{"id":200,"date":"2021-06-09T13:27:45","date_gmt":"2021-06-09T13:27:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.joggo.run\/?p=200"},"modified":"2024-01-22T13:10:27","modified_gmt":"2024-01-22T13:10:27","slug":"how-runners-use-heart-rate-zones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/how-runners-use-heart-rate-zones\/","title":{"rendered":"How Runners Use Heart Rate Zones and Why it is Important"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Your <strong>heart rate zone<\/strong>s are one of the most useful indicators that tell you exactly how hard you are striving for excellent results. Combine <strong>your heart rate zone along with <a href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/how-to-determine-your-running-pace\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">your pace<\/a>, distance, and time,<\/strong> and you will know precisely how well you\u2019re doing after each run.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we dive into what heart rate zones are and how you can calculate yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_56_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >In This Article:<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/how-runners-use-heart-rate-zones\/#what-are-heart-rate-zones\" title=\"What Are Heart Rate Zones?\">What Are Heart Rate Zones?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/how-runners-use-heart-rate-zones\/#1-the-recovery-zone\" title=\"1. The Recovery Zone\">1. The Recovery Zone<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/how-runners-use-heart-rate-zones\/#2-the-energy-efficient-zone\" title=\"2. The Energy Efficient Zone\">2. The Energy Efficient Zone<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/how-runners-use-heart-rate-zones\/#3-the-aerobic-zone\" title=\"3. The Aerobic Zone\">3. The Aerobic Zone<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/how-runners-use-heart-rate-zones\/#4-the-maximum-capacity-anaerobic-zone\" title=\"4. The Maximum Capacity (Anaerobic Zone)\">4. The Maximum Capacity (Anaerobic Zone)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/how-runners-use-heart-rate-zones\/#how-to-calculate-your-heart-rate-zone-without-a-watch\" title=\"How to Calculate Your Heart Rate Zone Without a Watch\">How to Calculate Your Heart Rate Zone Without a Watch<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/how-runners-use-heart-rate-zones\/#use-your-heart-rate-zone-to-improve-your-performance\" title=\"Use Your Heart Rate Zone to Improve Your Performance\">Use Your Heart Rate Zone to Improve Your Performance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/how-runners-use-heart-rate-zones\/#key-takeaways\" title=\"Key Takeaways\">Key Takeaways<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-are-heart-rate-zones\"><\/span>What Are Heart Rate Zones?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Heart rate training involves using your heart rate to push your limits and improve your performance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before we look at the heart rate zones, you should know how to determine <strong>your maximum heart rate<\/strong>. It is determined by <strong>subtracting your age from the number 220<\/strong>. Take your time to count it, and let\u2019s see how to use it to your benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are 5 heart rate zones, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1-the-recovery-zone\"><\/span>1. The Recovery Zone<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This zone is 60% of your maximum heart rate. It\u2019s relatively low in intensity, but it\u2019s a great way to use up energy from your fat cells, especially <a href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/running-to-lose-weight\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/running-to-lose-weight\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">if your goal is fat loss<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2-the-energy-efficient-zone\"><\/span>2. The Energy Efficient Zone<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is 70% of your maximum heart rate. It\u2019s a great zone to be in for <a href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/stretches-before-running\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">warming up<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/running-cool-down\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cooling down<\/a>. It also helps build endurance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3-the-aerobic-zone\"><\/span>3. The Aerobic Zone<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At 80\u201390% of your maximum heart rate, you\u2019re working out like crazy in this zone! This zone is great for your cardiovascular system and oxygen efficiency.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4-the-maximum-capacity-anaerobic-zone\"><\/span>4. The Maximum Capacity (Anaerobic Zone)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is 90\u2013100% of your maximum heart rate. You can only stay in this zone for a short duration because it\u2019s extremely intense. However, it\u2019s an excellent zone to <a href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/how-to-run-faster\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/how-to-run-faster\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">develop those fast-twitch muscle fibers and amp up your speed<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-to-calculate-your-heart-rate-zone-without-a-watch\"><\/span>How to Calculate Your Heart Rate Zone Without a Watch<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Calculating your heart rate zone is relatively easy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>Start by measuring your heart rate by counting your pulse beats for 30 seconds.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Multiply this number by 2 to learn what your beats per minute number is.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Then, determine your max heart rate (220 &#8211; age).&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>You can then <strong>divide your heart rate number by your max heart rate.<\/strong> Multiply this number by 100 to give you a percentage. From there, all you need to do is match the percentage to the heart rate zone. It will tell you how hard you\u2019re working or have been working.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember, your <strong>heart rate needs to be checked right after or in the middle of a run for it to end up with an accurate number.<\/strong> Once your body starts cooling down, your heart rate will drop, which won\u2019t show you exactly how intense your run was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"use-your-heart-rate-zone-to-improve-your-performance\"><\/span>Use Your Heart Rate Zone to Improve Your Performance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you know what heart rate zone you fall in, you can <strong>determine how much harder you can push yourself without risking <a href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/common-foot-injuries-for-runners\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/common-foot-injuries-for-runners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">injury<\/a> or overtraining.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, if your heart rate zone is in the Energy Efficient zone, you know you can increase your pace or distance by a small amount. Once you\u2019ve increased your distance or pace, you can then determine which zone you fall in and whether or not you\u2019re pushing yourself to your max.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also <strong>mix up your running sessions to target each of the 4 heart rate zones<\/strong>. It will help you improve your performance on all possible levels, making your cardiovascular system work that much more efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"key-takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Heart rate zones allow you to determine how hard and intense you\u2019re working during your run or workout. There are 5 zones you should be aware of, each that serve a specific purpose. From there, you can use these zones to help boost your performance and improve your running time or distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>The 5 heart rate zones are the Recovery Zone, the Energy Efficient Zone, the Aerobic Zone, and the Maximum Capacity (Anaerobic) Zone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To use the zones, you need to know your maximum heart rate, which can be determined by subtracting your age from 220.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your heart rate zone can help you figure out how hard you are working versus how much harder you can push.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your heart rate zone can also help you plan your training.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Your heart rate zones are one of the most useful indicators that tell you exactly how hard you are striving&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":201,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"14","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=200"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4335,"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200\/revisions\/4335"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}