Welcome to the 24th edition of the Awesome Health Club newsletter! Whether you're a new or returning member, welcome to the club! At Awesome Health Club, my mission is to help you improve your mind, body, and lifestyle so you can live a long and healthy life.
Listen on the go - You can now enjoy this newsletter in podcast format—perfect for your walk or commute. Special shoutout to our AI hosts, Mr. Bali and Mrs. Victoria, for bringing this to life.
New Product Alert - Our Heart Rate Zone Calculator takes your fitness to the next level by guiding you to the optimal heart rate zones for your unique goals. Whether you’re aiming for fat loss, endurance, or peak performance, this tool provides personalized insights to make every workout more effective.
Last year, when I decided to take on the Ironman 70.3, I knew endurance training would be intense—and let me remind you, I knew nothing about this type of training. Thankfully, my coach, Josh Holman, guided me through my Ironman preparation. Without his mentorship, I would have been pretty lost. He introduced me to the power of heart rate training, and this approach changed everything, teaching me how to train smarter.
Today, I’m excited to not only introduce our new Heart Rate Zone Calculator but also to share some insights on how you can use heart rate zone training for faster fat loss, better endurance, and a healthier life.
Understanding Heart Rate Zones
Heart rate zones are ranges that reflect different levels of intensity during exercise, each corresponding to a percentage of your maximum heart rate. By training within specific zones, you can target different aspects of fitness, such as fat burning, cardiovascular endurance, or peak performance.
The Five Heart Rate Zones:
Why Train with Heart Rate Zones?
Understanding and utilizing heart rate zones allows you to tailor your workouts to your specific goals. Instead of guessing how hard you should be working, you have concrete data guiding you.
- Fat Loss: Training in Zone 2 optimizes fat burning by using fat as the primary energy source.
- Endurance: Spending time in Zones 2 and 3 builds aerobic capacity, allowing you to exercise longer without fatigue.
- Performance: Incorporating Zones 4 and 5 improves speed and power, essential for competitive athletes.
Prevent Overtraining and Injury
Monitoring your heart rate ensures you’re not consistently pushing too hard, which can lead to burnout and injuries. It promotes balanced training, combining intensity with adequate recovery.
Cold plunges and saunas work wonders for your physical health. Saunas improve heart health by boosting circulation, lowering blood pressure, and reducing the risk of heart disease, while cold plunges enhance circulation through the natural process of cooling and warming the body. Together, they strengthen your immune system—saunas activate immune responses to help fight off colds, and cold plunges enhance your body’s defenses. Plus, if you’ve ever dealt with sore muscles or pain, this combo is a lifesaver. Saunas ease muscle soreness and reduce inflammation, while cold plunges speed up recovery after workouts.
Case Study: The Triathlete Study
A study was done to see how training in different heart rate zones affects fitness. The participants were split into two groups:
- High Group: Spent more time training between two key heart rate points, called the metabolic threshold (VO2θ) and ventilatory threshold (VEθ).
- Low Group: Spent less time training in this specific zone.
After eight weeks, both groups saw improvements in fitness markers (VO2max, VO2θ, and VEθ), which measure aerobic performance. However, the High Group showed even greater improvement, especially in VO2θ.
What We Learned: This study suggests that spending more time training in specific heart rate zones can lead to greater improvements in certain aspects of aerobic performance.
One of the best-kept secrets among top athletes is how cold plunges and saunas sharpen the mind. This therapy goes beyond the physical—it’s a mental game-changer. Saunas ease stress and boost mood by releasing feel-good endorphins, while cold plunges trigger norepinephrine, a hormone that fights anxiety and improves focus. Together, they create a sense of clarity and calm that’s hard to measure but impossible to ignore. And if better sleep is your goal, this duo delivers: the sauna helps you relax, while the cold plunge cools your body to set the stage for deep, rejuvenating rest.
Long-Term Health Benefits
As humans, we’re wired to crave instant results and especially in today’s age. But what if I told you that the real magic of cold plunges and saunas lies in the long game? Think of it as building reps—not just for your muscles but for your longevity. Over time, these therapies can transform your health in ways you might not immediately notice. Regular sauna use has been linked to a lower risk of chronic diseases like dementia, Alzheimer’s, and heart conditions by improving vascular health and reducing inflammation. Cold plunges, with their impact on circulation and immune function, also play a key role in keeping your body resilient. Together, they don’t just add years to your life—they make those years healthier, stronger, and more vibrant.
When I started training for my Ironman, I didn’t know much about heart rate zone training. But that journey taught me so much about health, nutrition, and how smart training really works. Each workout—whether running, cycling, or swimming—focused on a different heart rate zone. It was tough, but I reached a personal record of 6 hours and 24 minutes in my first Ironman 70.3. Here’s a clip of me crossing the finish line. Set your goals, use the heart rate calculator, follow your plan, and track your progress. You’ll be amazed at the results—and it just might change your life. I hope you have an awesome week ahead and I’ll see ya next week.
KD
