Training control via the heart rate of our body is a very common means and is especially important at the beginning of a sports career. As a beginner you do not yet have the necessary body awareness to be able to estimate how high the load may be to train your body.
Training control
The goal of a training can be of different origin. Many people start training to reduce body fat and get fitter. But also endurance training and cardiovascular training are goals that can be optimized by heart rate control.
With the help of a formula the training ranges can be easily determined. The basis for determining the training heart rate (THF) is the maximum heart rate (MHF) and the heart rate at rest (HF at rest). The formula 220 minus age = MHF is widely used and should be used for experienced athletes.
Beginners should replace 220 with 180. When determining the training heart rate, a lower and an upper limit is given which can be used for training. This limit varies according to age, fitness level, gender and your own training goals. The more parameters you take into account when calculating the THF, the more accurately you can determine the THF.
Calculation of the parameters
The following formula is used to calculate the training heart rate: THF = [(MHF – HF at rest) x intensity] + HF at rest. Now you can differentiate the intensity according to the training goal. If you want to increase fat loss through training, the intensity should not be as high and should be about 60 – 70 % of the MHF.
Therefore, in the formula for the upper limit at intensity 0.7 for 70% and at the lower limit 0.6 for 60%. Upper limit of THF = [(MHF – HF at rest) x 0.7] + HF at rest. Lower limit of THF = [(MHF – HF at rest) x 0.6] + HF at rest.
If you want to improve your endurance, you must now enter different values for the intensity. Endurance training should take place at 70% to 85% of the MHF. For this reason, 0.85 for 85% in the upper limit formula and 0.7 for 70% in the lower limit formula must be used.
Upper limit of THF = [(MHF – HF at rest) x 0.85] + HF at rest. Lower limit of THF = [(MHF – HF at rest) x 0.7] + HF at rest. However, these formulas can be further adjusted to obtain even more precise values for the training heart rate.
Depending on the fitness level (FZ), endurance range (AB) or gender (G), the result can be multiplied by the respective factor (x FZ, x AB or x G). The variable for the fitness level (FC) is divided into beginners (x 1.0), trained (x 1.03) and competitive (x 1.06). These values result from the fact that a beginner should not yet work with a THF that is too high, because otherwise an overload could occur.
The trained person with the value 1.03 is already used to higher loads and can therefore train with a higher THF. In competitive sports, the training stimulus must be high in order for there to be any improvement at all. Therefore the value 1.06 is used here.
When selecting the endurance range (AB), a distinction is made between basic endurance 1, which is multiplied by the value x 1.0, basic endurance 1-2, which is multiplied by the value x 1.1, and basic endurance 2, which is multiplied by the value x 1.2. These differences result from a training-scientific point of view and reflect the different types of endurance that humans can achieve. The gender (G) variable differs between men and women.
Since the same conditions (physical and biological) do not apply here, the man is multiplied by the factor x 1.0 and the woman by the factor x 1.06. These formulas and parameters allow you to determine and limit your THF fairly accurately. However, you should keep in mind that these formulas are not the optimal method to determine your THF exactly. Since every person has different preconditions that cannot be taken into account in a formula, a professional consultation with a sports physician should not be ruled out from the outset.
