Your heart is not just a muscle; it’s the rhythm of your life. Take care of it, and it will carry you farther than any objective, task, project and even finish line.
Research & experimentation
One of the most significant concepts anyone can learn, experience and master is research. Research is the systematic process of interpreting, analyzing and drawing conclusions from empirical or theoretical information to answer questions, solve problems or increase understanding of a topic. From my experiences, research is not just about understanding information to interpret, but also about assessing information to apply to various disciplines and components of knowledge for more refined, extensive and comprehensive use.
Research is also not something that should be limited to scholarly use, but rather applied to everyday life by everyone, regardless of the degree of information or its application. In addition, experimentation is research in its purest form, but scholarly research is the formal approach. To explain the difference between the two, experimentation involves learning through repeated practice, while formal research consists of learning through the analysis of source material. Both are great, but when combined, there is a magical essence to their intersection.
One aspect where these two lenses can be deciphered and made apparent is through physical exercise. As a former athlete, I believe many people who are beginners in terms of working out or starting a workout routine often begin without conducting relevant in-depth research on how the body works. This makes it much harder to create a workout plan, establish a routine, set realistic goals and even know what to look for as you begin your health and wellness journey.
Why self-assessment is critical
Most people who start their workout journey start with either weight loss or the intent to gain muscle. Most of the time, people want instant results or set unrealistic goals. Not because they can’t achieve them, but because they misinterpret the many factors involved with physical health, including the residual cardiovascular risk associated with exercise and cardiovascular protection.
Genetics: Inherited traits affect how your body responds to exercise and diet
Nutrition: Know the quality, balance and timing of your food intake.
Age: Time affects metabolism, muscle mass and recovery ability.
Sleep: Rest is critical for recovery, hormone regulation, and overall health.
Medical conditions: Asthma, diabetes, thyroid disorders or cardiovascular issues that impact fitness.
Mental health: Motivation, stress and mindset influence physical performance.
All the above should be assessed by oneself because nobody knows your body better than you. Evaluating your own body, Heart Rate Variability and learning how and what it signals is essential. Despite doctors, trainers and medical professionals having experience and expertise in the human body, they cannot feel exactly what you feel during physical activities or understand your limitations or strengths as you do.
Although professional medical expertise and guidance can serve as a foundation, self-awareness is often more effective for each individual. Especially when you feel something that does not feel right or seems right to your body during physical activities, such as when you are exerting your body, feel stiff, respond unusually to a particular movement or even when you can push your body even more.
Failing to self-evaluate your body and base health status regarding exercise can lead to consequences such as training at the wrong intensities, being prone to injury, overtraining, and, in some cases, burnout. Additionally, it is essential to consider physical and mental conditions that may affect your physical capabilities. By applying self-assessment with evidence-based insights into your physical health, you can create effective exercise routines, engage in safe exercises and develop consistent habits that will enhance your overall health and well-being over time.
The heart and exercise
The human heart is one of the most prominent organs in the human body and is equal to the brain. You can’t live without either organ, which alone illustrates the importance of the heart and brain (mental) health. The heart pumps blood throughout the body. Without the heart pumping blood, your cells don’t receive nutrients or oxygen and waste cannot be removed from the body. All organs in the human body depend on circulation to function efficiently.
For physical exercise, especially for beginners, it is essential to understand how the heart responds to different heart rate levels, taking into account one’s physical capabilities. The most practical approach is understanding the five heart rate zones. By understanding each zone of the heart, you can more effectively guide your workout intensity to your fitness goals and levels.
“Heart rate zones allow exercisers to personalize their training, improve cardiovascular health, and achieve specific fitness goals without guesswork.”
— Cleveland Clinic Heart & Vascular Institute
Heart rate zones
Zone 1 (minimal exertion): Your heart rate is ideal for warming up before your workout, cooling down after a workout or during a recovery workout (light training after intense sessions). Primarily in zone 1, your body is burning fat and your breathing is easy and calm.
Zone 2: Moderate intensity zone that improves your body’s ability to use oxygen more effectively and enhances your cardiovascular endurance over time, which helps with longer physical exercise sessions such as running, swimming or cycling.
Zone 3: 70-80% of maximum heart rate. In the threshold zone, exercise becomes more challenging. Breathing is much heavier, and the intensity of the workout is reaching the lactate threshold (where your muscles start to get a burning sensation). Lactic acid builds up quicker than the body can release it. Threshold training enhances the body’s ability to buffer and develop greater tolerance to lactic acid, thereby improving cardiovascular endurance, delaying fatigue and increasing physical performance at higher intensities.
Zone 4: 80-90% of maximum heart rate. Exercise in this zone increases your VO2 max, which simply means the amount of oxygen your body can use during high-intensity workouts. Zone 4 increases the entire body’s overall tolerance to intensity, muscle endurance, strength and mental endurance.
Zone 5: Zone 5 is where the maximum heart rate (90-100%) is at its peak of anaerobic output. Exercise in this zone relies solely on anaerobic pathways (without oxygen) to produce power and strength. Zone 5 is where neuromuscular coordination and explosive strength are developed, building more capacity to maintain peak performance.
Heart rate zones explained
Understanding heart rate zones and how your heart works, and effectively training in the right heart rate zones, is more than just about reaching a fitness zone. It’s about respecting your body and its unique physical specifications and abilities, giving yourself the best chance to thrive and effectively create a healthier body, a greater sense of well-being and achieve your fitness goals. By approaching your body and physical health with mindfulness, curiosity and introspection, you become more confident, assertive and purpose-driven in enhancing your health. Prioritizing and maintaining it is not just a temporary objective but an investment in the rhythm and flow of your life. Take advantage of the opportunity to explore and experiment with how your body responds to heart rate zones through progressive physical routines and exercises.
First, calculate your maximum heart rate and understand how each heart rate zone affects your body’s performance in the endurance, fat-burning and peak performance zones. Best practices include using fitness trackers, such as smartwatches with optical heart rate sensors, Apple watches, Fitbits and my personal favorite, Garmin. Additionally, reading and watching video guides on heart rate zones or consulting with a medical professional to receive an in-depth analysis of what is best for you specifically. The more you understand your physical capabilities, the more empowering it is to align a health journey for longevity.
Regardless of whether you’re starting your fitness journey or refining years of training, remember that knowledge, research and application are powerful concepts and tools you can utilize on your fitness journey.
Research, listen to your body and honor the rhythm of your heart; it will carry you farther than any finish line.
Featured image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay
Edited by James Sutton
