There are often times when you're out for a run, and your heart is pounding like it's about to beat out of your chest. You feel like you can't go any further, but you push yourself to keep going. It's not always easy, but the feeling of accomplishment at the end is worth it, right? What if we told you there was a better way? A way to get those same results with less effort and strain on your body. That way is low heart rate training.

 

Athletes use heart rate training to improve their performance. The idea is to train at a heart rate lower than your max heart rate, allowing your body to utilise fat better as fuel and improve your endurance. In this blog post, we'll dive into what low heart rate training is and explore the benefits so that you can decide if it's right for you. Let’s begin.

 

What is low heart rate training?

 

Low heart rate training is a cardio exercise that focuses on keeping your heart rate in a specific zone for an extended period. This zone is typically 50-60% of your maximum heart rate. The thinking behind this method is that by exercising at a lower heart rate, you are able to improve your aerobic capacity without putting as much strain on your body as you would if you were exercising at a higher intensity.

 

The pros of low heart rate exercises

 

There are several benefits that come with low heart rate training, including:

  1. Improved Aerobic Capacity- When you train at a low heart rate, you are able to increase the amount of time that you can exercise before reaching fatigue. In other words, your endurance improves.
  2. Better Fat Burning- Studies have shown that when you exercise at a lower intensity, your body relies more on fat as a source of fuel as opposed to carbohydrates. So, not only will you be able to exercise for longer periods of time, but you'll also be burning more fat while doing so.
  3. Reduced Risk of Injury- Because low heart rate training puts less strain on your body, there is a reduced risk of injury associated with it. This makes it a great option for those just starting out on their fitness journey or for those coming back from an injury.
  4. Less Feeling of Fatigue- Low heart rate training can help reduce this inflammation and leave you feeling less fatigued both during and after your workout.
  5. Improved Mental Well-Being- Exercise has long been known to improve mental well-being, and low heart rate training is no exception.

 

Low heart rate training: how to do it?

 

If you're interested in giving low heart rate training a try, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, know what your resting heart rate is. You can find this immediately after getting out of bed by checking your pulse. Once you have your resting heart rate, you'll want to stay 10-15 beats below that when you're doing your low heart rate training workouts.

 

Another thing to keep in mind is that low heart rate training should make up no more than 50% of your overall training volume. The other 50% should be spent doing higher-intensity workouts so that you don't sacrifice any speed or power. Lastly, be sure to warm up properly before each workout and cool down afterwards so that you don't put too much strain on your body.

 

Train Now

 

Low heart rate training is an effective way to improve your endurance and fat-burning capabilities. By following the tips in this blog post and adjusting your training heart rate as needed, you can tailor your workouts to meet your specific fitness goals.