Cardio Questions

imwithgizmo

Is there an optimal heart rate range for the best cardio workout (and if so, will you point me to a HR calculator please)?

What is anaerobic, and is it good or bad, or something else?

Does aerobic still mean anything in the workout world (used to do aerobics back in the day because 'they' said we'd burn fat)?

Is there a better time to do the cardio portion of my workout, i.e; before, or after strength?

Thank you in advance!

BrianSharpe

Let's try these, more-or-less in order.

Your optimal heart rate range is based on a variety of factors (age, gender etc) and the ranges are loosely grouped into zones that relate to % of your maximum heart rate. They are:

Zone 1 50 to 60% MaxHr Warm Up /Recovery
Zone 2 60 to 70% MaxHR Fat Burning Zone
Zone 3 70 to 80% MaxHr Aerobic
Zone 4 80 to 90% MaxHR Training
Zone 5 90 -100% MaxHR LT or Anerobic

In terms of both weight loss and fitness the so-called fat burning zone should be forgotten - while it's true you burn a higher proportion of calories from fat you burn far fewer calories. Most of your cardio should be in zones 3 and 4 for both higher calorie burn and better cardiovascular fitness.

Anearobic - "without oxygen". Typically exercise at a very high intensity that can only be sustained for very brief periods of time. Think of someone doing a 100m sprint, very hast but they could not sustain that pace for 1km.

Aerobics - see above & "fat burning zone"

The order in which you do your workouts (strength before cardio or vice versa) is the subject of continuing debate. If you're doing both during a single session the reading I've done suggests strength first followed by cardio.

imwithgizmo

Thank you Brian. I'm guessing that the folks at my gym can assist me in figuring out my HR for zones 3 & 4.

macdiver

Another approach is the Maffetone method. It is 180 - age plus or minus several factors. Dr. Phil Maffetone trained several world class triathletes in the 90's and developed this method. I found it too low of a heart rate for me but I'm an old guy.

Google Maffetone or Mark Allen for the actual calculation.

madmickie

yep - you need a good estimate of your maxHR if you are going to work in zones.

Generally with Brian on this but not sure what is meant by "Zone 4 80 to 90% MaxHR Training"

There's no optimum range as such but the large majority (say up to 80%) of your cardio should be 80% MaxHR or less, ie aerobic.

imwithgizmo

Thanks guys!