If there is a choice, for cyclists in particular, power is often better than looking at heart rate as there is lag time between the effort and the heart rate getting up to a target. Power is measured almost instantaneously with but a second or two of lag. That being said, perceived effort will do the job for most people, but outside motivation and validation are nice as well.
8
I've been doing H.I.I.T. runs for a couple of years and I love it. I started - let's be honest - with 3 minutes of walking followed by three minutes of jogging for half an hour. Now I do jogging followed by three minutes of really going for it, passing people, and I run twice as far in a session. I used to train for marathons and this is much more fun.
7
There is an inaccuracy in this article. Maximum heart rate certainly DOES change greatly over time, although the article was referring only to increasing max heart rate, which is determined genetically from birth.
But, with normal aging, max heart rate typically drops at the rate of approximately 1% per year in normal people . People who kept up with vigorous aerobic exercise, like running, cut the rate of decrease by almost half as much, to about .6 % per year. Part of this decrease in MHR is due to the increased collateral circulation due to aging. Also, as you do intensive aerobic exercise like interval training, the heart not only pumps much more efficiently, but SLOWER at ANY given speed. That's another way of saying that you can run faster at any given heart rate, which the article does correctly imply. The maximum heart rate of marathon runners, for example, is as low as 40. Mine goes down to 43. It will go back up if you stop training or decrease the intensity. This is all very well documented in peer reviewed journal articles on exercise physiology.
But they're are also even MORE beneficial reasons to wear a Polar Heart Rate Monitor, to track all these changes.
One critically important caveat. NEVER become a slave to your heart rate monitor ! Always trust your body over any heart rate monitor. An HRM only measures heart rate. It cannot measure actual physiological energy expenditure at any given speed or intensity and that can sometimes can vary greatly .
9
CORRECTION I obviously meant that the RESTING heart rate in marathon runners is as low as 43 and that mine goes down to 43. The maximum heart rate remains the same.
1
CORRECTION I obviously meant that the RESTING heart rate of marathon runners is as low as 40 and that my RESTING heart rate goes down to 43. The maximum heart rate remains unchanged. Anyone with a maximum heart rate of only 40 would be in serious cardiac trouble. LOL.
1
While we're discussing Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) and Resting Heart Rate (RHR), I'll bring up a common fallacy (repeated in this article): that people should target a specific percentage of MHR. Two people with the same MHR (say 160) but different RHR's (say 40 for a 70 year old marathon runner and 100 for a 40 year old who isn't particularly healthy) would have very different reactions to experiencing 50% of their MHR (80 bpm). The marathoner might achieve 80 bpm going up a few stairs, but wouldn't notice it; the 40 year-old might experience 80 bpm during a drug overdose (i.e., less than RHR).
We all operate in the range between our RHR and our MHR--consider that range to be between 0% and 100% of our capacity.
2
I have always exercised this, long before people thought of an acronym for it. It just seems natural to me. The goal is to give yourself a good, hard workout in a reasonable period of time - but not so hard that you risk hurting yourself. And you don't really have to watch your heart rate - that seems quite artificial to me. Just have bursts of higher intensity when you feel like it, and stop when you start feeling puffed. Then another burst of higher intensity when you've got your breath back. Over time, you will find that you can prolong those periods of high intensity, or raise the intensity levels, without really trying.
3
Tabata intervals: 20sec on, 10sec off. Works for just about anything. C2 (rowing machine / erg) is especially good.
5
Ok gang, let's go over it again what 5 million yrs. of human history has taught us.
1-Moderation, moderation, moderation with all things in life.
2-Too much exercise or too little exercise are the worst alternatives.
3-As we get older exercise is needed more since the body needs help maintaining itself. We can get away more when were are younger with mildly abusing our bodies.
4-If you are interested in maintaining a toned body, you can start with exercise earlier, if not and lead a basic healthy life, you can get away with not exercising until minor issues start to crop up.
Ok, let's here from the gym rats and the couch potatoes. Ironically they end up with the same thing, health problems, the gym rat with countless feet, knee, back problems and the couch potato with similar issues.
3
Paul Five million years has taught us NOTHING about the science . The relationship of exercise intensity and health has been extensively studied and presented in peer reviewed journals on exercise physiology. Stating myths , which are loved by people who refuse to learn the well documented facts about the proven benefits of VIGOROUS aerobic exercise, including high intensity interval training and distance running, is very misleading and contradicted by the FACTS.
1. Moderation will NOT get you in the best condition for overall health and longevity. This has been proven over and over again. As exercise intensity and duration goes up to OPTIMAL levels, so do the health benefits.
2. The choice of too much or too little is a false comparison. Too much exercise has NOT been linked to shortened life span, although there are undesirable health and physical consequences. Nobody is talking about overtraining . The choice is about OPTIMAL vigorous or high intensity excise and too little. Too LITTLE exercise has been proven to be a high risk for premature mortality. OPTIMAL, as opposed to "moderation", of vigorous. or high intensity exercise has been proven to INCREASE longevity . High intensity exercise is NOT the cause of health and injury problems - it PREVENTS them !
3. You CANNOT "mildly abuse your body" at younger ages and not expect to pay the consequences when you get older, although vigorous- not "moderation"- exercise has a profound impact at any age .
15
HIIT is good for people who don't want to invest or can't invest the time required to train hard in endurance sports like running or cycling. Most people serious about these sports already incorporate difficult, short bursts of energy into their workouts. At 53 I still run 50+ miles per week, race 10ks, and will continue to do it as long as physically able. Fitness greatly improves my life, both physically and mentally.
I also think HIIT is a good thing for all those walkers out there to try. Many people walk too slowly! While some movement is always better than no movement, you should spend at least half or more of your walk at higher intensities, meaning your heart rate increases 20% or more.
Weight training is also fantastic for every adult. Get someone to show you the right way to do things and develop a custom plan for you. Work hard, be safe, and enjoy!
2
This article uses a pretty generic definition of HIIT. The HIIT workouts I do use high intensity body weight exercises. I combine those workouts with an easy run and a long run during the week and I feel pretty strong and healthy.
1
It is often tricky to calculate the maximum heart rate from which the training zones are determined. As an example, I'm the same age as the author (51) yet set my maximum heart rate on my Polar HRM software to 175 beats per minute (BPM). When doing indoor cycling, I can often spend 50 minutes or more above 160 BPM. Anything below 140 feels like I'm not doing much. My resting heart rate is around 45. My peak heart rate can be 178 during a very tough set of intervals, but only for a few seconds. I ride 3 times a week (about 3-4 hours). So in terms of formulae, I have the heart rate of someone 10-15 years younger than the average male, however don't look that lean or fit like a marathoner. I've been told that this is nothing abnormal for someone who is athletic and over time the effect of conditioning must be taken into account.
