Keep it up . I started MAF in August 2020 here in florida . The heat made it super tough to follow the rules. At one point , as I was walking to keep my HR low enough I a goose literally PASSED me on foot . Things get better. Much much better
This video really helped me. I've been running 5k for a year with HR up at 180-190 to just get from 7min 6min per km. I went as hard as I could and get 27min for 5k - but at 200HR which was way over max for my age. I'm now realizing that I did it all wrong. I went and did a Zone 2 run - I had to walk half the time and could only do 10min per kilometer. One week into this I can already notice a change where I can now almost jog 30-60 min without HR going up out of zone 2.
I think you should start running based on perceived effort. It needs to be fun to become a habit. Build some fitness, then worry about tweaking fitness with zone work. It worked for me.
They should think, "My, my, he really knows what he is doing." As mentioned here, even ELITE athletes spend time at very low heart rates. Lots of time. Even walking (of course, they walk faster than we do).
Kim I feel your frustration. I am in the same boat - walking and staring at my watch anxiously waiting to run again. I look forward to seeing your progression. If you see a frustrated walker on the streets of Wpg staring at their watch, it will be me doing a zone 2 “run”.
This is the video I've been waiting to see since you started talking about zone 2 training. I honestly feel like there's something wrong with me when I try to stay in zone 2 . Thanks for doing this. Keep it up NTK
@@RUclipsAnthony it’s going well. It takes SEVERAL months to get your body used to it. You have to build mileage slowly. It does work, but you have to be very patient with the process.
This video was uplifting because I tried to run 2 miles for the first time in years yesterday and it was more of a run/walk and felt like a total failure
@@Jonnnyyyy23 Hi Jonny I can’t give you a number but it took ages then all of a sudden I noticed that my HR stayed low during runs.. provided I warmed up before taking off otherwise it always spikes and then settles down Sorry I can’t be more specific but it DOES get better Hang on in there👍
@@Jonnnyyyy23 hey it takes months to see iprovement, not weeks! What I do not know if I should do all my trainings in Z2 (my pace in Z2 is 9min/km) and wait these months or should I combine it with some Z4/Z5 short trainings?
Started running this year in January. Knew about staying in Zone 2, but cheated myself and spent most of my time in Zone 3 (upper Z3 at that). Noticed little to know improvement in my times. Now I'm focused on Z2 training and already a couple weeks into it I'm noticing improvements! Z2 is the way to go!
Kim I so feel you! I've been training hard for 2 months and finally am able to run 5 km without stopping but my hear rate is 185 the whole time and then my body is trashed for at least 2 days. This video has been really helpful! I hope to see another video about how you're progressing over the weeks! It feels like I'm in the same boat!
I know what you're talking about, for sure. I've run off and on for over 40 years (for months at a time) and that's always been my experience. I always just powered through the discomfort of my runs with sheer will and determination at 180+ BPM. Then I'd PR a time in a 5K or 10K race or treadmill effort. Then I'd get injured, exhausted for days, sick, or all three. That cycle continued for decades. I didn't hear about low HR training until a few months ago but I just don't have the patience to do it. Now I just walk and run sprints, but no jogging at all.
Ive been running at MAF for quite a few months now, but I'm moving to more of an 80/20 approach, so did my Max test last night to plum into Karvonen Calculator ... it wasn't a nice experience 🤮🏃♂️ i used 90-100second hill repeats :)
You will see far better results following the 80/20 plan than any of the plans using MAF. MAF is literally just 80% of the more effective 80/20 philosophy. The only reason it's hung on at all is because 80% of 80/20 is far more effective and less injury inducing than the 60-70% of 80/20 that amateurs do when they naturally split their training 40/60 to 50/50.
@@chadwaddington4488 Yep agreed. Buf for me after C19 - I was left with chest problems that lasted for months, so MAF was my only option to get back out there :)
Man im going through exactly this. Im a pretty small guy, been running pretty much the last two years but always been EXHAUSTED by the runs, always at my 90% hr, doing my 5k i the 23 minute marker. Ive started doing longer runs and went for some marathon last year, went slow but steady. Now im trying to get faster on the long run and have really taken your ideas to heart. It is reeeeaaally difficult to run slow when you are used to max hr all the time. I feel like im only getting slower and slower. But i believe in the way you are describing how zone 2 works and what it does for your body. So i will stick with it. I have a Polar watch and at first i tried just using the standard HR zones they gave me, which turns out to be very different from what you preach. So im trying to find my way through all of this while still enjoying my runs. You are a great help and i appreaciate this new idea with your wifes journey. It seems more "in line" with my own capabilities. I hope she sticks with it and that we get to follow her more in the future. Keep up the amazing content. /super happy subscriber
I agree. Was in the same boat. What helped me BIG TIME was cycling. Pulling my 45lb 4 year old behind me on my mountain bike for 30 minutes a day. Cycling helps you stay in zone 2 I feel as long as you go fairly easy. And some days I go hard as possible (sprints) and it helps strengthen my legs. My 1 mile run time after 1 month of cycling went from 9:10 (having to stop repeatedly) to 7:44 and no stopping. Hoping the time continues to drop.
I just started HR training about six weeks ago, so I'm excited to see how this goes (and if I should do anything differently). I can definitely walk faster than I can run but I'm starting to feel the strength changes in my body. Woohoo!
Exactly. And how can I take his advice seriously. And ffs girl stop starring at that watch! It probably elevates it slightly. Arms have to be relaxed and move.
This I have to show the missus! She wants to start running again, and her HR is through the roof! Now it makes sense. Thanks Taren! (& NTK btw Lime disease sucks!)
Karvonen formula and MAF for me are WILDLY different. For Karvonen my zone two is in the 150s, for MAF is 130s. If I did my easy runs using Karvonen, I'd be overtraining quite quickly. I think MAF is more accurate for me, but frankly, I've been running by HR for a few years now and all these formulas only confuse me. I wish there was a clear-cut answer.
