Did you know that your heart can do a lot more during exercise than just keep you alive? Your heartbeat is basically the “hidden hero” of your workout!
Your training pulse tells you whether you are training at the perfect intensity or just lounging around in the comfort zone.
Sounds exciting? It is!
Because if you learn to use your pulse correctly, you can achieve your training goals much more efficiently – whether it's burning fat, improving endurance or increasing performance.
What is the training pulse?
Your training pulse is the number of heartbeats per minute that you have during your workout.
Sounds trivial? Not really. Your pulse gives you valuable information about how hard your body is working.
Why is this important? It's simple: your heart rate can show you whether you are training at the right intensity to achieve your goals, whether it's burning fat, increasing endurance or maximizing strength.
Keeping an eye on your training heart rate can help ensure that you're not training too hard or too easy. This is something you should definitely take seriously if you want to make progress.
What role does the training pulse play in different types of sports?
Depending on the type of sport you do, your training heart rate plays a different role.
When strength training, your training heart rate is not as crucial as it is for endurance sports, but it can still provide useful information. During a heavy set, your heart rate will rise and then drop again during the breaks.
Your goal when weight training is not to maintain a high heart rate, but to give your muscles optimal recovery time before you put them under strain again.
Short breaks for muscle growth: If you want to build muscle, shorter breaks (30-60 seconds) are useful for keeping your heart rate higher and your muscles under tension.
Longer breaks for maximum strength: For maximum strength training, longer breaks (2-3 minutes) are important to give your heart and muscles enough time to recover, so you have maximum power for the next set.
Endurance training (running, cycling, swimming)
In this case, your training heart rate is a game changer. During endurance training, your heart rate helps you maintain the right intensity and optimize your training. You can switch between different heart rate zones to achieve different training effects:
Zone 2 for basic endurance: When running or cycling slowly and evenly, you should be in zone 2 (60-70% of your maximum heart rate). This improves your aerobic capacity and ensures optimal fat burning.
Cardio zone for speed work: If you want to improve your cardiovascular fitness, train in the cardio zone (70-85% of your maximum heart rate). This is ideal for speed work, interval training or fast bike sessions.
Sprints and high intensity: For sprints or very intensive phases, you can head for the performance zone (85-100% of the maximum heart rate). But be careful: this zone is exhausting and you shouldn't stay in it for too long.
During HIIT training, your heart rate is extremely important. The goal of HIIT is to get your heart rate up to the upper performance zone (85-100% of your maximum heart rate) during the exercise intervals and then let it drop again during the short breaks.
The constant alternation between high and low heart rates is what makes HIIT so effective.
Maximum effort: During the intense phases, your heart rate should skyrocket and you should really give it your all.
Recovery: During the breaks, your heart rate will drop, but it will remain higher than at rest, which improves your fat burning and fitness.
CrossFit is known for its intense mix of strength training, endurance exercises and functional movements.
Many CrossFit workouts are designed to keep your heart rate high throughout to improve your strength and endurance performance at the same time.
WODs (Workouts of the Day): CrossFit WODs are often structured so that your heart rate stays high from start to finish, especially in workouts with many repetitions and short breaks.
Strength and technique exercises: When it comes to pure strength training in CrossFit, your heart rate is less important, but as soon as strength and cardio come into play, your heart rate gives you a good indication of the intensity.
HYROX combines strength and endurance exercises over a fixed distance. Here, the training pulse is crucial to finding the right balance between exertion and recovery.
Steady heart rate: In a HYROX event, you want to keep your heart rate in a high but manageable zone to get you through the entire event. The focus is on not getting your heart rate too high, especially in the first few disciplines.
Strain and recovery: Your heart rate will rise during the intense disciplines, so it is important to stabilize it again during the transition phases.
How do I calculate my ideal training pulse?
It's not rocket science! The classic formula is the following rule of thumb:
220 minus your age = your estimated maximum heart rate
Example: If you are 30 years old, your maximum heart rate is around 190 beats per minute (220 - 30 = 190).
But what do you do with this figure? It's quite simple: your maximum heart rate helps you to determine your heart rate zones – and these are the key to an effective workout.
What pulse zones are there and how do I determine them?
To get the most out of your training, it's really helpful to know the different heart rate zones. Your heart doesn't always work the same and each zone has a different effect on your body.