2
This is not new! Exercise people like Jillian Michaels and others have been preaching it and practicing it for a decade for the masses (in books, DVDs, etc.).
Yes, this is the new "thing," but not new at all to serious athletes.
One thing none of these HIIT articles mentions is that the way to really improve fitness is not just to increase the maximum heart rate, but to decrease the rest interval between the hard efforts.
1
I use several personal trainers (just for variety) and I always try to be all in when I am with them. I started wearing a heart monitor a few months ago and it has really helped me to up my game. Now when I do hard/fast exercises I can track progress on challenging myself. It’s just one more metric to help me get better.
But what has really helped us not just monitoring my max, but also monitoring my recovery. The feedback loop of monitoring has allowed me to significantly increase my max heart rate while significantly increasing the rate of recovery. My trainers can figure out what exercises best challenge me and adjust. (I have several orthopedic issues that limit me in some exercises).
With all the quibbles about this article, what is absolutely true is that the only way to improve ANYTHING is to measure and track progress. The heart monitor to assist HIIT is one great example.
3
"....before you know it, it's over."
i.e. everyone hates exercise.
3
Writer never explains what she is fearful of....as I get older I wonder if my heart will explode (or just trip up and stop) during high intensity!
3
How does medication to lower blood oressure affect HIT?
It depends on which one you use - a beta blocker, such as atenolol (anything with "alol" at the end) works by damping down the ability of your heart to speed up. That's why it works well for folks with palpitations (rapid heart rate). But this will also mean you will have decreased exercise tolerance - in other words, you won't be able to get your heart rate up as high. Other medications, such as ACE/ARB blockers (lisinopril or valsartan, for example) won't really affect your heart rate. Neither will diuretics (water pills). However, you may find some medications will increase your risk for getting dizzy - so - pay attention to how you feel, check your pressure if you feel unwell and stay hydrated.
4
Curious if anyone has had good results using the fitbit hear rate monitor. I do a 60 minute HIIT workout once a week on my home spin bike (I alternate between three coached workouts from MotionTraxx that are coached by some prominent indoor cycling instructors) but it seems like my fitbit cannot track my heart rate accurately. I run 5-6 miles a day on the other 6 days of the week and my heartrate on the fitbit ranges from 121 to 180, with an average of about 160 such that it records most of my run as being at peak HR, but when I do the spinning and I am way more out of breath and feel much more challenged it says my heart rate peaks at 161 and averages 131 but I know that I am working at peak for more seconds than when I run my mileage at just under 10 minutes a mile. Any thoughts or insights from other fitbit users would be greatly appreciated.
An optical HR monitor such as Fitbit must be attached quite firmly to the wrist so that the sensor can read the blood flow. Try moving the watch further up the wrist so that the bony joints are not keeping the sensor from contacting the skin.
1
Yes, what is the correct formula for determining max heart rate? I read last year that the formula for women is not the standard 220-age, but have forgotten the new one. Inquiring minds want to know.
3
There is no good formula. It varies greatly between individuals. There are ways to find it using progressive intervals. Alternatively, you could measure it at the end of a race (all out) and get a reasonable approximation.
The author I believe does make on incorrect statement. Maximum heart rates decrease over time, hence the motivation for the formula 220-age. This is a big reason why you may have been able to knock off 5min miles at age 18, but can't even dream of that (at least I can't) in your 60's.
5
The author says that the standard formula of 220 (minus) your age is not always accurate in determining one's maximum effort heart rate, but fails to give any alternatives.
My resting heart rate is 48bpm; I"m (luckily) very active - with daily walks and two 40-minute treadmill sessions, weekly. I'm 72 years old so according to the "220 minus age" formula my max rate would be 148bpm. I shoot for between 70-85% of that rate during my treadmill workouts (104-126bpm). Am I doing this wrong?
What other formula should I use? I didn't know there was more than one.
The best way to find out your max heart rate is to try getting up to it for a brief period. If you have a heart rate monitor, get on you TM and run as hard as you can for a couple of minutes and see what it gets up to. It sounds like you're in good enough shape to take the stress.
3
OrangeTheory 3 times a week. Your heartrate numbers are up on a screen for everyone to compete with at every session. Meena beats me twice a week but it keeps me going....geez I hate that woman. She takes too much joy in beating this 195 pound six foot one male....I am having a blast at 71 years old.
3
I don't know that it is necessarily healthy for 18 year-olds and 85 year-olds to be in direct competition - why not project the % of max rather than the heart rate? I would much rather compete against myself than chase after someone else but to each his own.
2
I wish the Times would have articles like this fact-checked by a physiologist ... or by someone who knows ANYTHING about the topic.
The general drift of this piece is good, but it's rife with misinformation. Interval training, for one thing, is not a "trend." It's been used by athletes for nearly a century, and has been at the core of many professional athlete's and coach's regimens for over 40 years. Please don't package something old and boring as a trend just to sell it. It's ugly.
It's also quite inaccurate to say that maximum heart rate doesn't change over time. It will get lower as you get older, and counterintuitively, it will get lower for most people over the course of a training season as you get in better shape.
Finally, and most centrally, I'm skeptical that a 7 to 8 level of exertion offers the training effect traditionally attributed to interval training. For competitive athletes, HIIT = 10, at least in the final seconds of an interval. If the goal is general fitness and good health, then I can believe it ... but the author should make this distinction clear —
and the author NEEDS TO CITE STUDIES. All you health authors need to cite studies. Bring the evidence or shut up.
12
The same holds for other articles on health. Last week's article on how eating more fish increases likelihood of conceiving was an observational study. As a medical librarian, these statements without attribution or critical analysis are frustrating.
5
This is a bit judgemental - I am a healthcare provider with knowledge of fitness and I believe you also have some biases here. The "trend" I think the author refers to is the same as the "trends" in diets...many have been around for a long time in various forms, but become popular again periodically. Crossfit, while similar in many ways to HIIT training, is a fairly new phenomenon by that name and you will see crossfit boxes popping up all over in the past few years with many folks now talking about "WOD's" and "AMRAP" workouts. So - everything old is new again! And many older patients actually do find their heart rate going up over time - less fit heart means it has to pump faster to keep blood circulating. And - as with any article - it is a jump off point for discussion and personal research. I don't think this paper represents itself as a medical journal, so if I read something that sounds interesting, I can research it myself further at Mayo Clinic or Cleveland clinic or NIH websites. I appreciate the article bringing the topic up at all - we need more discussion about fitness!