Feel the same. If I calculate my zone by percentage of lactate threshold my zone 2 starts at 150 bpm. If I use the MAF method it ends at 143 bpm. Very frustrating that there is no clear answer.
Amazing video and just what I have been looking for. Question, should you wait until your heart rate drops into low zone 1 before you start running again?
No. Once your heart rate is back in zone 2 you can restart. However, if your heart is racing, you may need to spend a little more time walking before you start running again.
Taren! loving your videos as always. Question : how do you feel about using hrm pro and garmin watch to get max heart rate / zones defined, by using the Lactate threshold method instead of the Max HR% method. I found that the values are very similar to the Karvonen calc method!
MAF HR is not too precise for about 50% of people. I recomend Karvonen formula. It usually puts LT1 a couple of beats higher, so its more accurate and easier for beginners too.
Maybe not dangerous but training by perceived effort is far better because HR can be up or down depending on many variables. If you can comfortably talk aloud then you are at the perfect pace.
For somebody who has not done any exercise for years, then several months of walking is a perfect start to getting fitter. Of course there are varying levels of "walking"
Great video. I needed that. I’m doing an 80/20 program. I’m used to pushing myself. My posts on Strava are something like “HR training. Ouch!! My ego!!!” I have to walk briskly almost all of the time. It’s so hard to keep from running and getting out of Zone 2. Truly, this is what I needed. Full IM in less than 4 months.
Will the effectiveness decrease gradually when I get into higher higher heart rate or will it simply not work? I.e. when my zone 2 cap is at 145 will there still be a positive effect on my aerobic engine and mitochondria when I'm at 150?
Considering your comment is 5 months old and nobody answered your question I'm sure you've got the answer through your own training by now, so what was your experience? I just got a Garmin watch last week and my max HR is 195 which I confirmed by doing high efforts on a treadmill. Garmin had my Z2 set to a max of 137 based on their max HR algorithim which I thought was way too low so I set zone 2 to 62-74% of my max hr which makes the min-max 120-145, same as you for the max. I did my first heart rate based run today which was a recovery 5k and I ran it in 33:06 at an average pace of 10:36 per mile with an average hr of 135. I wasn't running this slow when I was obese and started running for weight loss. My first month of running which was last year in May, I ran 77.11 miles at an average pace of 9:03 and this was me trying my hardest. I would assume every run I was in mid-high Z4 - low Z5 back then. I find it hard to believe that I'm supposed to make significant progress now purposely running slower when I'm significantly more fit.
i think this is when treadmill comes into play. you can set your treadmill aroudn 5-7 km/h for zone 2 (for me) you can try to run on it instead run on the road because it's easier for our body to get into motion running faster that eventually spike your heart rate up but with treadmill it's already set how much faster you can go
Hi Taren thank you for this video was able to complete my first 10k run with keeping my HR in zone 3 on this run . Note I am new to running and only 2 weeks ago was able to run a 5k without walking :)
Maybe her heart rate would go down faster if she put her hand down and not focus so much on it. Having the hand up might stress the heart more, so the watch will beep more often
Thank you so much NTK for such a good and very inspirational video. Even though I came to running with what I thought was a good-ish aerobic base from 2 years of cycling training including loads of Zone 2, following a normal couch to 5K plan seemed almost impossible, especially as an older athlete. Like most people, I started off at too high a pace, then did take on board that I needed to run slower and slower and slower, so finally built from 1 min, 2 min, to 4 min of running much more gradually than the plan said, but still had HR in zone 3, 4, and sometimes 5 plus the 4 min run blocks tweaked my knee and I needed week off. It was so demotivating and I nearly just gave up on running. It was like, “Holy what the... Batman? I’ve cycled 100k a few times and done 1,000m of ascent a few times, but a 2-minute run block is still hard." I’m already convinced of the benefits of Zone 2 training from cycling, so it makes sense for running as well, and even more sense for a beginner runner to reduce the risk of injury, but I don’t really see any beginner of couch to 5k videos talk about HR, or Zone 2, so thanks again. Luckily I’ve got a good estimate of my max HR from cycling and my Zone 2, but if not for that, I wonder how a beginner runner can even calculate their heart rate zones because a max HR run test is impossible for me. 200-age x .7 is not accurate for me. At least MAF (180-age) gives a more realistic number close to my real Zone 2 (just by chance really) and then Karvonen even with 200-age as max HR seems like a more realistic Zone 2, where I can actually run a little bit. Anyway, thanks again and I’ve changed my mindset. I’ll force myself to stay in Zone 2 (for 90% or all of my runs) and my mental challenge to myself now is to focus on good form and breathing and going slow, and see how I can build up my Zone 2 run time. In fact, I think a Zone 2 protocol makes everything simpler and takes the pressure off if you can accept it. Just run until the watch goes bing for the top of Zone 2. Then walk until the HR comes down. Then run again, and repeat. No need to think about pace or run-block time or distance or anything. Just be patient, stay in Zone 2, and it will slowly improve, with much less chance of injury, and if I want a bit of Zone 4, I can do hill intervals on the bike, lols.
I feel you sister, I used run-walk without looking at the HR at least 2 times a week and walk fast the rest of the days. That worked better for my mind
But don’t give up trying to run. The reason you’re faster by walking ist that walking movement is mir economic than your running movement. I started at 10:40/km and I am now two months later around 8:00/km in Zone 2.
