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Heart Rate Monitor Training (Karvonen)




Every running pace has its own heart rate zone. The heart rate monitor training zones according to Karvonen are explained in this section.


Martti Karvonen is a Finnish scientist.
He is best known for his method to predict the optimal exercise training heart rate. He developed his "Karvonen Formula"


For his Karvonen Formula he introduced the heart rate reserve:
the difference between the maximum heart rate and the rest heart rate.




SIDEBAR

I have a maximum heart rate of 195. And a rest heart rate of 50.
My heart rate reserve is 195 - 50 = 145.




How does Karvonen use this heart rate reserve to establish the heart rate monitor training zones ?




Don’t know how to establish your maximum heart rate ? Click here !

Don’t know how to establish your rest heart rate ? Click here !


Just like Zoladz , Karvonen identifies heart rate monitor training zones. Each zone represents a certain exercise level. He expresses those heart rate monitor training zones in percentages of the heart rate reserve. For convenience I have used the same zones as in the Zoladz method :

Zone 1 : 60 - 70 %

Zone 2 : 70 - 75 %

Zone 2 1/2 :75 – 80 %

Zone 3 :80 – 85 %

Zone 4 :85 – 95 %



To establish your heart rate monitor training zones you do the following:

1. Take your rest heart rate.

2. Then add the percentage of the heart rate reserve as above.

Unclear ? Follow the sidebar below...




SIDEBAR

So, my maximum heart rate is 195.
My rest heart rate is 50.
My heart rate reserve is 145.

My zone 1 (long slow run, recovery runs) would be in between:
Low value: 50 + 60 % * 145 = 137 beats per minute
High value: 50 + 70 % * 145 = 151,5 bpm (round off to 152 bpm)

My zone 2 (easy runs) would be in between:
Low value: 50 + 70 % * 145 = 151,5 bpm (round off to 152 bpm)
High value: 50 + 75 % * 145 = 158,75 bpm (round off to 159 bpm)

My zone 2 1/2 (steady state run) would be in between:
Low value: 50 + 75 % * 145 = 158,75 bpm (round off to 159 bpm)
High value: 50 + 80 % * 145 = 166 bpm

My zone 3 (tempo run) would be in between:
Low value: 50 + 80% * 145 = 166 bpm
High value: 50 + 85% * 145 = 173,25 bpm (round off to 173 bpm)

My zone 4 (short repeats) would be in between:
Low value: 50 + 85 % * 145 = 173,25 bpm (round off to 173 bpm)
High value: 50 + 95 % * 145 = 187,75 bpm (round off to 188 bpm)

Compare these to my values as identified by the Zoladz method . They are pretty close to each other aren’t they?




Training with a heart rate monitor can benefit your performance. But you have to know how to use it. I hope this section helped you. Make sure to also check the heart rate monitor pitfalls for a complete view on training with a heart rate monitor.



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