Training with a Heart Rate Monitor

As I train for this next race – a 10k in October – I began to use a Heart Rate Monitor according to the guidelines in the Maffetone Method which requires a lower heart rate level than the standard 220-age equation we usually hear about. Dr. Maffetone calls his equation the “180 method”

So far, I’ve done all my training without a heart rate monitor, and I haven’t seen a whole lot of improvement in my fitness level, except that I walk further and further. I come back pretty tired though, and very sore.

In the past two weeks where I’ve been using this I’ve gone from struggling to keep my HR at the “level 5″ training goal (about 127 bpm) because any hill shoots my heart rate over the mark, to struggling to get it high enough – the hills aren’t even affecting me. Two weeks ago I had to walk the final hill on the way home at a pace so slow I nearly lost my balance in order to keep my HR within range. Today I walked up most of it without any difficulty at all.

And this is just in 2 weeks!

Dr. Maffetone does say that one improves their fitness level much more quickly using this method, and it is much less stress on the body, so injuries are practically non-existent. He also says that walkers soon need to become runners as they won’t be able to keep their heart rate in a training zone for long without running. I’ll see. I’m not that fussed about running.

This is pretty cool stuff.

If you want to try it out, get your training heart rate figured out using the method here, and give yourself 15 to 20 minutes to warm up and to cool down. You’ll feel like a million bucks when you’re done.

Darlene