It is funny how life/coinsidence/destiny works... I have been bathling cronic lyme for 15years, did a disulfiram treatment during covid lockdown, that got me back to 80% and i decided to start running 2weeks ago with the goal of a sprint triathlon this summer. 10min from my home. i had never heared off it before but facebook asked if i was interested (damn AI ), so to get more info on triathlon i searched on google , and found you and subscribed to your channel less then a month ago. Watching vids every night. This week i did my first running (overstriding and low cadance and high HR lol) and exactly then you post this about NTK... my worst resting HR was 144 a year ago, it is around 65 - 70 now so i know where she comes from. The coinsidence is freaking me out ! Haven't watched the video yet, but first of all, hats off to NTK the lyme warrior. 💚 Second I hope her sportintollerance is gone or even better she gets into remission. It is a very ugly underestimated desease. My hats off to her and for any husband sticking around. 💚 This summer i couldn't walk 300m, after one month of spinning bike i can run 3km intervals. Ps I almost died during the max hr test on the bike rofl !! Especially with lyme.
If she is still positive for lyme, check out disulfiram or dubbel dose dapsone. It is the only 2 things that can put her in remission. Lots of FB groups out there. About 1/3th gets healed and 90%+ get huge benefits. It got me from bed ridden to biking 60minuts and i hope a triathlon soon. It saved my life.
Hi Taren, love your channel! I really appreciate the step by step guide in this video as I'm having the same problem with having to take frequent walks to stay below my MAF HR. Recently I've been reading about "niko niko" pace running which is a slow jogging technique devised by dr Hiroaki Tanaka from Japan. It's basically aiming to increase your cadance to 180 and focusing on being light on your feet (stride length is really short), and no pushing off the ground. I find it easier following his technique to stay under my MAF HR. Although I still have to take walking breaks to stay under (may be because of the heat too). Anyway, if you know about this technique, I wonder what do you think about it? And is it wise to use this technique in all my runs? Can someone realistically become a better runner in the long run by training in niko niko running pace?
Well done Kim .... did make me smile as you dutifully watched your watch with the occasional little run 😊... I’m starting this style of training this week (when the snow stops!) so I’ll be sharing your frustrating .... bravo missus 😊
Great video. I am in same boat, however discovered I can stay easily in zone 2 with 170 cadence on treadmill, vs trying to slow jog outside and 160 cadence hurting and Hr zone 4. Should I build aerobic base on treadmill then do weekly hard run outside?
I did ONLY walking for the first few months of my aerobic adventure. There is LITERALLY NO POINT to adopting a running gait until you are ready (mitochondriacally speaking).
Keep it up Kim - it'll get better. I started Low Heart Rate training a year ago and it took a few months to see improvement. But the running became easier and more comfortable and I was able to train more consistently. A couple tips - Try to get out for run/walks a number of times a week - the beauty of it is that you won't be tired from the previous workout and will see benefits more quickly. Also, listen to podcasts! My fav is of course the Triathlon Taren Podcast. ;)
Imho the MAF formula is complete BS. How can I have the same MAF HR as somebody my age, that has 30 less max HR and 20 less threshold HR? My MAF HR would be 140. Based on lactate threshold calculation the top of my Zone 2 is 162, which I can run at comfortably for 2 hours with slow breathing, so I guess it cant be too far of.
I genuinely don't understand the prejudice against walking. Start with slow walking, progress to medium speeds, eventually get to higher speeds. Try to go from 20 minutes to 30 or 40 minutes. Only then should you start running. Change your mental orientation. Human beings conquered a planet by walking.
Walking after an injury makes my heart rate shoot up after only 15’. Would training on a stationary bike be beneficial on building mitochondria? Supporting my weight makes it easier keeping my HR in the right zone. Thank you so much!
3:50 I recommend adding "Heart rate gauge" instead if your watch has it. It shows a colorful "gauge" where you can see your heart rate zone and where you are within that zone as well.
There's a "quick-and-dirty" method that will get you very close to the proper heart-rate: never breathe through your mouth. If you can complete your exercise while only breathing through your nose, you are probably going slow enough. No purchases necessary unless you don't already have a nose. It's nature's way. lol
It's hard to believe but so true. Working harder doesn't result in better outcome. Getting your heart rate to 180 for 6 minutes twice won't produce a better runner with no base just a potentially injured one.
Really excited for this series! Been struggling to convince myself to stay in my zone 2 and disappointed in my slow pace. Will be awesome to see the progression of the almighty NTK!
Thank you so much for this. I've been a runner for years and tried this method last year and gave up. Back at it this year. I totally feel NTKs frustration. This video was super encouraging and helpful.
Minor niggle, it's not a lack of mitochondria, it's a lack of fat burning mitochondria. With the Standard American Diet, most people have plenty of glucose burning mitochondria. Glucose burning releases more reactive oxygen species, which ties into getting sick/injured. I've struggled with this transition myself, for over two years. Overweight, Type 2 diabetic, obligate glucose burner, it's taken YEARS to get to the point where I can complete a 43 minute 5k in Zone 2.
Just found you videos and subscribed. I am an 80yo that has done some 5ks in the past am petty out of shape with an extra 30lbs of belly. Am pretty healthy but have lumbar stenosis and some hip arthritis. Have a HRM with chest strap that is pretty accurate. So did my MAF and my max is 144 that makes my zone 2 at 101 at that rate it is a walk for me started out only able to do about 20min every other day or get back issues. Have not done anything faster as I think I need to get the zone 2 down better first. Also do stretching and body weight exercises. Would like to do a 5k again but know that is a way off. Any tips for me at my age.??? By the way was able to get a few firsts in my age group a few years back as I guess I outlived my competition!!
I had patellar tendonitis and while doing therapy for that for two years had no benefit, so I have resumed jogging slowly by walking 12k steps a day for four months then I started a run / walk method gradually increasing the slow jogging for another two months. Now I'm slow jogging and training for a 10k, my heart rate does creep up into zone 3 and 4 at times but I slow my running and walk as needed. One day a week I do some HIIT training and aim for reaching max HR in zones four and five heart rate which is getting harder to accomplish every week since my HR is not rising as much. My resting heart rate is 48 to 51 and my slow jogging heart rate is in the 120's where I can get a pace of about 11 to 12 min a mile.
