New to the group and just wanted to pop my head round the door to say hi.
I have recently started weight training at my local gym in order to improve my fitness and strength and also as part of a wider weight loss program.
Last week I started to add Tabata style workouts to my routine: three rounds before I start and one after each weight circuit for a total of three circuits.
Do anyone else here work out like this? Is it effective? What sort of heart rate should I be aiming for?
I am 45 years old, with a resting heart rate of 64 and I am struggling to get my heart rate above 145 during the tabata intervals even though I feel like I am working my little socks off!
All feedback appreciated.
Thanks
c x
Written by
cathalicious
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Well done upon taking the decision to start lifting weights, even if you did feel a little daunted in the beginning.
Some four months on from your post, however, I’m sure that any feelings of apprehension will have given way to those of confidence, no doubt helped by an improving body composition. Keep it up.
As for your questions surrounding Tabata, due to its ferocious intensity, it’s certainly not for the faint of heart.
To repeatedly go all out for 20 seconds at time followed by 10 seconds rest, for four minutes, you’ll need to already possess a decent level of cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance to sustain the activity (strength simply isn’t sufficient).
Since rest periods are so short, very little time is allowed for heart rate to decrease, meaning that it largely remains in its anaerobic zone throughout, hence why a sound level of cardiovascular fitness needs to be possessed.
If the heart isn’t accustomed to regularly being pushed close to its aerobic/anaerobic threshold), it simply won’t have the capacity to sustain Tabata intervals.
Granted, by keeping heart rate close to its maximum throughout, the effect upon fat oxidisation is monumental.
When exercising anaerobically, since oxygen cannot be delivered to working muscles as readily as they require it, the body must draw upon a far larger concentration other sources (chiefly glycogen and fat) to fuel the endeavour.
As such, through repeatedly exercising in the anaerobic zone, fat can loss increase considerably.
However, as previously stated, unless muscular and cardiovascular systems are already well developed, for the vast majority,Tabata intervals just aren’t feasible.
Instead, to begin taking the heart into its anaerobic zone, seek to perform HIIT intervals on a stationary (spinning) bike, treadmill or StairMaster, for example.
Starting off by cycling, climbing or running as hard you’re able to for 30 seconds, followed by 30-60s rest (repeating as many times as possible, up to 25 minutes), you’ll enjoy a similar level of fat oxidation. Performing HIIT for longer begins to have a catabolic effect upon muscle mass.
As anaerobic fitness improves, seek to increase the length of the hard intervals up to 60s while reducing the duration of rest towards 30s. With improving fitness, once you’re able to sustain HIIT for 20-25 minutes at a particular level (performing a 60s/30s split) increase the level at which hard intervals are performed.
To ensure that HIIT is performed safely, consult the RPE scale (rate of perceived exertion).
As hard intervals are executed, the level of effort should place you at 8-10 on the scale. For example, if running at 7mph puts you at the higher end, it’s simply a measure of current anaerobic capacity. However, this will improve as the body grows accustomed.
Depending upon their intensity, on the assumption that sufficient energy remains, always perform HIIT after resistance training. In the beginning, since you may not to be able to perform HIIT for longer than 10 minutes, you should be able to add it on at the end.
However, performing it before-hand will deplete glycogen reserves too severely, thus, reducing the effectiveness of resistance workouts.
As anaerobic capacity improves, allowing its duration and intensity to be increased, seek to perform HIIT and resistance training on different days. Since you’re attempting to lose weight alongside toning up, 2-3 weekly HIIT workouts will be more than sufficient to aid your ambition. Anything more will prevent the body from recovering sufficiently in between, proving to be detrimental (largely due to the huge energy deficit created by the activity).
Lastly, with regard to heart exercising heart rate, while you may consider 145 bpm to be low, there’s no need to worry (MHR = 220 – Age in years).
Given that current MHR is around 180bpm, by hitting 145bpm, your heart is working in its anaerobic zone.
As such, as it becomes more accustomed, the duration of the anaerobic activity will be sustained for longer, allowing you to increase fitness and improve the level and rate of weight loss in the process.
You had already got a very nice reply from Mr. nice guy four months ago. I am 51 and have been into Tabata quite "vigorously" a few years ago. Yes, it 's hard to get your HR to your peak repeatedly every 30 seconds. How's your experience with Tabata till now? I haven't been able to continue due to back problems Have SIJ pain.
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