HR Zones: 220-Age - the TRUTH! (Page 3)

By looking at that article, then we should assume that any method used to determine training zones wouldn't be "valuable" or reliable, right? that's why it is so hard to rely only on your HR as many variables can and will changed from one workout to the next… isn’t it why we determine training zones but also rely on HR, perceived exertion, power meters, pedometers, etc. I don’t think training based only on your LT will be either 100% accurate or the only way you should go about defining your training zones. However, using it as a base I think gives you a BETTER parameter for training instead of the 220- age formula. I used that formula for a while and it developed my overall fitness of course but as soon as started trained based on LT I definitely improved much faster. Maybe it was a result of the previous work maybe not. What I know is that if this method is used by elite athletes, and recommended by experienced coaches it is because it provides positive training results even though it is not approved 100% by the scientific community.

Ex: I am 30, and based on that formula my MHR would be 190, hence training at 75-80% of MHR would put me on 143-152. In fact my MHR is anywhere between 198 and 200 so training at 75% of my MHR would be around 148-158. My running LT is at 184, hence my Z2 is at 157-167… that’s a BIG difference

Ok I have not done the test yet I will. 

Today I  did my fastest mile to date 8:55  not to fast I know.  using the 220-51 by Max Hr is 169

during this mile my MAX hr was 169 but  average 154. at 169 it was getting a little tought at 162 it was not an all out effort but a very good pace.  Not sure where I am going with this.  but My thinking is that the 169 number is low for my Max HR.   most of my trainiing runs have been at about a 14 min mile pace ave HR 128 or so.

I have noticed that getting up, going to the bathroom, go downstairs to the kitchen for a glass of water and relaxing prior to measuring just as Mike does gives me the same results as taking it in bed. I always measure manually, for a full minute and average three measurements. One as I wake up in bed, the other two after the routine above with two minute interval between them. They are generally consitent and off by a beat or two. Currently I am at 43~44, but have seen as low as 40. The values have been going down (from 60~62) for just over a year since I went back to training after 15 years of sedentary life. I am now at about the same low I had as a 20 year old.