6
Yep, I thought of CrossFit also... btw, been "doing CrossFit" since 2011 (Paleo since that time also; transitioned to Keto two years ago), am exceedingly fit at 61 yrs of age, and my resting heart rate is 80 bpm. Meaning that we're all physiologically different.
1
The author states that “maximum heart rate doesn’t change with time”. This is true on a near term scale but not long term, as maximum heart rate declines with age.
3
Let me take a hit at HIIT by saying I actually enjoy my hour and a half or two of exercise so why would I want to cut it short. My day just doesn't feel right without it. Besides that the idea of paying somebody for me to move my body seems pretty absurd.
5
I do two hours of exercise daily moving forward an average `900 miles per month - ~200 walking, ~300 outdoor biking, ~400mi indoor on my Peloton. I've incorporated this level of activity into my lifestyle - the walking is with my dogs, I rarely if ever drive and use my bike for all errands, etc. and I use the least expensive home workout system available with the best instruction - I get on the Peloton bike 1X/day, no matter what.
The Peloton was the difference. I use it daily & do all sorts of intense professionally coached workouts, including HIIT classes, Power Zone & Endurance classes. I otherwise walk at pace and gave up my using my car to get around - I use my bike for all errands now - in LA, I usually get there quicker now than I did in my car.
Now, I am 62, forgo any animal products down to a 32" waist, 165 lbs, 106/58BP, with a 41bpm resting heart rate, 41.5 VO2 Max and 84ms heart rate variability. I have more energy than ever.
Flashback 12 yrs ago: Could not get off the couch, 258 lbs, on 5 medications for diagnosed "diseases" the medical community embraced treating. NO DOCTOR in 3 years of unsuccessful treatments, asked me what I ate or what my activity level was. That made it SO obvious - I finally figured it out....
Exercise 2 hours/day - tell your body you need it and fuel it by eating only plants, lots of them. The body will heal itself - It's really that simple!
22
2 pieces on HIIT, dwelling on "fear" and "hate" but ending with a subhed that then says it can be "fun and easy." If it were easy, how could it possibly be HIIT? And if exercise is easy, there's no benefit. The "move" section of the "well" section of the "health" section of the Times is routinely the daffiest part of the paper. Instead of playing mommy, or coach, why not just show readers activities and exercises that work?
3
Nothing new, we ran wind sprints when I was playing High School football.....in the 1960 s.
4
Max heart rate definitely declines with age. The author’s simple formula would indicate as much. Another way to calculate the max heart rate - based on research - is:
206.9 - (.67 x age). This yields a somewhat higher number.
For myself, a 74 year old male, this calculates to a max rate of 157; 90% of which is 142 bpm. My HIIT workout - three times/week - takes me into the 140’s each “cycle”. After some stretching exercises and a five minute warmup on an elliptical, I go for 1 1/2 minutes - with high enough RPM against a medium resistance - to get well into the 140’s. I then go for 1 1/2 minutes at a slower pace and slightly less resistance, bringing the bpm down to the low 100’s. I do six of these and follow that with a three minute cool down and some stretching.
The only really “fun” thing in all this is watching a funny TV show (e.g., MASH reruns or the daily news) or maybe the business news. In truth, keeping all the cycles and resistance levels straight takes a fair amount of concentration so it’s all over before I realize it.
In any case, I feel great, have hiked all over this hemisphere high and low, steep up and down, short and long duration. Couldn’t have done any of that without HIIT.
5
Between the doctor visit and the heart monitor The starting price is very high.
3
You can do a very simple version for free. Do whatever exercise you like—I like rowing machines and stair machines, but you could just go up a bunch of stairs and use the way back down for your rest periods. Go hard for a bit, back off for a bit, go hard again, repeat. Intervals don’t have to be three minutes, they don’t have to be consistent, they don’t have to be measured by heart rate. I try to really get huffing and puffing, and I vary the intervals and rest periods according to whim. Lots of times I’ll do 30 second sprints with a minute or so between, then try longer sprints or shorter rests.
The whole idea is to vary your exertion level during an exercise session. This really works; I’ve been doing it for years, and I’ve never bothered with a doctor or a heart monitor. Give it a try!
1
I watched two docs by Michael Mosley years ago, and tried his 5/2 diet (fast 2 days a week/5 days eat normal diet) and his version of HIIT which was 20 seconds of all out exercise (for me it is bicycling to work) interspersed with a minute or 2 of "rest" normal biking, 2-3 times a week. I was in the best shape/weight of my life for a year. Then my husband rebelled about the diet. Contemplating going back on the 5/2, but still do the HIIT on my bike ride to work...I like it cause it gets my "workout" out of the way first thing! https://www.fast-exercises.com/
2
HR_max does not change with time?! Not sure where you got that one from, but better seek a more reliable source next time. It sadly does, by about 1 BPM every 1-2 years. Paradoxically, the HR_max equations you mention in the piece are all based on some initial value, representing your HR_max at around 19 or 20 years old, minus a term proportional to age, with a per-year decline coefficient of around 0.5 to 1 BPM per year. So you yourself demonstrated, correctly, that HR_Max declines with age, and then proceed to state it doesn't...
4
This is a great article! It is important to know which type of monitor is perfect for each individual. It is also important to know how important tracking your heart rate while doing intense interval training is.
For another resource that is highly educational on the use of heart rate monitors follow the links below.
https://zogics.com/polar-heart-rate-monitors/
https://blog.zogics.com/heart-rate-monitor-types
https://blog.zogics.com/who-should-use-a-heart-rate-monitor
Also, If you are in the market for a Heart Rate Monitor here is a link for that as well.
https://zogics.com/shop-by/brands/polar-ft7-heart-rate-monitor
Thanks,
Denis
3
The article recommended using a wristwatch HR monitor paired with a chest strap. The device you suggest, the Polar FT7, doesn't pair with a chest strap, as far as I could tell.
I wasn't able to find the wristwatch-chest strap combo costing less than several hundred dollars. I would like to find a less expensive option that is of decent quality.