I found the MAF method gave me too high of heart-rate cap. It had me at 160 bpm which is tempo work for me and I could only speak in 4-5 word sentences. I found 65-75% of HR max (if you know it) is where most people will be.
Listen back to his (entertaining) explanation of calculations. There are pluses and minuses for different scenarios. She's recovering from Lyme, so that had a big affect on the number.
An easier way is to create "workout" on the Garmin app. Example: Warm-up: until lap button press Run for 30 minute Target heart rate: Zone 2 or Heart Rate Range: xxx to xxx Cool down: until lap button press
So, I don't get how her heart rate went up so fast if she is used to walking daily with the dogs - shouldn't that already have added to her fitness levels? I have the same issue, because I walk a lot daily (and have for years), but as soon as I start to run, my heart rate goes up fast, so would be interested in knowing why the walking isn't helping
Start off with indoor cycling/treadmill. You can adjust them to keep your efforts at a constant level. Lifting weights will increase your Mitochondria. Lifting weights, a certain way, will build your Mitochondria and Mitochondria Density, quick and MASSIVELY! Also, Pavel's Building Endurance The Right Way video, explains what the heart does at level 2: ruclips.net/video/Ii845pDRC2c/видео.html
Maffetone isn't a calculation, it's a best guess for if you're too lazy to actually figure out your real life zone 3. MAF is zone 3, incidentally, not zone 2.
This is a great system to follow. Not sure i saw much of a warmup. In this case a 5min building to a 15min warmup just walking. Then start your run/walk. Only my opinion
I started running to lower my heart rate for badminton. I play for around 8 years in a club, league, competition, training several times a week. So i am very used to train in high heart rate zones (estimated vo2 Max of 66 at 38age) When I started in Zone 2 I was around 10:40/km at a heart rate around 125-127bpm. that’s a running Index in polar 36. Max heart rate is calculated at 187. Two month later, doing 90 minutes zone 2 „runs“, I run 9:00/km at a lower heart rate 116-118ppm and have a running index of 52 which stated 5k times around 24mins and 10 k around 50. For 2 months steady exercising that is amazing. Resting Herat rate also went down from around 47/48 to 42/43 and also beyond 40 already rarely.
Awesome video! After your ego recovers going slow actually feels better. People usually start avoiding their runs cuz red lining your cardio actually SUCKS!
So I’ve got a question. I have a Garmin Instinct and when I run in my zone 2 my bpm are between 118-137 which is labeled under “easy”. But my “aerobic” zone is my zone 3 on my Garmin and that is 138-157 bpm, which is what Polar describes as my zone 2. I guess my question is when I am aiming to train in zone 2 should I be going for Garmin’s zone 2 or Polar’s zone 2? Sorry if that is confusing.
I'm start running recently and before that I never exercise for more than 10 years, results is when I walk I already in zone 2 and when I start a very slow running (around 6.5 km/h) for 15-20 secs and I already in zone 4, been like this for 3 weeks now I really no clue what to do right now. My BMI is 21 :(
Just watched your running form video before I went on a run just now and it was genuinely THE MOST helpful video to help fix my form. Thank you for making these vids.. they are really changes lives out here 😄🙏🏽
HI, thanks your video. I have a question: My threshold heart rate is 166, zone 2 heart rate is 14 (the power is 105 watts, 80rpm), my FTP is 165 watts, zone 2 is 125 watts (the heart rate is 160-165, 90rpm; 150 ,80rpm) If I do Endurance, should I use watts or heart rate? Can I want my heart rate down?
Keep it up . I started MAF in August 2020 here in florida . The heat made it super tough to follow the rules. At one point , as I was walking to keep my HR low enough I a goose literally PASSED me on foot . Things get better. Much much better
This video really helped me. I've been running 5k for a year with HR up at 180-190 to just get from 7min 6min per km. I went as hard as I could and get 27min for 5k - but at 200HR which was way over max for my age. I'm now realizing that I did it all wrong. I went and did a Zone 2 run - I had to walk half the time and could only do 10min per kilometer. One week into this I can already notice a change where I can now almost jog 30-60 min without HR going up out of zone 2.
I think you should start running based on perceived effort. It needs to be fun to become a habit. Build some fitness, then worry about tweaking fitness with zone work. It worked for me.
Looking forward too seeing the progression. We all struggle to do zone 2 ,i always wonder what people think as i shuffle by them lol .well done ntk
They should think, "My, my, he really knows what he is doing." As mentioned here, even ELITE athletes spend time at very low heart rates. Lots of time. Even walking (of course, they walk faster than we do).
just the first minute of this vid has me extremely excited for the series
Kim I feel your frustration. I am in the same boat - walking and staring at my watch anxiously waiting to run again. I look forward to seeing your progression. If you see a frustrated walker on the streets of Wpg staring at their watch, it will be me doing a zone 2 “run”.
"Run" that's what I tell to myself every single day I gou out for my Z2 workout.😂
This is the video I've been waiting to see since you started talking about zone 2 training. I honestly feel like there's something wrong with me when I try to stay in zone 2 . Thanks for doing this. Keep it up NTK
How is your heart rate now when you run? Any feedback for someone just starting to try this out?
@@december25guyhow is your heart rate? How did zone 2 training go? How long does it take to jog in zone 2?
@@RUclipsAnthony it’s going well. It takes SEVERAL months to get your body used to it. You have to build mileage slowly. It does work, but you have to be very patient with the process.
This video was uplifting because I tried to run 2 miles for the first time in years yesterday and it was more of a run/walk and felt like a total failure
Start with small bite sized chunks so 2min run 2mins walk then build bit by bit. You WILL get there if you don’t rush things. Good luck 👍
Great video, I think a lot of people feel this way if they are new to Zone 2 training.
Is there an update on NTK's progress?!?
I really appreciate the encouragement of walk/run. It's really discouraging getting started when all you can do is walk but fitness builds over time!
We all feel your pain Kim. Z2 is SOOOOOO frustrating to begin with, but it gets better. Well done you 👏
👍😑👍
How long does it take to be able to run in zone 2, oppose to walking?
