8 ms·
2 hrs a week of intensive aerobic exercise sounds like an easy to remember target if that's what research shows.
by copperx 8y ago
2 hrs a week of intensive aerobic exercise sounds like an easy to remember target if that's what research shows.
- taeric 8y agoWhat constitutes "intensive"? I finally got a heart monitor. So far, I get into "zone 4" for a few minutes every day. Zone 5? Not so much...
- copperx 8y agoPersonally, I define vigorous exercise when I hit 95% of my maximum heart rate (220-age) non-stop for 30 minutes. 100% is doable but a bit too extreme. I think I've seen similar definitions in health literature.
- lostapathy 8y agoWorth noting that the various "max heart rate formulas" are just guidelines. Plenty of people routinely hit above their predicted rate, and plenty of people cannot get there.
- taeric 8y agoYeah, the "based on age" makes it tough. I would love for there to be something more prescriptive. That said, I suspect just trying already puts me in a decent position.
- bitexploder 8y agoI am pretty sure that is very extreme and 70-80% of MHR is fine to consider "vigorous", especially for someone who is untrained.
- strig 8y agoMayo clinic says 70-85% of your max heart rate [1] counts as "vigorous". Not sure what the zones on your monitor are set at. [1]: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise-intensity/art-20046887 https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-dept...
- taeric 8y agoThat would mean heart rate around 126 to 153 for me, evidently. Which, actually sounds low. Which I guess is good for me? :) I was using "zones" per the Strava app lingo. I rarely make zone 5, which would be 174+ heart rate. I spend a fair bit of time in the 160 range, though.
- jonathansizz 8y agoIf you're just using a formula your heart rate zones could be quite far out. For example, 220-age suggests my maximum HR is 178 and my threshold HR (85% of this) is 151, but in fact my max HR (determined empirically) is 188 and my threshold HR (based on an actual threshold test) is 162.
- copperx 8y agoHow do you do a threshold test? Do you need a doctor?
- jonathansizz 8y agoFor cycling, I do a long warmup then ride as hard as I can (uninterrupted) for 30 minutes and take the average HR for the last 20 of the 30 minutes. There are online calculators you can plug this value into to give you the 5 zones.* I do a test every 3 months, as the zones can shift as you get fitter. Running might use a different protocol, but the same principle applies. * These days I base my training on a 3-zone system: low intensity, below aerobic threshold; medium intensity, between aerobic and anaerobic (lactate) threshold, and high intensity, above lactate threshold. This is the system preferred by researchers, as it's based on real physiological markers. Translating the 3 zone system into the 5 zone: low intensity equates to zones 1-2, medium is zone 3 and zone 4 up to your (lactate) threshold value, and high intensity is everything above this, i.e. the top part of zone 4 and all of zone 5. So 'vigorous' per the Mayo Clinic would be medium intensity on the 3 zone system.
- taeric 8y agoThanks! I'll have to consider doing a test like you describe downthread sometime. Most of my biking is just getting home from work. And, well, that is only 20 minutes on the bike. Large hill, but still just 20 minutes.
- wild_preference 8y agoI wouldn't stop at two hours just because there's no additional benefit that manifested in a study on some super-specific outcome. You probably care about other benefits as well.
- copperx 8y agoSure. But there are also risks associated with exercise; you want to minimize those too.