Bruce,
Thank you for the reply and I would like to help clarify some of your concerns. First of all the Polar FT-7 monitor is bluetooth compatible and pairs well with the Polar H-10 Strap. Both of them are also compatible with leading fitness apps allowing you to easily record results and track goals. We understand that pairing the two devices can be expensive but the important thing to think about it the quality of the product instead of saving a few dollars for a product that may not work as well or last as long. The Polar monitors are high quality and are built to last. They come with a two-year warranty whereas some of other brands come with a one-year warranty. Another thing to think about is that although it may be best practice to pair both devices you will be able to get an accurate rating while using one of the two devices.
I hope this helps!
Denis
1
Yes, the Polar FT7 does work with a chest strap. I have both the older analog (T31) and Bluetooth/analog version (H10). The Analog versions work with fitness equipment and analog watches like the FT7. The FT7 does not work without an analog strap.
The newer Bluetooth/analog versions (e.g., H10) chest straps work with smart phones, Polar smart watches, and fitness equipment like Keiser spin bikes. Polar chest straps are excellent in terms of accuracy and comfort, since they measure electrical signals from the heart.
Newer wrist based monitors (e.g. iWatch, Fitbit) are not measuring your hear beat, but your pulse (beat). They do this by shining a light on your skin and measuring the reflection of the blood that is passing through the vessels just under the skin. They won't be as accurate for cases where there is a lot of movement that can cause the optical sensor to lose contact with the skin. They don't sample as often, but some people prefer them because they don't have to wear a chest strap and they can also see who's calling them on their phone!
If you want the cheapest and most accurate HRM that does not require recharging, a FT7 (or any from that family of Polar products) is excellent. The newer models (H10) of chest strap are the most comfortable and allow you to use a smart watch, the fitness equipment built-in display or a smartphone to display and log your results. I don't work for Polar; I just like the Polar HRM I have.
1
75 yr. old male, lifetime commitment to exercise and fitness: running, swimming, cycling, weight training, etc. Recently developed a modified "fartlek" training regimen. On row machine, recumbent bike, treadmill or in the pool, do a 30 minute workout with the middle minute of every 5 minute blocks at max exertion, then back to a comfortable pace. Breaking it into 5 minute blocks makes it goal oriented and the fartlek section of each block gets the heart rate up. I feel energized and ready to face the day...
6
"While you can do the same workout to determine your target range, make sure you check with a doctor first."
Excellent advice.
“My 82-year-old mother is doing interval training,” Mr. Jordan said, by walking around the ground floor of her house and then exerting herself a little more by walking up and down the stairs. She repeats the sequence a few times. “It’s no different than an elite athlete performing interval running."
At a certain age the doctor might suggest the former, rather than the latter.
3
Another way to make it "fun and easy": team sports? (wasn't there an article here about it a few weeks ago?).
Now I realize that at 40, 50, or 60 there is rarely going to be a way for people to play sports with like-minded, same-fitness level folks, and pain/injury becomes a factor. At 35 I am already struggling to play basketball with the college kids at my local gym. But it's a shame we generally give up sports as we grow up. The fun part of it makes it really easy to get a killer workout without even thinking about it. Beats the fitness room every time.
6
One of the (many) reasons sports are so important into older-age is the multi-directional movement aspect.
As we age we stop moving in anything other than the sagittal plane, so we develop muscles that can flex and extend but lack torsional strength and stability.
Additionally, we also don't "play defense" when we work out. When we play sports we are forced to defend an opponent whether we are tired or not - at least if we care about winning - and that changes how the body converts and uses energy.
Combined, the two factors above can have profound effects on health and body composition that can't be found in the gym alone.
7
As a 55 year old who enjoys team sports, I am grateful to find a basketball group where I am one of the younger players! (DC area)
I would ask/look around around at YMCA, colleges, meetup.com, and hopefully you can find a local group, it really is a great way to get exercise as you age.
2
What limits me to push harder is not so much my lungs or heard, but leg pain. Even when my heart rate is not high, pain in my legs (quads) stops me from pushing harder. How do I overcome that?
The leg pain could be from lactic acid buildup that is an inevitable result of anaerobic metabolism. You may want to first improve your anaerobic threshold by doing relatively long, but continuous training just below that level of intolerable discomfort. If in running, for example, "tempo" runs. After establishing a base for several months with these kinds of workouts, move on to the more intense interval work. This can be adapted to cycling, swimming and elliptical equipment if running isn't your thing.
1
Lactic acid (lactate) does NOT prevent you from working out - it is actually the preferred fuel in cells for exercise. (I won't go into detail but you can read online about the "lactate shuttle" or read the work of George Brooks).
Instead it's the accumulation of hydrogen ions from the chemical reaction in the muscles that prevents muscular contraction (literally "the burn").
You can take beta-alanine to help buffer the hydrogen ion accumulation (thus pushing "the burn" back a few reps) or add things like creatine, BCAAs, and amino acids to your diet to help with recovery.
Try magnesium glycinate. It's helped me a lot with muscle pain. I can do a lot more now that I take it than I could before.
1
Fun and easy? Exactly the opposite of what HIIT is meant to be!
Hate it , absolutely. My cardiologist does not make it mandatory, god bless him...and I can still hit 8-10 METs . So why feel like puking?
3
Why the gym stuff? I work with a trainer - one who trained NFL players. But I quite for the summer to go outside (will be back). Runs hills, carry a heavy backpack up mountains! Anything not inside, not climate controlled. Hot, cold, wet, rain, snow, exposed ( jargon for "if you fall your dead body will get mangled on rocks") and thin air. Thats how you get in shape.
3
Maybe you didn't want to keep going because the work out was dull. Whatever you do, it needs to be something you stick to. HIIT may be great, but not if you hate it and don't do it!
3
I did this for a while, but our down time between activities was more like 30 seconds, not three minutes. I exercise over 20 hours a week but hiit was too much.
2
Excellent article, and the TIMES has done a number of these articles on interval training over the past few years. And they work for the majority of us. But like a few other posters, I would caution people who have not exercised before to start very slowly without interval training, and yes, to consult a doctor before starting.
1
My friends and I were doing this in the early 90s.
I am 47 years old. I do a H.I.I.T. workout weekly. Typically we do around 20 intervals of 45 seconds to 90 seconds followed by equal amount of rest....but we prefer to call it hockey.