Is zone 2 the fat burning zone or aerobic zone ?
@@Jonnnyyyy23 Hi Jonny I can’t give you a number but it took ages then all of a sudden I noticed that my HR stayed low during runs.. provided I warmed up before taking off otherwise it always spikes and then settles down
Sorry I can’t be more specific but it DOES get better
Hang on in there👍
@@Dwarfboy666 that's great, thanks for letting me know. I've noticed small improvements after a week, so i'll keep it going
@@Jonnnyyyy23 hey it takes months to see iprovement, not weeks! What I do not know if I should do all my trainings in Z2 (my pace in Z2 is 9min/km) and wait these months or should I combine it with some Z4/Z5 short trainings?
Started running this year in January. Knew about staying in Zone 2, but cheated myself and spent most of my time in Zone 3 (upper Z3 at that). Noticed little to know improvement in my times.
Now I'm focused on Z2 training and already a couple weeks into it I'm noticing improvements! Z2 is the way to go!
Kim I so feel you! I've been training hard for 2 months and finally am able to run 5 km without stopping but my hear rate is 185 the whole time and then my body is trashed for at least 2 days. This video has been really helpful! I hope to see another video about how you're progressing over the weeks! It feels like I'm in the same boat!
How is your heart rate now when you run? Any feedback for someone just starting to try this out?
Good heavens. Wildly over-training. Spend 2-3 months just walking.
I know what you're talking about, for sure. I've run off and on for over 40 years (for months at a time) and that's always been my experience. I always just powered through the discomfort of my runs with sheer will and determination at 180+ BPM. Then I'd PR a time in a 5K or 10K race or treadmill effort. Then I'd get injured, exhausted for days, sick, or all three. That cycle continued for decades. I didn't hear about low HR training until a few months ago but I just don't have the patience to do it. Now I just walk and run sprints, but no jogging at all.
I feel you NTK...my HR goes through the roof very quickly
I was really hoping he'd say "mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell".
🤣 😂 was waiting for this comment!
Ive been running at MAF for quite a few months now, but I'm moving to more of an 80/20 approach, so did my Max test last night to plum into Karvonen Calculator ... it wasn't a nice experience 🤮🏃♂️ i used 90-100second hill repeats :)
You will see far better results following the 80/20 plan than any of the plans using MAF. MAF is literally just 80% of the more effective 80/20 philosophy. The only reason it's hung on at all is because 80% of 80/20 is far more effective and less injury inducing than the 60-70% of 80/20 that amateurs do when they naturally split their training 40/60 to 50/50.
@@chadwaddington4488 Yep agreed. Buf for me after C19 - I was left with chest problems that lasted for months, so MAF was my only option to get back out there :)
Man im going through exactly this. Im a pretty small guy, been running pretty much the last two years but always been EXHAUSTED by the runs, always at my 90% hr, doing my 5k i the 23 minute marker. Ive started doing longer runs and went for some marathon last year, went slow but steady. Now im trying to get faster on the long run and have really taken your ideas to heart.
It is reeeeaaally difficult to run slow when you are used to max hr all the time. I feel like im only getting slower and slower. But i believe in the way you are describing how zone 2 works and what it does for your body. So i will stick with it.
I have a Polar watch and at first i tried just using the standard HR zones they gave me, which turns out to be very different from what you preach. So im trying to find my way through all of this while still enjoying my runs.
You are a great help and i appreaciate this new idea with your wifes journey. It seems more "in line" with my own capabilities. I hope she sticks with it and that we get to follow her more in the future. Keep up the amazing content.
/super happy subscriber
I agree. Was in the same boat. What helped me BIG TIME was cycling. Pulling my 45lb 4 year old behind me on my mountain bike for 30 minutes a day. Cycling helps you stay in zone 2 I feel as long as you go fairly easy. And some days I go hard as possible (sprints) and it helps strengthen my legs. My 1 mile run time after 1 month of cycling went from 9:10 (having to stop repeatedly) to 7:44 and no stopping. Hoping the time continues to drop.
That was set way to low. C'mon Tarren...
I agree. She's not 58 yo 😂
Even subtracting those 10 or 15 would mean she's 43 or so. I doubt that
@@Allride_ Lime disease, folks. That's a bitch to kick.
I just started HR training about six weeks ago, so I'm excited to see how this goes (and if I should do anything differently). I can definitely walk faster than I can run but I'm starting to feel the strength changes in my body. Woohoo!
How is your heart rate now when you run? Any feedback for someone just starting to try this out?
Hello. How did you HR training go?thank you for your response.
"You dont have any mitocondria" lmao, you would be dead if you didnt have any mitocondria xD
😂😂😂🤣🤣
Exactly. And how can I take his advice seriously. And ffs girl stop starring at that watch! It probably elevates it slightly. Arms have to be relaxed and move.
This I have to show the missus! She wants to start running again, and her HR is through the roof! Now it makes sense. Thanks Taren! (& NTK btw Lime disease sucks!)
1st clear (detailed) explanation I've been watching on English speaking You Tube. Thanks a lot.
Karvonen formula and MAF for me are WILDLY different. For Karvonen my zone two is in the 150s, for MAF is 130s. If I did my easy runs using Karvonen, I'd be overtraining quite quickly. I think MAF is more accurate for me, but frankly, I've been running by HR for a few years now and all these formulas only confuse me. I wish there was a clear-cut answer.
Yes me to
Feel the same. If I calculate my zone by percentage of lactate threshold my zone 2 starts at 150 bpm. If I use the MAF method it ends at 143 bpm. Very frustrating that there is no clear answer.
Amazing video and just what I have been looking for. Question, should you wait until your heart rate drops into low zone 1 before you start running again?
No. Once your heart rate is back in zone 2 you can restart. However, if your heart is racing, you may need to spend a little more time walking before you start running again.
