Exercise Zones
What Are Exercise Zones And What Do They Do?
Exercise Zones tell you how hard you are working out. The zones are identified by what percentage of your maximum heart rate you are working at. At 70% to 80% of your maximum heart rate you are said to be aerobic. Your maximum heart rate is the fastest rate at which your heart beats; it just won’t go any faster. While your heart’s max will change slowly over time as you age or get fit, on any given day the max is just that, the maximum rate at which your heart will beat.
While you are working out at Curves, every 8 minutes or so, you will be asked to stop and take a 10-second heart rate check so that you can identify which zone you are exercising in. Your 10-second heart rate will be compared to the “Target Heart Rate Chart” hanging at the back of the circuit.
It is important to note that while the chart is correct for most people, it is derived from a bell shaped curve. Most people will fall under the peak of the bell but there are a few of us who are going to fall out at the edges. If you are one of those people it does not mean that there is necessarily something wrong with you. We are just all different. For your first few workouts we will also use your perceived exertion to detect which zone you are in and to make sure where under the bell shaped curve you fall.
What will exercising in these zones do for you?
Zone 1. Healthy Heart Zone: 50-60% of max HR
This is the safest, most comfortable zone, reached by walking briskly. Here you strengthen your heart while you reduce body fat, cholesterol, blood pressure, and your risk for degenerative disease. You get healthier in this zone, but not more fit -- that is, it won't increase your endurance or strength but it will increase your health.
If you're out of shape, have heart problems, just want to increase or maintain general good health, or simply want to safeguard your heart without working too hard, spend most of your training time here. It's also the zone for warming up and cooling down before and after more vigorous zones.
Perceived exertion level: You can carry on a full conversation comfortably, but you may be breathing harder that usual.
Zone 2. Fitness Zone: 60-70% of max HR
It's easily reached by jogging slowly. While still a relatively low level of effort, this zone starts training your body to increase the rate of fat release from the cells to the muscles for fuel.
Some people call this the "fat burning zone" because up to 85 % of the total calories burned in this zone are fat calories which is equally as important.
Fit and unfit people burn fat differently. The more fit you are, the more effectively you use fat to maintain a healthy weight. On the other hand, perhaps you've been exercising vigorously, but not losing the weight you expected to. Could be you've been working too hard and need to drop back and spend some time in this zone. Be sure to adjust exercise time for the time spent in this zone, to burn more total calories you'll need to exercise for more time in this zone.
Perceived exertion level: You can speak in full sentences, but you may be breathing harder that usual.
Zone 3. The Aerobic Zone: 70-80% of max HR
In this zone -- reached by running easily as an example -- you improve your functional capacity. The number and size of your blood vessels actually increase; you step up your lung capacity and respiratory rate, and your heart increases in size and strength so you can exercise longer before becoming fatigued. You're still metabolizing fats and carbohydrates at about a 50-50 rate which means both are burning at the same ratio. With the increase in intensity, you will burn more calories in the same amount of time.
Perceived exertion level: You will be breathing very hard and only able to speak in short sentences or phrases.
Zone 4. The Anaerobic Threshold Zone: 80-90% of max HR
This zone is reached by going hard -- running faster. Here you get faster and fitter, increasing your heart rate as you cross from aerobic to anaerobic training. At this point, your heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to supply the exercising muscles fully so they respond by continuing to contract anaerobically.
This is where you "feel the burn." You can stay in this zone for a limited amount of time, usually not more than an hour. That's because the muscle just cannot sustain working anaerobically (this means without sufficient oxygen) without fatiguing. The working muscles protect themselves from overwork by not being able to maintain the intensity level.
Perceived exertion level: You will be unable to speak except for a few gasped words at a time.
Zone 5. Redline Zone: 90-100% of max HR
This is the equivalent of running all out and is used mostly as an "interval" training regimen -- exertion done only in short to intermediate length bursts. Even world-class athletes can stay in this zone for only a few minutes at a time. It's not a zone most people will select for exercise since working out here hurts and there is an increased potential for injury.
Perceived exertion level: You will be unable to speak except for gasping single words.