15
My four times weekly workout, elevated step with pylometrics and wrist weights, lasts 40 minutes. I am breathing very heavily, can barely utter a word and am thoroughly soaked after each workout. I have been doing this workout for the past three plus years. I am very fit, slim and healthy, at 67 years old. I don’t know if this workout is a HIIT workout but I am definitely at my peak aerobic level during at least 30 minutes of it. I will stick with this regimen because I love it and I am in great shape as a result.
1
I exercise every single day, eat properly and have no weight problem, also I work. I would never ever think of high-intensity training since the point for me is to be consistent and avoid a nutty injury.
This column worries me for those who try a high-intensity routine, though Lebron James would be fine of course.
4
Hopefully, those folks will actually read the article first: "Listen to your body. “If you feel sick and dizzy or nauseous, it’s irrelevant what your heart monitor says,” said Mr. Jordan. “You should slow down and get off the machine. It’s important everyone listen to their body as well as look at the heart rate monitor."
4
If your target 70-90 pct of MHR was 140-166 then your MHR would seem unnaturally high at 184 BPM for a 51 y.o. I hope you are that genetically blessed !
3
I am 58, bit overweight but workout reasonably consistently. I like the data from the Apple Watch, so I can say resting heart rate 55. Walking briskly in nyc 110. I feel like I’m doing zero work exercising until I get to 160-170, which I can sustain for 45 mins. I hit the wall at 180-185. None of that is in the charts, So all I can say is you do you.
4
I aim for 180 during intervals, and usually manage to hit 200 if I’m really pushing it. I’m 64, and this is why I can hike my younger friends into the ground at high elevation. Yay intervals!
2
Live every day like you are still a hunter in the pack. When your own body detects you are no longer producing, it will begin shutting down.
Fartlek training was always the basis of a solid sprint and decent hill climb jumps. Plodders are great, and have massive lung power, but you gotta push that needle into the redline regularly to remind yourself of who you are - a hunter!
Now go bag me a delicious Bass.
7
The author says this workout was “interesting and fun.” I must be missing something.
18
How would your heart monitor show you you werre having a heart attack? What would that look like? Feel like?
2
A heart monitor will not show a heart attack. A heart attack often causes chest pain, nausea, shortness of breath, cold sweats, arm pain, jaw pain, anxiety, etc.
Exercise is good for the heart, obviously! But like many folks are saying here, it makes sense to see your health care provider before starting an exercise program if you are not active.
If we could put exercise in a bottle, it would be the best medicine ever!
1
Tara,
Nice article. Gretchen R. has written quite a bit about this topic, but you are the first to correlate the word 'fun'. Exercise is the key to health. The HR monitor works for those in and out of shape. Good luck with your exercising. Like every other accomplishment, sustained effort will be rewarded.
2
Its just about breaking a sweat, how you get there doesn't matter.
If your not huffing and puffing at some point then your not exercising. case closed.
4
The grand solution is (drumroll) . . . a heart rate monitor? It's a fine answer, but one that has been popular at least 25 years. I've had several Polars, but they died on me.
1
Completely wrong. you CANNOT make your heart stronger. it is a smooth muscle, if your heart were to become stronger, it would mean it would have to grow, thats called an enlarged heart which will kill you.
Your heart rate is reduced as your muscles become stronger. the pressure from strong muscles helps blood flow back to the heart. blood pressure increases as people age and lose muscle mass.
The best way to maintain optimal heart health is high intensity strength training, that's the science.
3
Actually, hearts do grow stronger. This can be easily seen on a heart ultrasound. Well trained athletic people's heart can look abnormally large.
This is not to be confused with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is the heart defect that sadly kills young athletes.
1
Your comment is confusing. And, based on how I'm reading it, that's not at all "the science."
I think you should elaborate on "the science," lest readers be confused. Maybe start with the fact that your heart CAN get stronger (hence increased cardiac output, which is the product of stroke volume and heart rate).
2
I’m 71 and since having had stents in my iliac and right cardiac arteries during my early 60’s, I have been running - mainly in the aerobic zone - for 45 minutes 3 times per week. I’m also doing Yoga for balance and flexibility x 2 or 3 per week as well. The routine keeps me feeling great and maintains very decent for age ability to fully take part in whatever activities I desire. Unless one is trying to be a competitive athlete there isn’t any one path to fitness. HIIT is likely a good one for many, but there are many ways to maintain fitness as long as possible. The trick is to find one that works for you and stick with it.
10
I love the Keelo app on my smartphone. (I have no connection to the company, I'm just a very satisfied customer.)
I've tried everything from CrossFit to Peloton and Keelo is a really effective, fun mix of HIIT exercises that scales to anyone's fitness.
2
As a 52-year old woman who (like many) spends most of her day seated on her rear for work, I was finding that my thrice-weekly Pilates sessions paired with walking and biking no longer held the same wellness benefits they once did. I added 1-2 Orange Theory classes per week as of November of last year. These are supervised, varying HIIT classes that rotate between treads, rowers and weights, never the same class twice, you wear a heart monitor and follow clear, real-time instructions. The classes are simple, safe, fun, affordable - and I'm addicted. Not only do I genuinely believe myself to be in the best shape of my life, I was also able to shed 15 (!!) pounds I had given up on ever losing at my age. I know there are a wide variety of similar classes out there - they're affordable, fun and frankly the best thing I've done for myself in recent memory. I can't say enough good things about HIIT.
42
Well at 86, HIIT is still a HIT, but three minutes sounds like a life time. For me the NuStep and 10, then 20 and then 30 second intervals all out works fine. Begin where you are and go from there. When I ask my doctor for a recommendation, he wrote: whatever is appropriate for his age....in short, many medical professional just punt. It is wise to ask, but wiser to begin slowly. Try 5 seconds with push, then when that seems easy, go to another level. I am intrigqued byu the advise here and will give it a shot. My Fitbit lags the work level so I am not sure of the heart range but it is higher than the 220 minus age.
Life is one step at a time. When in new territory take care to be more measured and thoughtful about what you are doing and pace yourself into the new routines.
28
As a Certified Personal Trainer with experience with HITT, I would like to add to the discussion. I highly reccomend the use of a heart rate monitor. Using perceived rates of exertion when starting HIIT is a good idea but I feel that it is too subjective in the long run. The The 220 minus age formula is outdated. Use 207 minus 70% of your age as a start. DO GET AN OK FROM A PHYSICIAN. Get started and be safe.