Here is an overview of the most important heart rate zones and how you can use them for your training:
Regeneration zone
50-60% of your maximum heart rate
Example: 190 x 0.5 = 95 beats/minute (lower end)
Example: 190 x 0.6 = 114 beats/minute (upper end)
This zone is, as the name suggests, perfect for recovery. Your heart beats at a comfortable pace here and your body can regenerate while you stay active.
Ideal for relaxed walks, easy cycling or regenerative training after an intensive session.
Effect: Promotes recovery, improves overall health and circulation.
When to use it: On active recovery days or as a warm-up and cool-down phase.
Zone 2 – Fat-burning zone
60-70% of your maximum heart rate
Example: 190 x 0.6 = 114 beats/minute (lower end)
Example: 190 x 0.7 = 133 beats/minute (upper end)
This zone is the holy grail when it comes to losing weight and improving your basic endurance. Your body prefers to draw on fat reserves as an energy source here. The workout feels moderate – you can hold a conversation, but you're still active.
Perfect for longer walking sessions, light jogging, or a relaxed session on the elliptical trainer.
Effect: Maximum fat consumption, improves basic endurance.
When to use it: If your goal is fat burning or improving your endurance.
Cardio zone
70-85% of your maximum heart rate
Example: 190 x 0.7 = 133 beats/minute (lower end)
Example: 190 x 0.85 = 162 beats/minute (upper end)
This zone is where it gets hard: Your heart beats faster and you notice that you are working harder. This is where you train your cardiovascular endurance and burn a lot of calories.
This is the zone for classic cardio workouts, longer runs or more intense cycling. Even talking gets harder here!
Effect: Increases endurance and fitness, improves heart health.
When to use? For endurance running, swimming, intensive cardio training.
Performance zone
85-100% of your maximum heart rate
Example: 190 x 0.85 = 162 beats/minute (lower end)
Example: 190 x 1.0 = 190 beats/minute (upper end)
This is where you push yourself to the limit! Your heart is working flat out and you are in the high-intensity zone.
This zone is for short, super-intensive efforts, such as sprinting or high-intensity interval training (HIIT). You can only stay here for a short time, but it's perfect for pushing your maximum performance.
Effect: Increases maximum power and strength, improves anaerobic endurance.
When to use? For sprints, HIIT sessions or maximum strength training.
How do I measure my training pulse correctly?
Measuring your training pulse is easier than you think – and there are various methods that can help you.
Manual pulse measurement
The simplest method, which you can use anywhere and without any equipment: place two fingers (not the thumb, because it has a pulse of its own) on your carotid artery or your wrist. Count your heartbeats for 15 seconds and multiply the number by four to calculate your beats per minute.
Advantage: You don't need any equipment and it's quick.
Disadvantage: It's difficult to measure your heart rate accurately by hand during an intense workout.
Manual measurements are more suitable for a quick check before or after a workout, but this method is rather impractical during a workout.
Fitness trackers & Smartwatches
For most people, fitness trackers and smartwatches are the most convenient option for measuring your heart rate during exercise.
These devices use optical sensors that measure blood flow under the skin and display your heart rate in real time. They are ideal for tracking your training progress and ensuring that you stay in your target heart rate zone.
Advantage: Comfortable and provide continuous data. Perfect for keeping track of your training intensity.
Disadvantage: During very intense movements, the readings can sometimes be inaccurate.
To get accurate data, make sure that the watch is close enough to the wrist – preferably just above the wrist bone.
Chest strap
If you value maximum precision, a chest strap is the best choice.
The strap measures the electrical signals of your heart, similar to an EKG, and sends the data to a watch or fitness app. This method is unbeatable, especially during intense workouts or competitions.
Advantage: Very accurate measurement, ideal for professional athletes or high-intensity workouts.
Disadvantage: The belt can be uncomfortable during long training sessions.
Chest straps are particularly useful for endurance and interval training, where precise heart rate control is essential.
Which method is right for me?
If you are a recreational or amateur athlete, a fitness tracker or smartwatch is all you need to keep an eye on your training pulse.
However, if you want to take your training to the next level or take part in competitions, it's worth investing in a chest strap.
The right training pulse for better results
Your heart knows exactly what your body needs – you just have to learn to listen.
With the right training pulse, you can optimize your workouts and achieve your goals much more efficiently.
Whether fat burning, endurance or maximum strength: your pulse is your best training partner!
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