Heart Rate zones.

ben@31

Hello,

What is the difference between the following top HR zones?

90 - 100% VO2 max
80 - 90% Anaerobic
70 - 80% Aerobic

I always thought the definition of anaerobic was weight training and the definition of aerobic was cardio exercise.

I'm already have built up a good level of fitness and because of my cardio addiction I want to get even fitter. I have no fat to lose, so wanting to improve VO2 max. What HR zone should I be aiming for?

rstabler11

I haven't ever looked into this from a biking point of view, but from other (cardio) sports my impression is best way to improve your VO2 max is interval training. The classic is "tabata" (each set is 20s flat out 10s off x8), but you can also do intervals where you're not going 100% eg 2mins on 1min recovery.

You can definitely be doing anaerobic exercise that isn't weight training. If you try and go 100% as hard as you can on a bike, you will probably be able to hold max wattage for 20-40 seconds. That's your anaerobic system working (and then running out). For every part of biking other than sprint finishes though, its an aerobic sport so this is much more important.

Hope that was helpful,
Rob

ben@31

Thanks Rob,

So to improve VO2 should I be looking at doing interval training in the anaerobic zone? (I'm training on a bike or a treadmill if the weathers bad).

wishitwasallflat

Post your ? on Training forum not beginners I would say ....

danowat

aerobic - with oxygen, sustainable for a long time
anaerobic - without oxygen, sustainable for a short time

If you want to improve you VO2max, then you'd want to be working in that zone, 4 - 5 x 4-5mins intervals as hard as you can manage, but not so hard you can't complete them.

I decent well rounded training program would have you working the other systems as well, so don't just concetrate on VO2max work without the other important parts.

Monty Dog

Without getting all scientific, here's some rough guidance:
90 - 100% - hurts like hell and you can't go for very long, a few minutes at the maximum. Most people never reach this degree of intensity because it's so uncomfortable. Typically finishing effort on a really hard hill or sprint - you need a good training base to start working at this level. You need to do a proper test protocol e.g. ramp test to find your real limits - if you near black-out then you've probably reached 100%!
80-90% - threshold - right on your sustainable limit, try 20 minutes at this insensity and you're getting tunnel-vision and light-headed. Do repeated. short intervalsintervals at this intensity to train your tolerance to pain!
70-80% - top of your aerobic limit - endurance pace but still quite hard. You can train yourself to maintain this pace for longer.
If you're a beginner I'd focus on your fitness, endurance and conditioning first - over-doing high intensity work at this time of year is a recipe for over-training and injury. Save the really hard stuff for the warm weather.

oldwelshman

I don't think 80 to 90% is anaerobic, more 95 to 100%.

hulla the hulla

oldwelshman wrote:

I don't think 80 to 90% is anaerobic, more 95 to 100%.

not so sure you have that correct, most people (and yes this is a generalisation, everyone is different) fall into the following :

50-60% - recovery level - helps and speeds up recovery after heavier exercises
60-70% - increases aerobic - increases fat metabolism
70-80% - enhances aerobic - improves blood circulation
80-90% - increases anaerobic tolerance - improves high speed endurance
90-100% - tones the neuromuscular system - increases maximum sprint race speed

oldwelshman

hulla the hulla wrote:

oldwelshman wrote:

I don't think 80 to 90% is anaerobic, more 95 to 100%.

not so sure you have that correct, most people (and yes this is a generalisation, everyone is different) fall into the following :

50-60% - recovery level - helps and speeds up recovery after heavier exercises
60-70% - increases aerobic - increases fat metabolism
70-80% - enhances aerobic - improves blood circulation
80-90% - increases anaerobic tolerance - improves high speed endurance
90-100% - tones the neuromuscular system - increases maximum sprint race speed

Thats training, I was more on about effort, if your at 95 to 100% thats anaerobic.

hulla the hulla

oldwelshman wrote:

hulla the hulla wrote:

oldwelshman wrote:

I don't think 80 to 90% is anaerobic, more 95 to 100%.

not so sure you have that correct, most people (and yes this is a generalisation, everyone is different) fall into the following :

50-60% - recovery level - helps and speeds up recovery after heavier exercises
60-70% - increases aerobic - increases fat metabolism
70-80% - enhances aerobic - improves blood circulation
80-90% - increases anaerobic tolerance - improves high speed endurance
90-100% - tones the neuromuscular system - increases maximum sprint race speed

Thats training, I was more on about effort, if your at 95 to 100% thats anaerobic.

Fair do's - and yeah, suppose that makes more sense.