11
Without trying to be TOO snarky, a couple of points: FIRST, there’s a little “This is News??” flavor to this article. Any athlete of any seriousness has incorporated intervals into their training since time immemorial. HIITS does add structure and some science to to the routine, which is probably good. SECOND, every piece of research I’ve ever read has stated that maximum heart rate DOES decrease with age. I’d like to see some verification on this. THIRD, if I were an older moderate athlete, I’d certainly want to get a serious cardiovascular exam before starting anything involving 3 minute maximum efforts. Even more true if starting from a sedentary lifestyle.
31
Agree completely with "serious cardiovascular exam" which was nowhere mentioned in the article. Especially for older exercisers. Stay safe!
2
Absolutely agree with all of this Steve.
I've written to Tara to point out the MHR vs age error. There's a nice graphic at https://goo.gl/images/zMZ6Si showing the inverse relationship. Interestingly it comes from a paper that provides a better approximation for MHR than the 220 - age that Ms Pope inexplicably quotes beneath the paragraph saying it doesn't change;-)
1
Reading comprehension: the paragraph in question is entitled "Standard formulas are unreliable."
I have been a runner for the past 40 years. Age has slowed me down. I have taken spinning classes for many years; and they did help me maintain a decent level of fitness and the ability to continue running. Recently my gym added a HIIT class on the spinning bike. I have to admit the results have been impressive. I am much stronger and I can run the same pace with less effort. HIIT is not only advisable for those who dislike long workouts; but as an alternative to long runs.
11
Another simple way to track fitness progress is to see how much your pulse decreases from that max point after resting 2 minutes. Dropping 50 beats/min is optimal. Amount of decrease can really improve within days and weeks of HIIT or any tough cardio.
2
So I'd raise my pulse to say 150, then in two minutes of rest it would optimally be 50? This can't be correct. A typo?
We used to say 20 beats in two minutes, as I recall.
1
Based on previous NYT articles, I had been ''thinking'' about doing HIIT for a time. When I finally started doing HIIT in February this year, shortly after turning 64, it helped me progress from not being able to run a mile to successfully completing the 10 mile Philadelphia Broad Street Run in early May, 11 weeks later.
I alternated running with HIIT, using multiple rounds of 10-20-30 HIIT: https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/07/29/a-way-to-get-fit-and-also-have...
The HIIT helped improve cardio capacity quickly, including substantially lower blood pressure and resting heart rate, and is definitely more fun than a long slog on a treadmill or elliptical. I also use an interval timer phone app called ''Seconds,'' another form of helpful guidance and feedback. An important key is making progress visible when moving from unfit to more fit.
Try HIIT--it works.
11
Interval training has always been part of the workout arsenal, and personally, I find it easier than my longer pieces. The longer pieces typical of rowing - I no longer row but regularly erg - of 6K (~24 minutes) and 1 hour are harder to maintain focus for than shorter interval workouts. For most people without the drive for long hard pieces, intervals are great, and for myself, I have often found intervals, in my case 1K (~4 minutes) x 4 minutes rest, a way to get my aerobic system up and running before getting into longer workouts.
I've been working out for 30 years, was ACE certified, and now at 58 mostly happy to keep it regular and interesting, although I do hope to get back out on the water to row again.
2
Glad to see that someone is talking about rowing, especially erging, here. It is has never been mentioned in the NYT in reference to HIIT or any other fitness regime. Rowers have been using HIIT type training for at least decades. Rowing works more muscle groups than biking or running and is not hard on the back if done properly. I'm still waiting for a NYTimes article on its benefits - maybe it's not trendy enough.
2
This sounds contradictory:
Maximum heart rate doesn’t change over time. Your maximum heart rate is genetically predetermined and, like height and eye color, doesn’t change over time.
A common formula for determining maximum heart rate is 220 minus age.
5
Good catch. Your maximum heart rate definitely decreases over time (hence the formula) but you cannot increase your maximum heart rate. That is pretty much predetermined.
3
Whether or not HRmax decreases over time - I believe it does - it’s important to recognize that the formula is a phony. It’s something that was devised by several cardiologists on the way to a European conference so that they would have some solid numbers to present.
More than a good catch, this is a false statement on bold. Really should just fix it in the piece, since this will be accessed for years.
1
"How about fun, fast interval training, or F.F.I.T.?"
From a 56 year old who's in average condition: It's about moving. Efficiency is for the corporate culture, not our off time.
The fun part is the best advice. If the spirit for getting out early before work or late after work becomes work, the program, you guessed it, is likely going to be short lived.
For myself that means adding a goal, changing scenery, and cross training the activity. Watching heart-rate like a technician in an primate lab will quickly wear me out.
6
HIIT is fine when people are starting out, coming from sedentary lifestyles, but over time, serious training typically requires different structures, particularly for competitive athletes. Although intervals are certainly part of that, competitive endurance athletes still need periodized macrocycles for endurance, strength, and speed.
2
I have been using heart rate monitors for over 30 years, as long as I have worked out, and eventually found chest straps too irritating to keep using so switched to a Scosche RHYTHM+ Heart Rate Monitor with Armband that has apps for phone and tablet. It is not wearing it the problem but changing the batteries.
I used Timex for years, then switched to Polar, but changing the batteries in the chest straps is hard and at times near impossible, almost ruining the device in the process. The Scosche, on the other hand, is charged via USB, and does not require, although it can be paired with, a fitness watch. Instead, I use the Polar app on my phone and iPad - I've stored years of workouts on Polar's website - with my Scosche for my rowing machine, bike, and cross-country ski erg workouts.
3
1. I have a Polar watch used with chest strap that recharges its lithium battery by being plugged in (after 12-15 hours cumulative gym time). No more factory battery replacement. It’s been very helpful in getting reliable HR data while exercising, doing yardwork, etc. i can show data to cardiologist and he can trust my reports.
2. At age 73, and as a lifelong exerciser (aerobics, weights, stretching), I found over a few months that I was becoming winded and exhausted much sooner than I had just a year earlier, while adhering to a regular schedule of 3-5 sessions/week of an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes of activity. I have now been diagnosed with Sick Sinus Syndrome. The sinus node sits atop the heart and is the mechanism that triggers heart rate. Mine has worn out with age - not uncommon - and so I will be getting a pacemaker. My heart muscle is very strong, however. My cardiologist told me not to do HIIT anymore since my sinus node doesn’t set my HR in the proper range when I try to build up my intensity. He said to use the “talk test” - back off if I can’t complete a sentence of several words. So HIIT is not for everyone. One reason to check with your trusted health professional. (I hope the pacemaker will let me get back closer to normal.)
