jrock645- Huh, I always read that it was >90% of Max HR Reserve for HIIT/SIT, never saw a study using 85% for that. The studies I`ve read regarding 85% say that`s the level to use for extended-duration cardio to maintain arterial flexibility (although gee, doing 85% for the recommended 30min. is sure working too).
Of course any "% of max" presupposes that the max is (objectively) known, which I bet is seldom the case outside of formal studies. I trust nobody still uses that "220 minus age" to calculate the max any more..
Just using "Max HR RESERVE" rather than a straight Max HR is enough to make anything in either of those ranges awfully tough IMO.
And hey, your experiences on the Elliptical just show how different people sure are different! I can`t get a tough workout on one of those things no matter what. Too bad as I kinda like `em, but I just don`t generate the intensity that I can on the Stair (much less the AriDyne).
Eh, while I really enjoy these discussions, I do think we`re splitting hairs and I bet that in the long run such stuff doesn`t matter. The point is that we`re exercising in a demanding way on a regular basis that we can maintain forever. The actual diffs between people in "extraordinarily great" condition and those who are merely "much more active than the average person" aren`t all that significant as best I can tell.
And every time a study finds the latest Optimal Modality, the researchers observe that they have *ZERO* expectation that anybody will maintain that regimen IRL.
I mean, really....NOBODY is gonna do the actual Tabata Protocol as a lifelong regimen, even Tabata himself said so. The latest study I saw about "90% of HRmax for 4 minutes followed by ?3? minutes rest, repeated ?4? times"...I forget, but that`s close at least...I mean, NO..people aren`t gonna do 4 minutes at 90%, let alone repeat it a few times, and do that for the rest of their lives. I don`t believe it.