Which also happens to be the National Flag of Romania
PROFILE DESCRIPTION
This profile is an introduction to effort management that can be delivered by any indoor cycle instructor simply by relating effort to a color through the use of verbal descriptors.
OBJECTIVE
This profile introduces to our riders the concept that heart rate and breathing change with exercise intensity. That these changes are sensed by comparison to verbal descriptors and are related to a simple color coded three zone aerobic exercise system called ZONING.
If you've followed indoorcycleinstructor.com for any length of time you know that I'm a huge fan of the 2T/3Z method of Heart Rate training which is the basis for Zoning. That simple Blue/Yellow/Red response from my Blink Heart Rate monitor is (to me) the perfect way to introduce zone based heart rate training into your class.
Here's some proof of it's success – OK it's a bit rough, but Diana presents a powerful truth that Zoning has worked for her in this video. Your students are in your class to lose body fat and Diana losing 100 pounds and finishing the Danskin Triathlon is a testament to the effectiveness of 2T/3Z Heart Rate training.
Recommended by ACE – The American Council on Exercise
In Part 1 and Part 2 of Is a 20 Minute Threshold Field Test realistic for your class? I was trying to make the point that although completely appropriate for Endurance Athletes, these 20 minute assessments aren't really appropriate for the typical students in our Indoor Cycling classes.
So if the old 220 – your age is a waste of time, Metabolic Testing is unavailable / too expensive, RPE scales are too subjective and a 20 Minute Field Test isn't practical, what should we use to establish a students Heart Rate Training Zones? And then how do we communicate training intensities in our classes?
I suggest that WE look very strongly at what The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is now recommending with their ACE Integrated Fitness TrainingTM (ACE IFTTM) Model. Follow that link to an exhaustive article on the Two Threshold / Three Zone ACE IFT Model for Cardiorespiratory Training.
Watch this video and then let me know what you think.
A few things that I feel are important to note:
– After watching the video, do you see how you could be conducting a VT1 (Low Threshold) assessment as part of every class you teach?
– This Two Threshold / Three Zone system and the Talk Test method of determining VT1 & VT2 is based on research by Dr. Carl Foster who is presenting at this years conference. Dr. Foster is lecturing on this exact subject 🙂
– The Zoning Blink Heart Rate monitor, with it's Blue – Yellow – Red lights, is based on this same Two Threshold / Three Zone system.
Now, as a patented inventor myself, I'm intimately aware of the difficulties of securing a US Patent. Hat's off to Sally Edwards and Chuck Cali for making the case that their Threshold Training System is truly original and worthy of U.S. Pat. #8092381!
On January 12, 2012, the federal patent office extended to ZONING Fitness the first US patent for a cardio-training program (U.S. Pat. #8092381). The patent is designed to use the ZONING program and the flashing cardio-zones Blink heart rate monitor. The company signed its first two licensing agreements for the ZONING program with Austin, Texas based IHT (Interactive Health Technologies) and with FitNut, Inc., a Denver-based corporate fitness and nutrition company.
Threshold training system
Abstract
A system for increasing the fitness level of a fitness enthusiast. The system includes a personalized set of intensity zones corresponding to increasing levels of exercise intensity. The personalization of the system is accomplished through determining a threshold level based on oxygen consumption or a numerical rating of perception of effort or lactate or metabolism that is unique to each individual. From this determination, an anchor point is created upon which the heart rate values for each of eight zones is based. Each zone corresponds to a multiplier that when factored in to the amount time spent in each zone by the individual, yields a total training load value.
So what's the potential ROI on the Zoning program?
If you teach “Club Athletes”, what many of us see as the majority of the student in our classes, and want to educate your students / clients on Heart Rate training program, I highly recommend you look into Zoning Fitness. In the video below, Chuck Cali and Sally Edwards present the Zoning Can – a complete 6 week heart rate training program that actually comes in a can.
I'm aware of two ICI/PRO Member Instructors who are part of the initial Beta review of this new 6 week program. They will be taking their class through the complete 6 week Introduction to Heart Rate Training.
“What's the purpose behind a 6 week program?” and “Why not just introduce these concepts during a normal class?” were common questions I heard at the conference. The purpose of a separate program (actually 6 classes) is so you can focus on a small group of students who are truly interested in learning how to use Zone based Heart Rate training, over a six week period of time – so they really learn and understand the core concepts.
If you operate a studio or club and are looking to add Heart Rate training to a multi-week Boot Camp or Weight Loss program, I suggest looking into Zoning Fitness.
