What is interesting to note is that the longer maintain an elevated heart rate (ie aerobic zone or higher), the longer it takes for your body to recover from the downturn. This means you still have a fast metabolism and burn more calories even after your workout is done! I mentioned these areas “traditional” because I do not like to follow tradition when it comes to controlling heart rate.

On the one hand, I feel that the perceived exertion is just as valid an indicator. Why just on the basis of a “zone”, you should exercise, when you can simply push to achieve results! Another problem with the traditional method is that it does not take into account the errors with the heart rate calculations – should I train in the same area as someone whose resting heart rate is 75 beats per minute (my own resting heart rate is of about 39 beats per minute)? I do not believe – I believe that the lower resting heart rate is an indicator of the art fitness and means that I can train more intensively. What if your heart is maxing at 170 beats per minute instead of 193? If you still “push the limits” because the equation tells you? I do not think so. The heart rate may be a useful tool for training, but we must learn to use your body as a tool, not the equation. For example, if you do not want to understand what your anaerobic zone is, instead of connecting to a distance formula, why do anaerobic work? I can guarantee that you will use the system ATP-PC (a completely anaerobic system) when performing a max-rep.