (HIIT) programs help manage hypertension and related conditions by:
-Improving Heart Health by strengthening the heart, lowering resting blood pressure, and increasing blood vessel flexibility.
-Reducing Resting Blood Pressure by improving blood flow and reducing resistance in arteries.
-Enhancing Insulin Sensitivity by reducing blood sugar and abdominal fat, addressing type 2 diabetes.
-Promoting weight loss by burning calories efficiently and targeting visceral fat (the fat around your internal organs), reducing its impact on blood pressure.
-Reducing stress, which releases endorphins, lowers cortisol, and helps the body handle stress better.
-Addressing Comorbidities (two or more medical conditions that occur simultaneously in the same individual) by improving cholesterol, reducing heart disease risks, and enhancing glucose metabolism.
In summary, CrossFit aligns well with heart rate zone training, offering cardiovascular and metabolic benefits while helping manage conditions like high blood pressure. However, always consult a doctor and tailor intensity to your fitness level for safe and effective results, and keep your coaches in the loop if you have any of these conditions or have questions about what heart rate zone you should train in.
See you at the Box!