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Heart rate zones and training status

Jongla
over 2 years ago

Hi. I have just moved from a F235 to a Fenix 7 and am now getting a lot more info after runs.

The watch was set to auto detect heart rate. 

I'm following a garmin coach workout just to improve my 5k time. After each run it is always saying its unproductive and it suggests I'm running sometime for 30 minutes in zone 5 (goal pace repeats ,doing no low aerobic at all or running in zone 4 for easy conversation pace runs.

They max heart rate was set at 186bpm. My resting is 50bpm I looked back over the last 12 months and saw a max heart rate of 199 on a few runs. If I manually change this on my user settings it will re-calculate the zone more correctly I think but would it be better to actually wait until the watch naturally registers a 199bpm rate?

I don't want to be cheating the system to make it look better but I feel I'm improving and the watch is telling me I'm unproductive.

It seems without having the correct zones set, most of the info you are getting back is pointless.

Hope you can share any advice.

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    Training Status Unproductive just means that your VO2 max is decreasing but your load is good. It is really really hard to always be productive since that means that you always would increase your VO2 max.

    It is hard to know the real max heart rate without doing a test at a clinic. I use the max heart rate from shorter races. Just make sure the max isn't just a spike but something you built up to and held for a few seconds. Then add a few extra bpm to that depending on the feeling you had.

    Check how much time you spend in the different heart rate zones and adjust the max heart rate from that.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to e7andy

    Thank you. I've checked back on garmin and have seen 200bpm held for about 10 seconds on a few runs.

    I think because I started the garmin coach program as soon as i got the watch, none of the workouts so far have really required me to push hard enough to get to my max heart rate yet and i'd rather stick to what its advising me to do at the minute.

    I think due to the 199bom not being a spike I will change it manually as I think it will shift my zones more in line with the effort i feel I'm putting in.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to e7andy

    Think I found the problem.

    My recorded max heart rate on this watch was 187 (My previous watch recorded 200) My resting heart rate is 50.

    When I looked in the settings I noticed it had created a sports heart rate zone for running which was based on max heart rate for the zones and this was putting my zone 2 very low and impossible to stay in.

    I've now deleted that sports heart rate and the watch is now going on 187 max and based on RHR of 50. This has moved the zones significantly and zone 2 easy running feels exactly where it should be. Once I start pushing myself in this training plan I might see myself increase the max heart rate as well.

    All the other reports such as load, training status etc are all now falling back into line as well.