Cardio. The word itself, let alone the activity that is associated with it, elicits a strong emotional responses from most people. Some live to run or spin, and some despise the jumping or the sweating that goes with it. But at some point, we all have to do it. How much do we have to do? At what intensity? What is my goal? Is it for heart health, weight loss, or just good mood?
Heart-Rate Training Zones
When you get into the “right zone” for the result you want, you are a big step closer to achieving your ultimate health and fitness goal. Do you want a lithe body like a world-class sprinter, a muscular body like an elite running back in the NFL, or a more toned body overall? The heart-rate zones you train in make all the difference!
According to Jim Ryno, a nationally recognized personal trainer, the target heart-rate zones can be defined by percentages.
Heart-Healthy Zone (50%–60% of maximum heart rate). For the beginners and elderly. Basically, a moderate to brisk walk, it is intended for helping overall health and circulation, and to strengthen the heart. It is not necessarily to get more fit.
Fat-Burning Zone (60%–70% MHR) and Endurance Training Zone (70%–80% MHR). These zones really develop your cardiovascular system as well as fat-burning capacities. In addition, your functional capacity is greatly improved. If you are training for a marathon or other endurance sport, these are the zones Ryno would use to get you in shape for it.
Anaerobic Zone (80%–90% MHR) and Red Line Zone (90%–100% MHR). Ryno prefers these zones for the vast majority of his clients for shorter overall workouts in which clients go from 80 percent all the way up to their maximum heart rate with all-out effort. “My philosophy is train hard, heavy, and fast because it’s going to make you fitter, faster, stronger,” he explains. “I really don’t promote a lot of steady-state cardio because I just think it’s a waste of time unless you are training for a marathon” or need to lose weight.
Though the anaerobic zone is named so because it means exercising “without oxygen,” at 80%–90% of MHR a person can still breathe. The difference between this zone and the red-line zone is that in the red-line zone you can’t breathe. “You’re working all-out, and it hurts,” Ryno says. “Even top athletes are only getting there for a few seconds. And it’s huge for building strength and power.” In general, these all-out bursts work in a similar way as weight training. These bursts cause microscopic tears in muscle which mend themselves to grow bigger and stronger.
So what should most of us do? For maximum fat loss, short rounds of high-intensity interval training. A growing body of research shows that this form of exercise burns more fat than a dance class or aerobic class. For those that are looking to be super-fit, Ryno usually has his clients do 20 minutes three times a week, alternating 2 minutes in the anaerobic zone with up to 1 minute in the red-line zone.
Don’t fear cardio. Set your goal and get into the zone!

Rachael E. Schindler, Ph.D., is a psychologist, founder of the Quick N’Lite.com gourmet meals delivery, certified pediatric and adult nutrition counselor, certified personal trainer, and group fitness instructor and Pilates master for over 20 years, practicing in Cedarhurst and Manhattan. She specializes in fitness as well as food and behavioral issues for both children and adults. She can be reached to order, for an appointment, or for comments at Teichbergr@aol.com
or 917-690-5097.