I have noticed that working below 145 hr reduces the number of calories in a workout. This may seem like a trivial question but any suggestions for how to make a workout burn more calories working at low heart rate? Hard to do considering keeping heart rate down. I've found I can not do most classes offered at my gym while base building.

Open to suggestions. I do hand weights an average of 2 days per week. I am easily able to keep my hr down.

Thanks-
K. White

Calorie burn is basically the same (per unit distance, not time) no matter what pace you run, as long as you are running. If you are using a machine or other device that estimates calorie burn, it will attempt to make a determination as to whether you are running or walking so when you are close to that fine line, your answer can be fuzzy. If you are working out the same amount of time, then if you are doing it at a slower pace, you will burn less calories. There's no doubt that you need to add extra time if you want to burn the same calories, but you only have that issue while you are still conditioning yourself. Eventually, you will develop your aerobic system and you will recover your previous high heart rate pace, but at a much lower heart rate. The basebuilding period is a time of extreme patience!

I have started adding an extra 10-15 min. at each workout. Heart rate running is slow and does require patience. I have decided to stick to it. I am convinced and just need to stay disciplined.

Do you recommend long runs (runs longer than 1 hour) to be run at MAF + 5. So, for me that would be 150. That was suggested to me by a well trained and qualified runner who strictly follows hr training. Just wondered what your opinion was on that. Your question/answers do suggest STRICTLY staying under MAF. I wonder if the MAF + 5 for a long run would be only for training?

Thanks.

You will see the best progress if you stay strictly below MAF for the entire duration of the run. I understand it adds to the near-term misery but, trust me, it will pay off in the long term. To really get the most out of this form of training, your best bet is to stay very strict with it. If you do, you will eventually get to the point where it will *never* be difficult to stay below MAF. The benefits of going above MAF while you're still basebuilding will depend on very specific particular physiological aspects of yourself, in particular, your personal heart rate vs respiratory quotient curve. You can get this from a treadmill vo2max or gas analyzer test, but it's most likely not necessary as most people who are in the greatest need of MAF training will be told that the MAF estimate from the equation is very close (and many are told to go even slightly lower). If you find that you are losing too much running economy from going slow all the time, I suggest you try to get in as many downhill segments as possible where you pick up the pace to keep your heart rate up at MAF and don't let it sink down by 10-20 beats. For someone who hasn't developed the fat burning efficiency yet, going up to MAF+5 may put them into a primarily carb-burning regime which will defeat the purpose of the training (and will be too high of an intensity to build fat burning efficiency, but slow enough to erode running economy).

Ok-
I am very appreciative of the advice and will be strict! I did a long run on the treadmill and misery would be a perfect adjective. I am using the negative incline and am able to run a little faster but probably not fast enough to improve running economy but that will come in due time. I plan to run a marathon in the end of Sept. and am just going to run below MAF until then. Will see what happens in the next 3-4 months. Should I avoid 5 and 10 K's or run a few in the 10-12 weeks before the Sept. marathon?

Thanks AGAIN!

I would avoid the 5ks and 10ks until you hit a pace at MAF that you feel is "reasonably good" (i.e., not miserably slow!)

Good luck!