Heart Rate Monitor and Running

the 'fat burning zone' is a bunch of crap.

http://www.active.com/triathlon/articles/the-myth-of-the-fat-burning-zone

In order to determine how you should be running, you should know your goal. Trying to do an easy run? Run slow enough so that you can maintain a conversation. Tempo run? You should be able to get a few words out, but it should be difficult. Speed work? Ain't nobody got time for talking in that.


I would say I hang out around 150-160 for a marathon pace. 180-190 for speed work. That is just me, though.

Keep a record of time and distance at different exertion levels, record your HR for those and use them as a baseline for improvement. Example, run a comfortable mile, record the time and HR, on another occasion, record another mile at an increased speed and HR, continue to do this to your max HR over that mile, then do the same for other distances, then refer back to the established baseline to gauge your improvement, faster times at the same HR of same time with lower HR. Always warm up at least 10 minutes before recording different levels to stabilized. If you try to run all out for a mile without a warm up your HR will go through the roof. I use this for cycling and racing and it seems to work well.

I know I've seen a post on this in the past. I determined my max heart rate is 190. Now where do I go with this? I met with a trainer and they said for max fat burn I should stay between 134-140. I did a half marathon in October (for a little history.)

Today I went on a run and I felt like I had to walk a LOT to stay in that range (134-140.) Any advice?

Thanks!

The "trainer" is full of what we used to call in the old country--"the craps".

If you are exercising for weight loss, then total calories expended is your main concern--not "fat burning". However, even that should be of secondary importance. Train for fitness and performance--which means including endurance, tempo, and interval workouts into your routine--and the calories, and the "fat burning" will take care of themselves.

This.... 'Trainers' are the biggest perpetuators of dodgy information and bro science around

The main reason I bought a HRM was because I felt like I was getting lazy on my runs - if my heart rate isn't above 155, I push myself harder.

If you're running half marathons you obviously have some specific training goals - stick to your distance and time goals for running, watch what you eat, the rest will come naturally with it.

I know I've seen a post on this in the past. I determined my max heart rate is 190. Now where do I go with this? I met with a trainer and they said for max fat burn I should stay between 134-140. I did a half marathon in October (for a little history.)

Today I went on a run and I felt like I had to walk a LOT to stay in that range (134-140.) Any advice?

Thanks!

The "trainer" is full of what we used to call in the old country--"the craps".

If you are exercising for weight loss, then total calories expended is your main concern--not "fat burning". However, even that should be of secondary importance. Train for fitness and performance--which means including endurance, tempo, and interval workouts into your routine--and the calories, and the "fat burning" will take care of themselves.

All of the above.

Your "trainer" has you working at roughly 70% MHR - in a "zone" which is useful for base endurance / improving efficiency / ability to use oxygen. One other benefit is that it improves fat metabolism and your body uses a greater % of fat to fuel the effort than if you were working at a higher intensity. Unfortunately this benefit has been distorted by marketing to say "woooo hooo, the fat burning zone baby" when in reality if fat loss is your prime concern then total calorie expenditure is more important.

However, calorie expenditure really isn't the best focus for building a fitness programme in my view.

When I run I have at least 140 ( in the beginning) , but rather over 150 ( after some time). During my races, I usually go over 180 at some point.
I'd say your HR adapts to the situation, and you'll feel good when over 150 at some point while you still may feel exhausted or out of breath right now.
That HR Max can be trained to a higher number.

Very rarely can you push the HRmax higher.

You might get more fit and in a max test can go farther and faster and higher HR than previously, but the HRmax didn't change, only your ability to have enough strength to hit it was finally reached.
But your HRmax is mostly genetic, and keeping it at higher level is mostly related to staying fit as you age.

That's where the formula's breakdown, that assume loss of HRmax as you age at constant rate.

To OP - fat-burning zone is an appropriate HR zone for specific workout, that's why it was more correctly called for ages before the fad name - Active Recovery HR zone. Adds no new stress for body to deal with, but at least gets the blood flowing. So great for, well, as name says it, recovery.