Gone are the days when runners would rate our efforts based on the colour of their cheeks after a run. Heart-rate monitors are now so easy to use, affordable and accurate that there's no excuse for skipping the science bit in your training. Most have heart-rate zones you can set ...

Q I’m in my mid-40s, push myself quite hard in training, and feel great and in good shape. However, after buying a heart rate monitor, I was shocked to find that my resting heart rate was 46, and that I could reach a maximum of 202bpm during hard

and inspiring lyrics blended together over a mildly variable tempo flow, with most tracks falling into the 120-135 beats per minute (bpm) range – well-matched to your heart rate during the steady state pace of a long run.It’s a continuous mix, but the song

accurate? A In general terms, at the start of your 20s, the MHR is about 200 beats per minute (BPM). From then on, the heart gradually slows down, by approximately one beat per year. In endurance athletes, the MHR also slows as a response to prolonged

Q Following your advice, I did a treadmill test using a heart rate monitor to work out my maximum heart rate. The result was 177bpm. However, during 40-minute steady runs my pulse easily reaches 165bpm, about 94 per cent of max! Am I training too

-rate levels to get a reasonable cycling heart rate. For example if you run intervals at 165bpm, on the bike, you should aim for 155bpm.Of course, balancing cycling and training isn’t always easy during the rush hour, and safety has to be the most important

tempo to match exercise intensity and target heart rate. Sport and Exercise Psychologist Dr Costas Karageorghis found that fast-tempo songs over 120 beats per minute (bpm) yield optimum performance at exercise intensities of 75 per cent of maximum heart

songs? Through research pinpointing the relationship between heart rate and musical preference, Karageorghis has found that fast-tempo songs – exceeding 120 beats per minute (BPM) – yield peak performance at high exercise intensities of 75 per cent

for assembling your own playlists.Warming UpAt the beginng of a workout, you need to get your muscles moving, set your pace and relax. So you want to choose upbeat songs with a steady BPM - 135 to 160 - that won't take you too high or too low.Play Electronic

stronger for longer.Nike+ Cassius Sport MixWhat’s your favourite music to run to? Classical, boogaloo, dance? Well, it’s not the genre that’s important – it’s the bpm (beats per minute) of the music that helps determine a runner’s pace. Which is why French