In an attempt to answer the question "what's the ultimate workout tool?" scientists from South Africa's Sports Science Institute put the two devices to the test. The hard-core cyclists who used expensive power meters (PM) lost the race to another group of hard core cyclists who used e $50-$100 heart rate monitors (HRM). In the head-to-head race, during the four week test, the PM riders performed intervals at 80% of peak power while the HRM cyclist rode intervals at their 80% peak power heart rate without a power meter. The test was a 25 mile time trial to measure power improvements. Results though statistically identical gave the edge to the HRM cyclists who improved power output by 5% versus 2.3% for the PM riders. Though conventional wisdom favors power meters for training, researchers concluded that heart-rate training is more effective.

For those of you who are ready for your first sprint- distance triathlon, take advantage of this offer to get a free one-week trial of our email training program from Sally Edwards and Heart Zones Training. Sign up for a free week and if you like it the next 7 weeks are only $29.9 5. Make 2009 your year to try a triathlon on us. Enter tri1weeketrain at checkout and you'll receive 1 week of emails from Sally Edwards, the head heart, including a tip, workout, a skill and the approach to training.

With 70% of Americans suffering from "hypokinetic disease" or low physical activity, America has become a nation at risk from our own lifestyle. Hypokinetic disease coupled with poor nutrition and eating habits, is causing many people to face serious health concerns. Our country is facing an of Syndrome X, which is a disease that affects a person's metabolism. Literally. our sedentary lifestyle is killing us in larger and larger numbers.

Sedentaryism, formally called hypokinetic disease, is caused by insufficient daily energy expenditure from movement - any kind of movement. At the turn of the century, Americans were burning in excess of 4,000 calories a day. Currently, a typical person on an average day burns only 2,000 calories, yet the caloric input has increased in quantity and decreased in quality.

Having metabolic disease, Syndrome X, is driven by two forces - abdominal obesity and insulin resistance. Syndrome X is a cluster of five cardiovascular risk factors including Type 2 diabetes, high glucose in the blood stream and high blood fats (triglycerides), high bad cholesterol (LDL), and high blood pressure (hypertension).

The solution for our nation at risk is complex. One of the strategies is to get the 70% of those suffering from hypokinetic disease or sedentaryism to don a heart rate monitor and to spend an hour a day in Zone 1 (50-60%) or Zone 2 (60%- 70% maximum heart rate). This simple metabolic tool, a heart rate monitor, provides immediate biofeedback on your physical activity and activity level. A heart rate monitor is easy to use, serves as a wrist monitor, and measures your metabolic, physical, and emotional load all in one device. If you are one of the 70% of Americans who is at risk for metabolic disease get a heart rate monitor today and use it everyday.

Join Ironman triathlon champion, Sue Latshaw, for this weekend certification at MIT, (Cambridge, MA) and become a certified triathlon coach (CTC). Heart Zones CTC coaching certification is designed specifically for individuals seeking to deliver "community coaching" versus "elite coaching" opportunities. Community coaching is focused on coaching the everyday triathlete, the individual who wants to improve or is new to triathlon events. The great majority of triathletes fall into this classification since few ever make it to elite level or get on the podium. The 2-day certification provides continuing education units, a 200 page Coaching Manual. This manual is unique because along with coaching methodology it also includes the business side of how-to-grow or start your own coaching business. This course is also offered at the Heart Zones Training CONFERENCE 2009 to be held in St. Louis, MO November 6-9th.

The Top Forty BPM Workout
Every workout in the Heart Zones Training system is designed around a purpose and fitness outcome. The following workout is an interval workout designed to help you improve your CV (cardiovascular) fitness level as you gain sport- specific speed. The workout is not for the faint-of-heart because it drives your heart rate into the midpoint of Zone 4 and recovers back into midpoint of Zone 2 for the recovery phase. Additionally, you adjust it based on your current level of fitness. Adjust the level of the interval based on your aerobic abilities to sustain high intensity exercise.