Quantum Forest logs are written by Luis A. Apiolaza in Christchurch, New Zealand.
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After several years of a fairly sedentary life (and some extra kilograms around my waste) I decided to start exercising again. No, it is not one of those New Year’s resolutions, but a more thoughtful approach. After reading a bit a few magazines and web sites I opted for buying a heart rate monitor (a Polar A5, which is a simple but useful monitor) and Sally Edwards’s The Heart Rate Guidebook to Heart Zone Training. I have found that a HRM works pretty well for keeping my motivation up when walking and running (three times a week) and playing squash (once a week). To be honest, the book is badly written and would improve quite a bit with a good editor, but contains some valuable information that justifies its price (~US$25).
The basic idea of heart zone training is simple: one gets different benefits when exercising in different zones. Zones are calculated as a percentage of maximum heart rate (HRmax) for an individual. HRmax varies from person to person and can be estimated in many different ways. Each zone is 10% HRmax wide, with benefits related to its name and characteristics shown in the following table:
| Zone | Percentage of maximum HR |
Fuel burned (%) | Kcal/min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Z1: Healthy heart | 50-60 | 10 carbohydrate, 85 fat, 5 protein | 6 |
| Z2: Temperate | 60-70 | 10 carbohydrate, 85 fat, 5 protein | 10 |
| Z3: Aerobic | 70-80 | 60 carbohydrate, 35 fat, 5 protein | 12 |
| Z4: Threshold | 80-90 | 80 carbohydrate, 15 fat, 5 protein | 15 |
| Z5: Redline | 90-100 | 90 carbohydrate, 5 fat, 5 protein | 20 |
Thus, assuming a HRmax of 183, the zones correspond to 92-110 (Z1), 111-128 (Z2), 129-146 (Z3), 147-165 (Z4), 166-183 (Z5) heart beats per minute. I am really enjoying my current training routine, and am keen on maintaining it for the future.
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