3. See the book The One Minute Workout for a variety of HIIT routines backed up by science. Gretchen Reynolds has written about the book and the science in some of her pieces.
Thanks!
19
I suspect that your heart rate data helped alert you to the changes caused by your sinus problem. (Who knew that even our chests had sinuses?)
After waffling about monitors for years, I’m going to get one. Thanks, and good luck with the pacemaker!
2
If your goal is to elevate heart rate quickly, use a whole body exercise, like a treadmill, elliptical, rowing machine or running. Stationary bikes create more perceived effort because fewer muscle groups are involved, in other words your legs will really burn on a bike at higher heart rates.
If you exercise in cold temperatures, your HR will be lower for the same effort. This is because the longer you exercise, the more your heart has to pump simply to cool muscles with blood flow. Its called "HR drift".
I do varying intervals, like 5 x 4 hills or 5 x 2 or 1 x 10 flat. I take it easy on the first interval as a warm-up and then a little faster on each successive one.
HR recovery is also important. Your HR should drop about 25 BPM in a minute, say from 150 to 125, after the end of a full-on interval (start the minute after fully stopping). If recovery takes longer, go a little easier.
If you have a sport watch that allows you to download your workouts into a graphic display, you will learn a lot about how your HR responds to varying intensity and recovery. A GPS feature will show distance, speed, elevation and route. Well worth the money.
5
I have participated for two years in a HIIT program run by a 30-something female instructor who motivates and encourages us. I'm a 65 year old man and most of the attendees are young enough to be my sons and daughters. I feel stronger and more confident now than at any time in my adult life. I highly recommend HIIT programs. It has changed my life.
48
On the advice of doctors I was advised to cut back on running due to problems with my knees and legs. One doc, who had to give up his marathon runs for similar reasons, suggested HIIT training of no more than 30 minutes once or twice a week. Typically I run intervals on a treadmill, one minute of high intensity (usually starting at a pace of 10 minute miles) followed by two minutes of moderate jogging. Usually I increase the intensity of the running by 2/10ths of a mile each time so that the final minute is usually at about an 8 mph clip. By the last lap, my heart rate is in the 160’s (I’m 64) which is strenuous but manageable (at least for me). Since my primary form of exercise is cycling, I have found that the HIIT workout on non-cycling days has given me more strength and stamina on the bike, especially on hills.
3
Former college athlete in my late 40s
Doing HIIT workouts 3x/week for almost a year— classes at a local gym.
I’m in better shape than I’ve been in for probably 20 years.
Need to listen to your body doing the workout so you don’t injure yourself.
These workouts are fun.
23
HIIT is nothing new like they want you to believe. Back in the day the coach would say, 'go run some wind-sprints'...same thing-
17
I read about another form of HIgh Intensity Workout Training in the NYTimes about a year ago, called the 30,20,10 interval. The idea was pick your aerobic exercise of choice and start with 2 sets of five reps. each “rep” is 30secs of moderate pace, 20 secs of vigorous pace and 10 secs of “all out pace”. After acclimating your body for a reasonable time increase the workout to 3 sets.
I’m a 61 year old male in better shape than most of my peers, but historically an inconsistent exerciser. I started this workout in December, using a rowing machine. At the same time I began a weight lifting routine designed by my much younger girlfriend who moonlights as a personal trainer.
While my weekly goal is 3 days of the interval training and two days of weight training, I have to confess I rarely accomplish that. However, at this point I’ve dropped about 10 lbs, I’ve dropped my pant waist from 36 to 34 ( not seen since my twenties) and my resting heart rate is around 58. I feel terrific and have the best muscle tone of my life.
After reading this article I’m going to try the 3/3 interval suggested here.
My best advice is do whatever you think you ( and your trusted medical professional) think you can handle, but push harder than you think you can. It’s never too late and you’ll reap the rewards that will help prolong your vigor and vitality, which is part of the prescription for aging well.
18
I’ve found alternating between the “1 minute” routine and longers intervals - e.g., 3 x 5 minutes - on an elliptical machine works well, especially when outdoors is not all that inviting. A long warm up, including 15 second pickups, makes the workout easier to get into.
This was very useful information and the timing is perfect for me. Thanks!
6
Re the strap and watch are: Do you have to keep turning your wrist to see your heart rate? Or say, can you set the watch on the machine in front of you? Most importantly, is the display big enough/bright enough to see the number at a glance? Thanks.
That might be the most helpful article on HIIT I've read. And a helpful comment from ghsalb about the battery problem.
I've been experimenting with HIIT on various gym machines. The stationary bikes and ellipticals have grips to measure heart rate. I'm sure they're not as accurate as the chest strap, but the display is big and right in front of me.
6
I’m in my 5th year of HIIT and at 63 in the best shape of my life. Someone mentioned the Seconds app... it’s a great app and an integral part of my workout. You can set up the display so that your heartrate is the largest number on the screen — easy to see at a glance. About a year ago I realized that I needed to keep my heart from beating TOO fast during a workout in order to avoid exertion headaches afterwards, and I wanted an app that would give me an audio heartrate status report, for those times when I was having too much fun or daydreaming and forgetting to look at my iphone. The app I found was FITIV Pulse (ios). It annouces my heartrate every 60seconds.
1
Din’t you check the time on your watch while walking around during the day? Doing so while exercising is hardly different, as long as your attention isn)t required for other purposes.
What about the very popular smart watches, such as the Apple Watch, that measure heart rate without a separate sensor/strap? How accurate and useful are they?
5
Male, 60, active 3-4 x a week.
Now in year two of elliptical, swimming, SoulCycle and walking.
Have brought SC HIIT attitude into the elliptical/swimming and the results are undeniably fantastic. Happier, sleep well, able to eat and drink as I please, stats are solid.
Without HIIT pure aerobic did not deliver much weight loss, regardless of distance. Good for cholesterol levels and cardio; but not until SC did the lbs start to drop.
Started at my own pace and can now hold my own against others half my age. Very satisfying ;-))
Few injuries, truly enjoyable, sustainable activities.
Its a routine I look forward to building upon in the years to come.
9
My concern would be starting with high intensity exercise, at least for exercises like running. Back when I was an athlete, starting with sprints was a recipe for pulling a hamstring. Am I misunderstanding that part of it?
However, lately I've walking with intervals of speed walking (look up speed walking or race walking) and it is *very* effective at getting my heart racing, while apparently having no negative impact on joints and muscles. So I agree with the general concept.
