So you might be tempted to interpret this data in terms of thebenefits of zone 2 training.
(Polar was the maker of those early heart rate monitors.)
Your heart rate is a good gauge of the work you’re doing.
But that relationship with heart rate doesnt hold for other types of exercise.
Your heart rate during a yoga session doesnt tell you how deep into a stretch you are getting.
Your heart rate during a strength training session doesnt tell you whether you are lifting light or heavy.
Thats whyyour heart rate during a strength training session does not matter.
These benefits come from the fact thatour entire bodyis doing exercise.
Our muscles are contracting repeatedly, requiring our mitochondria to work harder to power them.
That big picture is what zone 2 training is all about.
Nor is watching a scary movie the same thing as doing a HIIT workout.
And, sorry to sauna enjoyers, buta sauna is not a replacement for exercise.
What zone should strength training be in?
Zones dont matter for strength training.
Sometimes this property is called bar speed, as in, how fast the barbell is moving.
OK, but what zones arenormalfor strength training?
Realistically, youll see your heart rate jump up and down throughout your strength training session.
It doesnt really matter what heart rate zone you find yourself in.
If it looks relatively even, youre probablynot resting enough.
The short answer is: because they can, not because they should.
Its different in the modern era, when every watch measures heart rate.
