crazy heart rate? heart rate training guide advice..

[2seas]

i've just been for a 2 mile run and my average heart rate split for each mile was:

mile 1: 88% of max
mile 2: 96% of max

So on average for the run my heart rate was 92% of max, (max being ~193). My goal was to go out for a high intensity and quick run - but is this pushing it or is it beneficial?

I just bought a garmin+heart rate thingy so any advice on literature/websites which provide information on heart rate training would be much appreciated.

I like 'explosive' sports (squash, indoor football) so i'm trying to improve fitness for those kinds of things..

[Slagathore]

2seas said:

i've just been for a 2 mile run and my average heart rate split for each mile was:

mile 1: 88% of max
mile 2: 96% of max

So on average for the run my heart rate was 92% of max, (max being ~193). My goal was to go out for a high intensity and quick run - but is this pushing it or is it beneficial?

I just bought a garmin+heart rate thingy so any advice on literature/websites which provide information on heart rate training would be much appreciated.

I like 'explosive' sports (squash, indoor football) so i'm trying to improve fitness for those kinds of things..

What sort of effort were you putting in? If you were going flat out, then expect to get close to 90%+.

Intervals will be good for your chosen sports. There are a couple of threads recently and in the past that have covered intervals.

I regularly get up to 190 when doing intervals, then recover then go again. If you're reasonably fit anyway, you should be OK.

You'd probably be better off doing interval training instead of just running for 2 miles at a quick pace.

http://uk.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_100/135_f...

[goldblum]

2seas said:

I like 'explosive' sports (squash, indoor football) so i'm trying to improve fitness for those kinds of things..

1. The short distance,high intensity runs are not the best for fitness,but they will help with your sprints although there's better ways of doing that.

2. You need to build up basic aerobic endurance,so should be looking at at much longer,slower runs.

3. I think your calculations for MHR might be slightly awry,or the Garmin is overestimating your HR.Or you're very fit


Here's a basic guide from Runnersworld:

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/general/heart-rate-t...

[balders118]

goldblum said:

2seas said:

I like 'explosive' sports (squash, indoor football) so i'm trying to improve fitness for those kinds of things..

1. The short distance,high intensity runs are not the best for fitness,but they will help with your sprints although there's better ways of doing that.

2. You need to build up basic aerobic endurance,so should be looking at at much longer,slower runs.

3. I think your calculations for MHR might be slightly awry,or the Garmin is overestimating your HR.Or you're very fit


Here's a basic guide from Runnersworld:

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/general/heart-rate-t...

I disagree goldblum. It's been shown that stuff like interval training (shorter and more intense) is VASTLY more effective at improving VO2max and fitness than longer, slower continuous training. Long, slow runs are good for weight loss and conditioning yourself to long running events. They really would be no good what so ever for a squash player.

OP, I assume you've used a guide something like 220 - age to get a max of 193bpm? These can be very, very out. For example, I have known a 20 something year old with a max HR of 210bpm. I did VO2max test last week on a 55 year old, (est HRmax 165) with a 176max HR achieved in the test.

[goldblum]

balders118 said:

I disagree goldblum. It's been shown that stuff like interval training (shorter and more intense) is VASTLY more effective at improving VO2max and fitness than longer, slower continuous training. Long, slow runs are good for weight loss and conditioning yourself to long running events. They really would be no good what so ever for a squash player.

OP, I assume you've used a guide something like 220 - age to get a max of 193bpm? These can be very, very out. For example, I have known a 20 something year old with a max HR of 210bpm. I did VO2max test last week on a 55 year old, (est HRmax 165) with a 176max HR achieved in the test.

I don't disagree with anything you've said...but the OP's not doing interval training is he? What he's doing is nearest to a tempo run.For building up a

useful level of stamina for county level squash (albeit 25 yrs ago) I did a longish run ,say eight miles,once a fortnight,and the next week intervals,with two more

medium pace runs during the week.Long runs are recommended for all runners not just those who do distance events! Do you run Balders?

[balders118]

goldblum said:

I don't disagree with anything you've said...but the OP's not doing interval training is he? What he's doing is nearest to a tempo run.For building up a

useful level of stamina for county level squash (albeit 25 yrs ago) I did a longish run ,say eight miles,once a fortnight,and the next week intervals,with two more

medium pace runs during the week.Long runs are recommended for all runners not just those who do distance events! Do you run Balders?

I don't run, but I do know a bit about sports specific training. One of the places I work is a squash club, which until this year had several top 10 world ranked player playing for/at the club - they didn't do long, slow runs - it just isn't specific in any way, and isn't an efficient way of improving fitness.

I'd agree about a "tempo run" not being the best for the OP, but I'd say interval training is what he should be doing.

I would say running events are my weakest area tbh, but I do know that runners will train either side of their event (obviously not all events, you wouldn't go longer than a marathon for example) so a 800m runner will do everything from short, sprint/interval training to longer, slower runs than an 800m run. But, the OP isn't a runner.

[goldblum]

balders118 said:

goldblum said:

I don't disagree with anything you've said...but the OP's not doing interval training is he? What he's doing is nearest to a tempo run.For building up a

useful level of stamina for county level squash (albeit 25 yrs ago) I did a longish run ,say eight miles,once a fortnight,and the next week intervals,with two more

medium pace runs during the week.Long runs are recommended for all runners not just those who do distance events! Do you run Balders?

I don't run, but I do know a bit about sports specific training. One of the places I work is a squash club, which until this year had several top 10 world ranked player playing for/at the club - they didn't do long, slow runs - it just isn't specific in any way, and isn't an efficient way of improving fitness.

I'd agree about a "tempo run" not being the best for the OP, but I'd say interval training is what he should be doing.

I would say running events are my weakest area tbh, but I do know that runners will train either side of their event (obviously not all events, you wouldn't go longer than a marathon for example) so a 800m runner will do everything from short, sprint/interval training to longer, slower runs than an 800m run. But, the OP isn't a runner.

Difference of opinion on this one then: I say work intervals for speed and every now and again work aerobic endurance,chuck in some hills..if you want specificity

hills have to be best for speed and power in relation to the OP's sport.If the OP was a national level player he'd do without the longer run in favour of a

few more hrs squash every day.

[2seas]

goldblum said:

2seas said:

I like 'explosive' sports (squash, indoor football) so i'm trying to improve fitness for those kinds of things..

1. The short distance,high intensity runs are not the best for fitness,but they will help with your sprints although there's better ways of doing that.

2. You need to build up basic aerobic endurance,so should be looking at at much longer,slower runs.

3. I think your calculations for MHR might be slightly awry,or the Garmin is overestimating your HR.Or you're very fit


Here's a basic guide from Runnersworld:

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/general/heart-rate-t...

i get the feeling the HR calculation i've been using (which as you guessed was 220-age) isn't very accurate, as although i was knackered i could have pushed it a bit more.

thanks for the link i'll try that and see what difference i get.

[2seas]

balders/goldblum,

thanks for both of your advice. i think i'm going to pick an choose a bit of what each of you has suggested. so:

- for shorter intense sessions i'll do 20 mins of intervals instead of 'tempo' running as you call it
- but, i'll also try a few longer runs once a week. i did say i was training for explosive sports but i do like to do the occasional 10K or half marathon so it would be good to get used to those distances. as suggested i'll try and factor in a few hills to mix it up a bit.

cheers!