Welcome to MAF MAY, JET Coaching’s Low HR Challenge! Intrigued? Read on to find out more…
Who?
Anyone who wishes to improve and be a part of the challenge.
You do need a working, accurate and reliable heart rate monitor WITH HEART RATE STRAP (wrist based heart rate readings are inaccurate and unreliable)
What?
This is a challenge with a difference… But it helps promote health, fitness and performance which is what we are all about!
It is centered around aerobic development, low heart rate training and improving efficiency.
The challenge will take place over 4 weeks, initially. This type of challenge and training is relevant year round, but as with many things, the preparatory phase of training offers us an opportunity to reset and refocus.
The purpose of this challenge and this type of training is ensuring our physiological response is in line with our effort. In other words, our heart rate is low enough during training for us to have improved aerobic function. We should be able to see, overtime, that even with the same low HR, we are able to go further or faster.
To keep it simple, easy and accessible for all we will use the MAF heart rate calculations first introduced by Dr Phil Maffetone. MAF stands for Maximal Aerobic Function. It provides a ‘cap’ on heart rate for easy or general endurance training. For those familiar with JET Coaching terminology and the simple intensity scale it is ‘Zone 1-2’ training.
It ensures ‘easy’ is done appropriately easy…
Here is the info to Dr Maffetone’s website with an intro and the calculations:
https://philmaffetone.com/180-formula/
Note: for all JET Coaching 1:1 athletes your MAF HR, i.e. the number which will be the upper limit for this type of training, will either already be calculated, or we will revise together.
If in doubt, go for a LOWER number, not higher.
Other general guides:
– Start with 180-age and then take off another 5… the original number plus the ‘take off 5’ will give you a range that will serve as your upper limit
– If you are 25 or younger do 180-Age-10 as your starting point
– Remember that the ‘MAF’ heart rate is the upper limit of the range – it isn’t necessarily something to aim for
More info and guidelines:
https://philmaffetone.com/maf-test/
Ideally one completes at least two sessions a week that work to develop general endurance and aerobic development. For JET Coaching 1:1 Coached athletes these sessions will be integrated into your individual training sessions. They will be a mix of interval based sessions and other sessions.
The challenge is designed for running and is accessible to anyone who can run intervals of a mile (1.6km) or more.
There is also a bike option included below, but, the theory can be applied to most forms of locomotion!
When?
Initial Testing will be conducted over the weekend of the 2nd / 3rd May. The initial four week phase / challenge period will be be retested on the weekend of the 30th / 31st May.
Where?
The run test is to be completed OUTSIDE – not on a treadmill.
Ideally testing is completed at the same location each time. So ensure it is repeatable.
Bike testing can be completed on a trainer or on the road – but again, the same location/course/loop each time is necessary.
Why?
Too many think that going ‘faster’ and being ‘better’ is all about slogging it out with hard and fast intervals… all the time. And, despite the best efforts of many Coaches as well as much scientific and anecdotal evidence there is STILL a push towards ‘no pain, no gain’ and similar slogans. There is a place for hard efforts and icing the cake, but you need a foundation… the base of the cake first. This should always be the underlying focus for endurance sport athletes.
That is where low HR or MAF training comes in.
Here is an example of how and why it works:
The last couple of sentences are key; going quicker at lower HR!
Testing Protocol – Run
Warm up for 10-15mins of easy jogging and then walk for 1min to let HR settle.
Complete:
3 x 1mile at MAF HR (you can run at the upper limit but do not exceed) – walk for 1min between each mile repeat (or until HR settles)
3 x 400m as ‘best effort’ – there is no HR cap on this. We are looking for best average pace for each 400 and across the 3 efforts – walk 1min between each 400m
Record average heart rate, maximum heart rate, average pace and time for EVERY interval
Cool down for 10-15mins of easy jogging / jog + walking
Testing Protocol Bike with Power
Warm up for 15-20mins and then complete:
3mins smooth
2mins steady
1min strong
All with 1min easy in between
Let HR settle and then ride for 30mins at MAF HR (you can ride at the upper limit but do not exceed)
Record average heart rate, average cadence and average power for the 30min period
Spin down for 10-15mins allowing heart rate to drop well below MAF
Testing Protocol Bike without Power (on the road)
Warm up for 15-20mins and then complete:
3mins smooth
2mins steady
1min strong
All with 1min easy in between
Let HR settle and then ride for 30mins at MAF HR (you can ride at the upper limit but do not exceed)
Record average heart rate, average cadence and average speed for the 30min period
Spin down for 10-15mins allowing heart rate to drop well below MAF
