Five Smartwatch Heart Rate Zone Tracking Tips Every Runner Should Know.
If you’ve been even slightly familiar with the running scene in recent years, you’ve likely encountered those who preach the idea of ”Zone 2″ cardio. Legend has it that low-impact, low-impact cardio—also known as “Zone 2” cardio—is the secret to achieving everything from increased aerobic endurance to improved race performance and even longer life .
When training by heart rate, you aim to keep your heart rate in the “zone” that provides the desired workout. However, zone 2 can easily be misleading, especially since no one can agree on what it actually means . Your smartwatch may show your heart rate, but many recreational runners still fall into a “gray zone” where the heart rate is too fast to be truly easy and too slow to provide a real workout. If you have trouble consistently hitting zone 2, there are a few smartwatch hacks that can help.
Replace pace with heart rate as your primary data field to account for daily variations.
Pace can be a distraction during easy runs, especially given all the various factors that impact your effort, such as hills, humidity, and overall fatigue. Running a 9:30 mile can be a Zone 2 run on a cool, flat day, or a Zone 4 run on a hot, hilly day.
Look in your watch’s activity settings (on Garmin, it’s Activity > Data Screens; on Apple Watch, it’s in the metrics menu of the Training app; on Coros, Polar, and Suunto, it’s in similar menus) and make your real-time heart rate zone information prominently displayed, ideally as a zone number or color indicator rather than just raw heart rate (though that assumes those zones are accurate—more on that below).
Set up sound and tactile alerts for ceiling panels in your zone to be notified when someone leaves the zone.
Set up an alert that triggers when your heart rate exceeds or falls below your target range, using a vibration, a beep, or both. Set an alert for the upper limit of Zone 2, and you’ve essentially hired a mini-coach to tap your wrist whenever you overdo it. Once you hear or feel this vibration alert, you’ll know to slow down until your heart rate stabilizes.
Create custom workouts with target ranges to help you reach your target in your zone every time.
Instead of running freely and checking your results afterward, create structured workouts that will automatically achieve your goals. Using Garmin Connect, TrainingPeaks, Apple’s Custom Workouts feature, Coros Training Hub, and similar platforms, you can create workouts like “10-minute warm-up in zone 1, 40 minutes in zone 2, 5-minute cool-down” and sync them directly to your watch.
While you run, your watch displays your current stride, target range, and whether you’re above, below, or within the acceptable range. Many models automatically switch between intervals and alert you when it’s time to switch to a different pace.
This is especially useful for:
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Heart rate-based intervals , such as 4 sets of 4 minutes in zone 4 with recovery in zone 1, where you don’t have to do any mental counting or watch your watch.
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Gradually long runs starting in Zone 2 and finishing in Zone 3.
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Hill repeats his success where pace doesn’t matter, but effort does.
Set the zones correctly (that is, don’t trust your watch’s default settings).
Most watches calculate zones by default using a general formula, such as 220 minus your age, which can vary by 10-20 beats per minute for each individual. If your zones are incorrect, your workout in zone 2 isn’t really a zone 2 workout.
Here’s how to set heart rate zones on your watch:
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Determine your true maximum heart rate. An informal way is to simply note the number you see on your watch when you can no longer comfortably speak; a more formal way is to test it on a treadmill . You can also review your recent intense workouts, such as runs, hill climbs, or all-out interval training, and see the highest sustained heart rate you’ve ever recorded.
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Instead, use your threshold heart rate (lactate threshold). Many watches can automatically detect this after several intense workouts, and zones based on the threshold are generally more personalized than zones based on the maximum heart rate.
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Customize your limits. Check the heart rate zone settings and enter your own values. Some runners prefer the “MAF” method (180 minus age, adjusted) for building aerobic fitness, and most watches allow you to set this range as a custom one.
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Check your metrics every few months . Your fitness level changes, and so do your zones.
Remove distracting information screens to focus.
A screen overloaded with data about cadence, vertical oscillation, ground contact time, running power, and lap pace is a surefire way to start doubting your performance.
Create a dedicated screen for Zone 2 data with just two or three fields: your current heart rate zone, elapsed time, and possibly distance. Disable auto-scrolling to prevent the screen from jumping to a screen with unnecessary numbers. If your watch supports multiple activity profiles, create a separate “Easy Run” profile with this simplified interface and use the other profile for tempo workouts and races.
Extra tip: For more accurate heart rate readings, use a chest heart rate monitor.
A chest strap heart rate monitor (or an optical wristband on your forearm or upper arm) is usually more accurate and responsive than the wrist sensor on your watch. For heart rate-monitored workouts, where a few beats can mean the difference between zone 2 and zone 3, I recommend a heart rate monitor. This COOSPO heart rate monitor is one of my favorites, and it costs only $31.99.
Bottom line: Your smartwatch can make heart rate-monitored workouts a lot easier, but only if you set it up to support you rather than overwhelm you.