< Blogs
Terra API

Terra API

April 11, 2022

HR Zone training: What is it, and how can our wearables help us with it?

What is heart-rate zone training?

When it comes to training, heart-rate feedback is an excellent way to monitor workout intensity and to put together training plans that help you improve fitness. Most wearables that track heart rate also allow you to train using heart rate zones that are preprogrammed, or that you set up for yourself. Before we dive into this style of training, its important to understand what the three different heart states are:

  1. Resting heart rate - relatively self-explanatory, this is the rate your heart beats at while you're doing no activity whatsoever. A variety of factors determine your resting heart rate including age, gender, fitness level, and even medications. As your fitness improves, you'll find your resting heart rate fall
  2. Recovery heart rate - the amount of time it takes for your heart rate to return to its resting heart rate after vigorous exercise. Like resting heart rate, it improves with fitness
  3. Heart rate max (HR max) - the fastest at which your heart is able to beat. This is the key spec for setting up your training program. Whilst traditionally this is calculated by subtracting your age from 220 (e.g. at 30 years of age my HR Max would be 190) a more accurate measure can be taken by running a stress test in a lab

What are the HR training zones?

The key principle behind HR training is that different heart rate levels engage different aspects of your physiology, and a good training plan will work in multiple zones to improve overall performance. Heart rate zones also determine what energy source you're using - carbs or fat. The higher your heart rate gets, the more your body starts to rely on glycogen from carbs for fuel.

Whilst the American Heart Association defines two zones for heart rate training (moderate intensity 50%-70% of HR max and vigorous intensity intensity 70%-85% of HR max), it can be broken down into five categories:

  1. Zone 1 (recovery / easy) 55%-65% HR max. Warmup / warmdown zone, easy training
  2. Zone 2 (aerobic / base) 65%-75% HR max. Longer training sessions, sustainable for many miles
  3. Zone 3 (tempo) 80%-85% HR max. Pushing the pace to build up speed and strength
  4. Zone 4 (lactate threshold) 85%-88% HR max. Lactic acid builds up too quickly to be processed and fatigues muscles
  5. Zone 5 (anaerobic) 90% HR max and above. Max speed zone. Body is exerting at full effort.

Typical training plans will utilise multiple training zones, and you won't train in each zone for an equal amount of time, especially depending on your goals. A distance runner may spend more time training in the lower HR zones than say, a sprinter. Somebody looking to build their endurance would want to train in lower zones so that they can sustain it for longer periods.

Elite athletes often pay close attention to their heart rate whilst training. For example, during a one hour time trial Lance Armstrong would often spend almost the entire test with his heart rate at around 200 bpm in order to push his body to the absolute max.

How can our smartwatches help us with this?

Smartwatches are designed to track and record our heart rate whilst exercising and some even give us useful information on how much time we spend in each heart rate zone. By optimising our training and exercising according to heart rate zones we can maximise performance.

Through the Terra API, we provide connections to a range of different devices so that your users can track their steps.

Below is a list of the wearables that track your heart rate today:

  • Garmin Fenix series, Venu series, Lily, Approach, Vivoactive, Forerunner series, Instinct series, Enduro, Descent series, Mk2 series, Epix, Tactix series, D2 series, Vivomove series, Approach series, Vivofit, Marq series, Quatix series
  • Fitbit Versa series, Charge series, Inspire 2, Sense, Luxe, Ace 3,
  • Apple Watch all series
  • Polar Grit X Pro, Grit X, Ignite series, M430, Unite, Vantage series,
  • Withings ScanWatch series, Steel HR, Move ECG
  • Oura ring Gen 3, Gen 2
  • Samsung Galaxy Watch all series, Galaxy Fit2
  • Suunto 9 range, 7 range, 5 range, 5 peak, 3 range, Ambit3, Core range, Traverse
  • Wahoo Elemnt Rival Multisport GPS watch
  • Xiaomi Mi Watch

More Topics

All Blogs
Team Spotlight
Startup Spotlight
How To
Blog
Podcast
Product Updates
Wearables
See All >
Founder of Donโ€™t Die - Bryan Johnson

Founder of Donโ€™t Die - Bryan Johnson

In this podcast, Bryan Johnson shares his personal story of how he began his journey to becoming the the world's most measured human.

Terra APITerra API
October 25, 2024
CEO and Co-Founder of Veri - Anttoni Aniebonam

CEO and Co-Founder of Veri - Anttoni Aniebonam

In this podcast with Kyriakos the CEO of Terra, Anttoni Aniebonam shares his journey founding Veri, and his decision in the acquisition by Oura to further his vision.

Terra APITerra API
September 27, 2024
CEO and Founder of Prenuvo - Andrew Lacy

CEO and Founder of Prenuvo - Andrew Lacy

In this podcast with Kyriakos the CEO of Terra, Andrew Lacy shares his journey with Prenuvo which began from a personal health crisis.

Terra APITerra API
August 28, 2024
MedHacks: Using Wearables To Predict Heart Attacks

MedHacks: Using Wearables To Predict Heart Attacks

A few weeks ago we met Vishal, a recent engineering graduate who wanted to use Terra API as part of his MedHacks hackathon project, Cardio Clarity.

Gursukh SembiGursukh Sembi
August 19, 2024
Chief Digital Product Officer of Les Mills - Amber Taylor

Chief Digital Product Officer of Les Mills - Amber Taylor

In this podcast with Kyriakos the CEO of Terra, Amber Taylor shares her journey from childhood running to her leadership role at Nike and navigating cultural differences.

Terra APITerra API
August 2, 2024
next ventures
pioneer fund
samsung next
y combinator
general catalyst

Cookie Preferences

Essential CookiesAlways On
Advertisement Cookies
Analytics Cookies

Crunch Time: Embrace the Cookie Monster Within!

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience and analyse our traffic. By clicking โ€œAccept Allโ€, you consent to our use of cookies according to our Cookie Policy. You can change your mind any time by visiting out cookie policy.