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  • Ian Jones: What I’ve learnt from heart rate training

    AIA Vitality NZ - 5 min read

    Better Lives with AIA VitalityBetter Lives with AIA Vitality
    • Exercise
    • Fitness

    Heart rate training may be just the thing you need to spice up your exercise routine. AIA Vitality Ambassador Ian Jones explains why it may benefit your training programme.

    Heart rate training with Ian Jones

    I’m a firm believer in heart rate training. Since trying it in 2017, it’s replaced all other forms of training. It’s going to be beneficial no matter what the goal – from ultra-endurance events to the Round the Bays fun run.

    I find I don’t fatigue as easily; I don’t get injured as much, and I enjoy my training sessions a lot more.

    What is heart rate training?

    This type of training is exactly what it sounds like – keeping your heart rate within a specific range during a workout. This target is often a percentage of perceived effort, split into zones.

    Zone one is 50–60 per cent of your maximum heart rate. Zone two, where most people do their training, is 60–70 per cent. Zone three is 70–80 per cent.

    The greatest benefit of heart rate training is it factors in all elements in your life. If you’re stressed, fatigued, or if you overtrained during the week, your resting heart rate will be higher than normal, so it’s a good indicator you need more rest

    Heart rate training is for everyone

    Heart rate training is a good way to build yourself up in a consistent and sustainable way, so you decrease the chance of injury or training burnout.

    It’s also great if you’re a little older. When I was young, I could consistently train for days on end and still recover. However, as I aged, I found that same training programme wasn’t sustainable, and I had to make some changes. Since then, I’ve never looked back.

    How to get started

    First, calculate your maximum heart rate (which you can do in a few ways).

    A simple method is subtracting your age from 220, which gives you a fairly good gauge. Keep in mind that this formula is an estimate. If you have a medical condition, are overweight are aged over 40 years or haven’t exercised in a long time, see your doctor for a medical check-up before starting any new exercise program. Your heart-rate target range may need to be professionally recalculated to take your health and general fitness into account.

    If you’re keen on accuracy for your maximum heart rate, you can try performing a field test. It involves running hard for three minutes, capturing your maximum heart rate, resting for three minutes and then repeating.

    After some experience, you can also settle on a personalised figure. For me, that number is 165. Whenever I train over 165, injuries and fatigue tend to arise. 

    If you’re new to heart rate training, you can’t go wrong by starting with jogging in zone two (60–70 per cent of your max heart rate). If you’re feeling good, you can try training in zone three (70­–80 per cent). Keep your heart rate at the lower end of your recommended range if you are just starting regular exercise. Gradually increase the intensity of your workouts as your fitness improves.

    For maximum health benefits, the goal is to work hard, but not too hard. See New Zealand’s Physical Activity Guidelines.

    My smartwatch helps me stay on track

    There are a few ways you can monitor your heart rate, but a smartwatch is often the most efficient. You could use a heart rate monitor, or you can record your heart rate the old-fashioned way by taking your pulse, but that’s a bit of a chore. A smartwatch is a great, practical middle ground.

    I use a Garmin device that records my heart rate from my wrist. It has plenty of useful features for training, like tracking laps, and recording elevation and pace. I find the pace indicator to be particularly useful in a race as it gives me a measure of how slow – not fast – I need to run to finish without blowing out. The watch also records my resting heart rate over seven days and visualises it on a graph, so I can track my heart fitness week by week.

    The Garmin’s daily step tracker integrates with AIA Vitality and lets me know how many steps I need to earn my Active Rewards points for the week too. It’s an inspirational target for me that I really like – plus, AIA Vitality members are eligible for discounts on Garmin smartwatches.

    At the end of the day, remember heart rate training is personalised. Don’t stress about what other people think if you’re running slow in zone one or two. Slow is good – you must get your head around that – and will give you more benefits over time. 

    Ian Jones

    Article by: Ian Jones

    In a career that spanned some 11 years, Ian Jones played over 100 games for the mighty All Blacks – 79 of those test matches. At the time of his retirement, Ian was the second most capped All Black to have ever played. A true sporting legend, Ian is also someone that understands what it’s like to balance the struggle of health and wellbeing. Ian also finds time to give back to the community through Eddie's Meals.

    Disclaimer: The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional, tax or other advice. It does not take into account any individual’s personal situation or needs. You should consider obtaining professional advice from a financial adviser and/or tax specialist, or medical or health practitioner, in relation to your own circumstances and before acting on this information.


    This content is brought to you by AIA Vitality

    AIA Vitality is a personalised, health and wellbeing programme that supports you every day to make healthier lifestyle choices. Visit aiavitality.co.nz

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