If you're already training online with me then you'll be pretty familiar with MAF (Maximum Aerobic Function) training and what it entails. If you've just signed up, or have stumbled across this blog, then come and join me for the next few minutes, as I breakdown the ins and outs of MAF training, so you can start seeing the benefits of MAF training today.
MAF training was developed Dr Phil Maffetone, with the simple aim of essentially improving running efficiency, this is accomplished by using your heart rate to ensure you're training at, or below your maximum aerobic heart rate during your runs.
Benefits of MAF training
Improved Aerobic Fitness: By consistently training at your MAF heart rate, your body becomes more efficient at utilising oxygen, enhancing your aerobic capacity. This improved aerobic fitness allows you to sustain longer periods of moderate-intensity exercise, which is essential for endurance events.
Enhanced Fat Utilisation: Training at your MAF heart rate encourages your body to rely on fat as a primary energy source. This metabolic adaptation is valuable for athletes aiming for better body composition, as well as those participating in ultra-endurance events. By sparing glycogen (carbohydrate) stores and utilising fat, you can maintain energy levels for extended periods.
Effective Weight Management: Training at your MAF heart rate is conducive to burning calories efficiently. When your body becomes adept at utilising fat for energy, it can contribute to healthy weight loss or weight maintenance. This is particularly beneficial for individuals seeking to shed excess body fat while improving overall fitness.
Reduced Risk of Overtraining: Training at your MAF heart rate helps prevent overtraining, a common issue among endurance athletes. By avoiding excessive intensity, you reduce the risk of burnout, fatigue, and overuse injuries. This sustainable approach to training promotes consistency, allowing for long-term progress and minimising setbacks.
Cardiovascular Health: Training at your MAF heart rate is excellent for your heart. Regular aerobic exercise strengthens the heart muscle, improves blood circulation, and lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels. This, in turn, reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes.
Mental Endurance: Endurance training is not only physical but also mental. Training at your MAF heart rate teaches mental endurance by requiring patience and discipline. Learning to maintain a steady pace, especially when your body craves intensity, builds mental resilience, a crucial asset in any athletic endeavour.
Improved Performance in Endurance Events: For endurance athletes, the ability to sustain a steady pace over a long duration is paramount. Training at your MAF heart rate builds the foundation for superior endurance, allowing you to perform better in marathons, triathlons, cycling races, and other prolonged activities. Your body becomes accustomed to efficient energy utilisation, helping you push through the latter stages of races with more energy reserves.
In summary, training at your MAF heart rate offers a holistic approach to health, fitness, and performance. By focusing on aerobic development, you build a strong foundation that supports your athletic ambitions while safeguarding your overall well-being. Whether you're a beginner seeking improved fitness or an experienced athlete aiming for peak performance, incorporating MAF training into your regimen can yield significant and sustainable benefits.
How to Calculate Your MAF Heart Rate To calculate your maximum aerobic heart rate use the following formula:
Subtract your age from 180 (180 – age).
Then modify this number by selecting a category below that best matches your health profile:
a. If you have, or are recovering from, a major illness (heart disease, high blood pressure, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or you are taking medication, subtract an additional 10.
b. If you have not exercised before or have been training inconsistently or injured, have not recently progressed in training or competition, or if you get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, or have allergies, subtract an additional 5.
c. If you’ve been exercising regularly (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems listed in a or b, keep the number (180 – age) the same.
d. If you have been competing for more than two years duration without any of the problems listed above, and have improved in competition without injury, add 5.
For example, if you are 30 years old and fit into category b:
180 – 30 = 150, then 150 – 5 = 145.
The MAF Test - Assessing Your Baseline
Now that we have identified your MAF heart rate, we are ready to assess your fitness. The MAF test is a key component of the MAF Method and we regularly use this as our baseline assessment in a number of our online programs, firstly to get an idea of your start-point, but also as a tool to measure your fitness moving forward.
We use a variation of the MAF test that involves running or walking continuously for 20minutes at your MAF heart rate and then recording your total distance.
Ideally for each subsequent retest you will test on the same route, under the same conditions. A running track is ideal, but not essential. With each retest your distance should increase as your fitness improves.
Here's how to carry out the MAF test.
Step One: Warm up by jogging, or walking for 12-15mins at an easy pace, this should be well below your MAF heart rate.
Step Two: Run, or walk (depending on your fitness level) for 20 minutes continuously at your MAF heart rate (180 - your age).
Step Three: Record your distance.
Step Four: Warm down by jogging, or walking for 12-15mins at an easy pace, again this should be below your MAF heart rate.
By using a heart rate monitor and the MAF test we are able to objectively measure your aerobic fitness to ensure continued progression.
*I strongly advise using a chest-strap heart rate monitor, rather than a wrist-based heart rate monitor simply because the chest-strap method is far more accurate.
Wrap Up
Through precise baseline testing, patient progression, and scientific understanding, you're not just becoming a better runner; you're mastering the art of enduring, thriving, and excelling. So, embrace the slow miles, relish in your body's adaptation, and let the meticulously designed online programs guide you towards unparalleled performance.
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