6
the writer started with a 3 minute warmup. hope that helps.
There are always going to be contrarians whenever the Times runs an article about exercise, but I'm 55, and I have been doing a version of HIIT called The Seven Minute Workout for a few weeks now. You do one exercise for 30 seconds at maximum effort, rest for ten seconds, and then do a different exercise for 30 seconds, etc. The exercises are a mixture of pure aerobics (running in place or stationary bike) and anaerobic (pushups, crunches, kettlebell) I use a heart rate monitor and an app that tells me when to switch. With stretching and warm up/cool down, it's about 20-30 minutes total. I vary the exercises themselves from day to day so I don't get bored or burned out, but they're a mix of aerobic and anaerobic. I have poor circulation in my left leg, and even if I ride a road bike for 2 hours in the morning, I can get a swollen ankle if I'm sitting the rest of the afternoon; with HIIT, though, I never have swollen ankles, I have more energy, and I have improved muscle tone and flexibility. I'm a big fan.
48
Keep up the good work and next level it if you can - it will make you feel even better!
Unless you are an elite professional athlete in certain sports where a burst of speed is needed -- and most of us are not -- I'm willing to bet that whatever benefits that arise from HIIT are outweighed by the detriments.
And I personally have used a heart-rate monitor for many, many years for basically the opposite of what is suggested in this article: In my case, I use it to verify that I get an aerobic workout a couple of times of week, whether I am jogging, doing the elliptical, stairmaster, whatever.
And in most cases, I often have to back off/slow-down to stay in the desired aerobic range, especially after I warm up.
3
I am by no means an elite professional athlete. I am in my 40's and slog away at a computer. I have done HIIT workouts off and on for five years. The benefits absolutely exceed those that come from jogging, elliptical, or stairmaster workouts. I have become much stronger physically and faster from HIIT. I am better at the sustained cardio workouts like the ones you described. The key to HIIT is to start slowly and listen to your body. I definitely hurt myself a little starting back up where I left off after having taken some time off.
35
I'm 55. HITT is great. Yeah, you CAN push yourself too hard -- I've done it and suffered -- usually muscle issues. But I've gotten better at being more real about my workouts and stopped trying to compete with the 20-somethings in my classes. I push myself and compete with myself, no one else. Injuries don't occur any more.
3
Abby: How are you measuring "strength?" Can you bench press more now than before? When I want to improve strength, I do traditional weight training days.
If you look at the various heart rate zones, when you are exercising in the "high" portion of HIIT you are likely in the anaerobic HR zone. That involves the body's ability to tolerate lactose acid buildup before you go "anaerobic." Is that your fitness goal?
It seems to me that improved anaerobic performance is a justifiable goal for a small selection of athletes. (E.g., sprinters) For most recreational athletes, general aerobic workouts to improve cardiovascular function and fitness probably gives the most overall benefit to the most people.
Another benefit is, by using my HRM to stay in my aerobic zone, I have had very few muscle and soft-tissue injuries throughout my life because of these activities. (Tennis is another story...)
Middle aged folks who are out of shape with achy joints certainly shouldn't be racing into HIIT workouts. Could do some serious damage. It's one thing for a college aged person to run 3 miles after months of inactivity- they'll be sore for a few days. A middle aged person might end up in the emergency room or worse. To say nothing of an octogenarian.
There are a lot of funny articles in the Health section. Maybe they should be written or edited by an actual medical doctor.
14
First, the article has plenty of precautions.
Second, do you really think that an article in the NYT will cause "Middle aged folks who are out of shape with achy joints" to race into HIIT workouts? Nah.
The people who are going to actually try this on their own are people like me who are already working out.
9
I'm not sure that the 'plenty of precautions' are there enough to be of use to the thousands who read for tips, and to avoid using a trained exercise physiologist. The article is filled with vague references of pushing to discomfort but not pain. That was not at all helpful in description. Like cutting, but not too deep.
I'd advise those with any possibility of heart disease, whether or not they will admit it, to at least talk with a medical specialist, and a sports medicine one if available. To go to the local gym and get a personal trainer to advise you isn't always the best either, some are under the impression you have to work harder than you do, and I've seen some rhabdomyolysis in people early on who are trying to get going, usually the younger bucks who want to look like the personal trainer in a day.
1
I would simply add please read the article - "Listen to your body. If you feel sick and dizzy or nauseous, it’s irrelevant what your heart monitor says,” said Mr. Jordan. “You should slow down and get off the machine. It’s important everyone listen to their body as well as look at the heart rate monitor.”
1
HIIT is attractive to people, emotionally, because it's short and fits into our perceived busy schedules. There is not enough research on it to make it your only exercise intensity and duration.
Heart rate monitors are not the best at measuring HIIT workouts because there's a lab between the beginning of your effort and the rise in your HR. If you're cycling, try a wattage meter. Running or swimming: time/distance.
Moderation is a good idea in many things. So, long slow distance and higher intensity in combination is probably a better, safer idea.
8
There is plenty of research on HIIT, especially for competitive swimming. Swim clubs, high school and college teams all use HIIT. Any debate about HIIT is not between long, slow distance swimming, sometimes referred to as garbage yardage, but between swimming at race pace with longer recovery times, known as Ultra Short Race Pace Training or USRPT.
As Oscar Wilde said: Everything in moderation, including moderation.
5
I know the training methods in swimming well. I went to college on a swimming scholarship.
The fact that those methods are used in swimming is not useful for the people reading this article. Swimming races are quite short. Is that HIIT or training for your race?
The majority of people reading this are never going to race swimming. Most want to raise fitness and lose weight. That's HR zone 4 for a long time.
2
Before purchasing a heart rate monitor, ask (1) how to replace the battery (2) what's the battery life. When I bought a Polar a few years ago, the only option was to mail the watch and strap back to the factory. Don't assume you can take a monitor to your local watch repair. When it ran down, I decided it was too expensive and too much hassle to restore. (I bought a solar-powered Casio "G Shock" watch-and-timer instead.)
Still, the monitor was useful for me, and worth the sunk cost. By comparing the displayed heart rate with my subjective sensations, I learned how to sense when I was in the aerobic zone, maxing out, etc. By the time the battery died a couple years later, I didn't really need a monitor any more.
Excellent article. Be sure to read all the way to the end, especially the caveats re: listening to your own body, and standard heart rate formulas being unreliable.
35