Great video showing that run/walk is acceptable and also the benefits of Zone 2 running
Watching with my wife here in Brazil, thanks for the great content
Taren! loving your videos as always.
Question : how do you feel about using hrm pro and garmin watch to get max heart rate / zones defined, by using the Lactate threshold method instead of the Max HR% method. I found that the values are very similar to the Karvonen calc method!
MAF HR is not too precise for about 50% of people. I recomend Karvonen formula. It usually puts LT1 a couple of beats higher, so its more accurate and easier for beginners too.
2020 and some people are still talking about HR formulas? It doesn't work for every individual, just stop this, I'd argue it's even dangerous
Maybe not dangerous but training by perceived effort is far better because HR can be up or down depending on many variables. If you can comfortably talk aloud then you are at the perfect pace.
For somebody who has not done any exercise for years, then several months of walking is a perfect start to getting fitter. Of course there are varying levels of "walking"
Great video. I needed that. I’m doing an 80/20 program. I’m used to pushing myself. My posts on Strava are something like “HR training. Ouch!! My ego!!!” I have to walk briskly almost all of the time. It’s so hard to keep from running and getting out of Zone 2. Truly, this is what I needed. Full IM in less than 4 months.
Will the effectiveness decrease gradually when I get into higher higher heart rate or will it simply not work? I.e. when my zone 2 cap is at 145 will there still be a positive effect on my aerobic engine and mitochondria when I'm at 150?
Considering your comment is 5 months old and nobody answered your question I'm sure you've got the answer through your own training by now, so what was your experience?
I just got a Garmin watch last week and my max HR is 195 which I confirmed by doing high efforts on a treadmill. Garmin had my Z2 set to a max of 137 based on their max HR algorithim which I thought was way too low so I set zone 2 to 62-74% of my max hr which makes the min-max 120-145, same as you for the max.
I did my first heart rate based run today which was a recovery 5k and I ran it in 33:06 at an average pace of 10:36 per mile with an average hr of 135.
I wasn't running this slow when I was obese and started running for weight loss. My first month of running which was last year in May, I ran 77.11 miles at an average pace of 9:03 and this was me trying my hardest. I would assume every run I was in mid-high Z4 - low Z5 back then.
I find it hard to believe that I'm supposed to make significant progress now purposely running slower when I'm significantly more fit.
i think this is when treadmill comes into play. you can set your treadmill aroudn 5-7 km/h for zone 2 (for me) you can try to run on it instead run on the road because it's easier for our body to get into motion running faster that eventually spike your heart rate up but with treadmill it's already set how much faster you can go
Thanks so much for this! I did C25K in September but my HR is through the roof too. Really frustrating to go back to walking.
Hi Taren thank you for this video was able to complete my first 10k run with keeping my HR in zone 3 on this run . Note I am new to running and only 2 weeks ago was able to run a 5k without walking :)
Maybe her heart rate would go down faster if she put her hand down and not focus so much on it. Having the hand up might stress the heart more, so the watch will beep more often
I'm so excited to see her do this! Go Kim! I absolutely feel her on the data, I love it too!
Thank you so much NTK for such a good and very inspirational video. Even though I came to running with what I thought was a good-ish aerobic base from 2 years of cycling training including loads of Zone 2, following a normal couch to 5K plan seemed almost impossible, especially as an older athlete.
Like most people, I started off at too high a pace, then did take on board that I needed to run slower and slower and slower, so finally built from 1 min, 2 min, to 4 min of running much more gradually than the plan said, but still had HR in zone 3, 4, and sometimes 5 plus the 4 min run blocks tweaked my knee and I needed week off. It was so demotivating and I nearly just gave up on running. It was like, “Holy what the... Batman? I’ve cycled 100k a few times and done 1,000m of ascent a few times, but a 2-minute run block is still hard."
I’m already convinced of the benefits of Zone 2 training from cycling, so it makes sense for running as well, and even more sense for a beginner runner to reduce the risk of injury, but I don’t really see any beginner of couch to 5k videos talk about HR, or Zone 2, so thanks again.
Luckily I’ve got a good estimate of my max HR from cycling and my Zone 2, but if not for that, I wonder how a beginner runner can even calculate their heart rate zones because a max HR run test is impossible for me. 200-age x .7 is not accurate for me. At least MAF (180-age) gives a more realistic number close to my real Zone 2 (just by chance really) and then Karvonen even with 200-age as max HR seems like a more realistic Zone 2, where I can actually run a little bit.
Anyway, thanks again and I’ve changed my mindset. I’ll force myself to stay in Zone 2 (for 90% or all of my runs) and my mental challenge to myself now is to focus on good form and breathing and going slow, and see how I can build up my Zone 2 run time. In fact, I think a Zone 2 protocol makes everything simpler and takes the pressure off if you can accept it. Just run until the watch goes bing for the top of Zone 2. Then walk until the HR comes down. Then run again, and repeat. No need to think about pace or run-block time or distance or anything. Just be patient, stay in Zone 2, and it will slowly improve, with much less chance of injury, and if I want a bit of Zone 4, I can do hill intervals on the bike, lols.
I feel you sister, I used run-walk without looking at the HR at least 2 times a week and walk fast the rest of the days. That worked better for my mind
But don’t give up trying to run. The reason you’re faster by walking ist that walking movement is mir economic than your running movement.
I started at 10:40/km and I am now two months later around 8:00/km in Zone 2.
So for me MAF Heart rate is exactly the top of Zone 2. MAF Training is what I chose to do recently and by now it's going fine
It is funny how life/coinsidence/destiny works...
I have been bathling cronic lyme for 15years, did a disulfiram treatment during covid lockdown, that got me back to 80% and i decided to start running 2weeks ago with the goal of a sprint triathlon this summer. 10min from my home. i had never heared off it before but facebook asked if i was interested (damn AI ), so to get more info on triathlon i searched on google , and found you and subscribed to your channel less then a month ago. Watching vids every night. This week i did my first running (overstriding and low cadance and high HR lol) and exactly then you post this about NTK... my worst resting HR was 144 a year ago, it is around 65 - 70 now so i know where she comes from.
