I like using the treadmill at the health club, where the incline varies to maintain a target heart rate. Walking at a brisk pace on an incline can get your heart rate going just fine, and is easier on my knees at least.
Usually I follow the 'cardio' heart rate that the machine comes up with based on your age, and go for 20 or 30 minutes. This is the normal aerobic workout that all the experts say everyone is supposed to do a few times a week.
If I wanted to concentrate on an event like the 500 free, which lasts 5-6 minutes (hopefully closer to 5 if I can repeat my times from 20 years ago), should I alternate the normal cardio workout setting a higher heart rate (still below max for my age of course) and go for 5 minutes?
I've been checking my heart rate for 6 seconds on some swimming sets, and although this method is not as accurate, on sets like 100s or 200s my heart rate is well above the standard 80% of 220 minus age.
I learned to swim the 500 free when I was still a caveman, when I had to start easy if I wanted to split the race decently and keep the piano off my back later in the event. Now I still start the race with the same "easy" perceived effort level, and then switch to race mode at the 250 mark. So I typically even-split or negative-split the race, which I very rarely did as a caveman. Negative splitting is not optimal, but it is fun...
As for my pulse, for the first 250 I'd guess it's below what the formula says is my maximum. And for the second 250, I have no doubt that I exceed that max handily.
I learned to swim the 500 free when I was still a caveman, when I had to start easy if I wanted to split the race decently and keep the piano off my back later in the event. Now I still start the race with the same "easy" perceived effort level, and then switch to race mode at the 250 mark. So I typically even-split or negative-split the race, which I very rarely did as a caveman. Negative splitting is not optimal, but it is fun...
As for my pulse, for the first 250 I'd guess it's below what the formula says is my maximum. And for the second 250, I have no doubt that I exceed that max handily.