The coinsidence is freaking me out !
Haven't watched the video yet, but first of all, hats off to NTK the lyme warrior. 💚
Second I hope her sportintollerance is gone or even better she gets into remission. It is a very ugly underestimated desease. My hats off to her and for any husband sticking around. 💚
This summer i couldn't walk 300m, after one month of spinning bike i can run 3km intervals.
Ps I almost died during the max hr test on the bike rofl !! Especially with lyme.
If she is still positive for lyme, check out disulfiram or dubbel dose dapsone. It is the only 2 things that can put her in remission. Lots of FB groups out there. About 1/3th gets healed and 90%+ get huge benefits. It got me from bed ridden to biking 60minuts and i hope a triathlon soon. It saved my life.
How’s the progress coming along?
Just starting my hr z2 training about a week ago, hopefully it goes well since i have dualthlon event in 3month😅, love all your videos
Is there an update on how the zone 2 training went after three months?
Hi Taren, love your channel! I really appreciate the step by step guide in this video as I'm having the same problem with having to take frequent walks to stay below my MAF HR. Recently I've been reading about "niko niko" pace running which is a slow jogging technique devised by dr Hiroaki Tanaka from Japan. It's basically aiming to increase your cadance to 180 and focusing on being light on your feet (stride length is really short), and no pushing off the ground. I find it easier following his technique to stay under my MAF HR. Although I still have to take walking breaks to stay under (may be because of the heat too).
Anyway, if you know about this technique, I wonder what do you think about it? And is it wise to use this technique in all my runs? Can someone realistically become a better runner in the long run by training in niko niko running pace?
Well done Kim .... did make me smile as you dutifully watched your watch with the occasional little run 😊... I’m starting this style of training this week (when the snow stops!) so I’ll be sharing your frustrating .... bravo missus 😊
What was the “ through the roof hr “?
This was great to see because EVERY video, starts with someone RUNNING for10 mins before heartrate goes up, mine SHOOTS up as im new
I was really hoping he'd say "mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell".
Great video. I am in same boat, however discovered I can stay easily in zone 2 with 170 cadence on treadmill, vs trying to slow jog outside and 160 cadence hurting and Hr zone 4. Should I build aerobic base on treadmill then do weekly hard run outside?
Had the pleasure of going to Challenge Daytona yesterday and it was insane watching those athletes perform. Your jacket made me think of it
I did ONLY walking for the first few months of my aerobic adventure. There is LITERALLY NO POINT to adopting a running gait until you are ready (mitochondriacally speaking).
Keep it up Kim - it'll get better. I started Low Heart Rate training a year ago and it took a few months to see improvement. But the running became easier and more comfortable and I was able to train more consistently. A couple tips - Try to get out for run/walks a number of times a week - the beauty of it is that you won't be tired from the previous workout and will see benefits more quickly. Also, listen to podcasts! My fav is of course the Triathlon Taren Podcast. ;)
Imho the MAF formula is complete BS. How can I have the same MAF HR as somebody my age, that has 30 less max HR and 20 less threshold HR?
My MAF HR would be 140. Based on lactate threshold calculation the top of my Zone 2 is 162, which I can run at comfortably for 2 hours with slow breathing, so I guess it cant be too far of.
I genuinely don't understand the prejudice against walking. Start with slow walking, progress to medium speeds, eventually get to higher speeds. Try to go from 20 minutes to 30 or 40 minutes. Only then should you start running. Change your mental orientation. Human beings conquered a planet by walking.
Walking after an injury makes my heart rate shoot up after only 15’. Would training on a stationary bike be beneficial on building mitochondria? Supporting my weight makes it easier keeping my HR in the right zone.
Thank you so much!
I think Kim's HR was getting high because of the Camera and you. :P
3:50 I recommend adding "Heart rate gauge" instead if your watch has it. It shows a colorful "gauge" where you can see your heart rate zone and where you are within that zone as well.
There's a "quick-and-dirty" method that will get you very close to the proper heart-rate: never breathe through your mouth. If you can complete your exercise while only breathing through your nose, you are probably going slow enough. No purchases necessary unless you don't already have a nose. It's nature's way. lol
So many amateur experts and medical professionals in the comments section.
Great video, thank you
It's hard to believe but so true. Working harder doesn't result in better outcome. Getting your heart rate to 180 for 6 minutes twice won't produce a better runner with no base just a potentially injured one.
Wearing that kind of jacket when it looks to not be below freezing will skyrocket your HR.
These methods are so wildly inaccurate that they are useless. Unless you know your actual max heart rate, all of your zones mean nothing.
What I’m getting is i need someone who runs and has a lot of mitochondria’s blood. This way I can skip this and go right into a marathon
The most painful thing in the world to me about it all is my ass so sore from the bicycle... 2 hrs riding il be sore for 2 days...
Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell!
Can i ask what her lime symptom was bc i I think i got it from the military but ive heard its really hard to detect??
I have an Apple Watch 7. Can I use the heart rate on that so I don't have to buy new equipment?
THis is the way life should be, the man has it easy the woman works.
How to start running above 30?
Go go Kim!!!!
Really excited for this series! Been struggling to convince myself to stay in my zone 2 and disappointed in my slow pace. Will be awesome to see the progression of the almighty NTK!
Superb video. My MAF calculation (134 bpm) puts me in zone 3 on most heart rate zone calculator scales though.....
Thank you so much for this. I've been a runner for years and tried this method last year and gave up. Back at it this year. I totally feel NTKs frustration. This video was super encouraging and helpful.
Hey! Great video. FYI your link to the training gear doesn't seem to work (error 404).
Cheers!
Minor niggle, it's not a lack of mitochondria, it's a lack of fat burning mitochondria. With the Standard American Diet, most people have plenty of glucose burning mitochondria. Glucose burning releases more reactive oxygen species, which ties into getting sick/injured. I've struggled with this transition myself, for over two years. Overweight, Type 2 diabetic, obligate glucose burner, it's taken YEARS to get to the point where I can complete a 43 minute 5k in Zone 2.
Just found you videos and subscribed. I am an 80yo that has done some 5ks in the past am petty out of shape with an extra 30lbs of belly. Am pretty healthy but have lumbar stenosis and some hip arthritis. Have a HRM with chest strap that is pretty accurate. So did my MAF and my max is 144 that makes my zone 2 at 101 at that rate it is a walk for me started out only able to do about 20min every other day or get back issues. Have not done anything faster as I think I need to get the zone 2 down better first. Also do stretching and body weight exercises. Would like to do a 5k again but know that is a way off. Any tips for me at my age.??? By the way was able to get a few firsts in my age group a few years back as I guess I outlived my competition!!
I had patellar tendonitis and while doing therapy for that for two years had no benefit, so I have resumed jogging slowly by walking 12k steps a day for four months then I started a run / walk method gradually increasing the slow jogging for another two months. Now I'm slow jogging and training for a 10k, my heart rate does creep up into zone 3 and 4 at times but I slow my running and walk as needed. One day a week I do some HIIT training and aim for reaching max HR in zones four and five heart rate which is getting harder to accomplish every week since my HR is not rising as much. My resting heart rate is 48 to 51 and my slow jogging heart rate is in the 120's where I can get a pace of about 11 to 12 min a mile.
I found the MAF method gave me too high of heart-rate cap. It had me at 160 bpm which is tempo work for me and I could only speak in 4-5 word sentences. I found 65-75% of HR max (if you know it) is where most people will be.
Will just sprinting hard for two minutes at the end of a run give one the max heart rate?
Never heard of this Z2 before lol subbed ..I'm just starting this new concept!
I honestly thought that NTK stood for No Triathlon Karen.... I suppose it could be that it rhymes.... lol
I have two zones....low and and "please kill me...my lung is about to explode"....lol
If zone 2 is 180 minus age, why are you capping her at 122? is she 58?
Listen back to his (entertaining) explanation of calculations. There are pluses and minuses for different scenarios. She's recovering from Lyme, so that had a big affect on the number.
An easier way is to create "workout" on the Garmin app. Example:
Warm-up: until lap button press
Run for 30 minute
Target heart rate: Zone 2 or Heart Rate Range: xxx to xxx
Cool down: until lap button press
So, I don't get how her heart rate went up so fast if she is used to walking daily with the dogs - shouldn't that already have added to her fitness levels? I have the same issue, because I walk a lot daily (and have for years), but as soon as I start to run, my heart rate goes up fast, so would be interested in knowing why the walking isn't helping
This is exactly what I've been searching for! Thank you!
Start off with indoor cycling/treadmill. You can adjust them to keep your efforts at a constant level.
Lifting weights will increase your Mitochondria. Lifting weights, a certain way, will build your Mitochondria and Mitochondria Density, quick and MASSIVELY!
Also, Pavel's Building Endurance The Right Way video, explains what the heart does at level 2:
ruclips.net/video/Ii845pDRC2c/видео.html
Maffetone isn't a calculation, it's a best guess for if you're too lazy to actually figure out your real life zone 3. MAF is zone 3, incidentally, not zone 2.
This is a great system to follow. Not sure i saw much of a warmup. In this case a 5min building to a 15min warmup just walking. Then start your run/walk. Only my opinion
I started running to lower my heart rate for badminton. I play for around 8 years in a club, league, competition, training several times a week.
So i am very used to train in high heart rate zones (estimated vo2 Max of 66 at 38age)
When I started in Zone 2 I was around 10:40/km at a heart rate around 125-127bpm. that’s a running Index in polar 36. Max heart rate is calculated at 187.
Two month later, doing 90 minutes zone 2 „runs“, I run 9:00/km at a lower heart rate 116-118ppm and have a running index of 52 which stated 5k times around 24mins and 10 k around 50.
For 2 months steady exercising that is amazing.
Resting Herat rate also went down from around 47/48 to 42/43 and also beyond 40 already rarely.
Awesome video! After your ego recovers going slow actually feels better. People usually start avoiding their runs cuz red lining your cardio actually SUCKS!
So I’ve got a question. I have a Garmin Instinct and when I run in my zone 2 my bpm are between 118-137 which is labeled under “easy”. But my “aerobic” zone is my zone 3 on my Garmin and that is 138-157 bpm, which is what Polar describes as my zone 2. I guess my question is when I am aiming to train in zone 2 should I be going for Garmin’s zone 2 or Polar’s zone 2? Sorry if that is confusing.
Thank you SO MUCH for this video-- this is exactly what I was looking for now that I am doing MAF training.
I'm start running recently and before that I never exercise for more than 10 years, results is when I walk I already in zone 2 and when I start a very slow running (around 6.5 km/h) for 15-20 secs and I already in zone 4, been like this for 3 weeks now I really no clue what to do right now. My BMI is 21 :(
Just watched your running form video before I went on a run just now and it was genuinely THE MOST helpful video to help fix my form. Thank you for making these vids.. they are really changes lives out here 😄🙏🏽
Hi, thanks for sharing this video..
I am a beginner runner and this helped me find the right direction on how to train.
HI, thanks your video. I have a question: My threshold heart rate is 166, zone 2 heart rate is 14 (the power is 105 watts, 80rpm), my FTP is 165 watts, zone 2 is 125 watts (the heart rate is 160-165, 90rpm; 150 ,80rpm) If I do Endurance, should I use watts or heart rate? Can I want my heart rate down?
I like using my eBike for zone 2 because i live in a hilly area and hate training indoors on machines. Has anybody tried that?