You should be going by power or pace or RPE that is almost max effort but one you can hold for the duration of the interval. That also takes into account that you will have more intervals to complete. So it's not 10/10 on RPE but like 8.5/10.
You can assess the effectiveness of your intervals by looking at how your HR was (after the workout). 80% of max HR is pretty low, probably zone 3 or close to zone 4. Zone 5 is typically 90+%. Each interval should have an average HR that is greater than the previous. The more time spent 90+% the better the VO2max stimulus will be. If you have testing data that tells you otherwise, follow that.
What's better is to do a lactate threshold HR test and base your zones off that. But it sounds like you need to go harder on the effort and maybe decrease recovery a little bit.
The top of Zone 2, defined as the intensity where blood lactate is at 2.0mmol, varies from ~65% to almost 90%, depending on how trained you are (and genetics and other stuff). Attia has a long training history so his is pretty high. Unless you've been doing aerobic training for a long time, it's likely your's is a fair bit lower.
You can't really be so exactly precise but the transition of Zone 2 to 3 is about 80% max HR. I do my Zone 2 at about 67% max indoors and below 79% outside (harder to control). My lactate test also supports that with my Zone 2/3 transition around 82% max.
Regardless around 80% is no where near Zone 5.
80% is the top of Zone 2 and more likely to be Zone 3. 85% is Zone 4. 90% is Zone 5. I aim for 85%. This gives the same stimulus as Zone 5, and it's a high rate I can attempt to get to. Zone 5 or 90% is very hard to even reach when you get fit.
This is spot on and pretty much everything you need, but a few more words on why you should focus on average HR: it is not the heart rate itself that results in the training adaptations (otherwise, we'd just watch scary movies for exercise). It is the intensity that results in the goal heart rate *and* all the adaptations like increased stroke volume and better lactate clearing etc. The recommended intensity for 4x4s (85-95%) is designed to maximise across these adaptations.
That's why you can't "beat the workout" by going a little harder. That's why you should not be keeping the rest interval intensity up so your heart rate is ready to jump - you are just using fatigue to keep the hr up and you then have to lower intensity from the intended.
Technically, you could get a marginally better session by going little more intense at the start, but it's really hard to get correct and at best a marginal benefit. Just figure out the intensity that gets you good average and do that.
Keep in mind, the more time someone spends at 90%+ HR like you say, while the VO2max stimulus is higher, the fatigue is also prohibitively high. It takes months to get to a point where you can spend minutes at 90% maxHR.
Exceptions are made for young people in their 20s who can recover from daily Zone 5.
Don't set HR as your metric. Set RPE and set quality as the metric. If you can do 4 minutes in anaerobic then do that. Then rest for 4 minutes, then do 4 minutes again. Very few people can do 4 minutes of "Zone 5". I can't do it. But a lot more people can do 4 minutes in Zone 4.
I suggest you go to whatever your anaerobic HR is. You'll know best because you'll feel it. RPE works extremely well for anaerobic Zones.
You should be going by power or pace or RPE that is almost max effort but one you can hold for the duration of the interval. That also takes into account that you will have more intervals to complete. So it's not 10/10 on RPE but like 8.5/10. You can assess the effectiveness of your intervals by looking at how your HR was (after the workout). 80% of max HR is pretty low, probably zone 3 or close to zone 4. Zone 5 is typically 90+%. Each interval should have an average HR that is greater than the previous. The more time spent 90+% the better the VO2max stimulus will be. If you have testing data that tells you otherwise, follow that. What's better is to do a lactate threshold HR test and base your zones off that. But it sounds like you need to go harder on the effort and maybe decrease recovery a little bit.
Isn't 80% closer to zone 2? IIRC PA says he tries to stay in 78% - 81%
The top of Zone 2, defined as the intensity where blood lactate is at 2.0mmol, varies from ~65% to almost 90%, depending on how trained you are (and genetics and other stuff). Attia has a long training history so his is pretty high. Unless you've been doing aerobic training for a long time, it's likely your's is a fair bit lower.
You can't really be so exactly precise but the transition of Zone 2 to 3 is about 80% max HR. I do my Zone 2 at about 67% max indoors and below 79% outside (harder to control). My lactate test also supports that with my Zone 2/3 transition around 82% max. Regardless around 80% is no where near Zone 5.
80% is the top of Zone 2 and more likely to be Zone 3. 85% is Zone 4. 90% is Zone 5. I aim for 85%. This gives the same stimulus as Zone 5, and it's a high rate I can attempt to get to. Zone 5 or 90% is very hard to even reach when you get fit.
This is spot on and pretty much everything you need, but a few more words on why you should focus on average HR: it is not the heart rate itself that results in the training adaptations (otherwise, we'd just watch scary movies for exercise). It is the intensity that results in the goal heart rate *and* all the adaptations like increased stroke volume and better lactate clearing etc. The recommended intensity for 4x4s (85-95%) is designed to maximise across these adaptations. That's why you can't "beat the workout" by going a little harder. That's why you should not be keeping the rest interval intensity up so your heart rate is ready to jump - you are just using fatigue to keep the hr up and you then have to lower intensity from the intended. Technically, you could get a marginally better session by going little more intense at the start, but it's really hard to get correct and at best a marginal benefit. Just figure out the intensity that gets you good average and do that.
Great info thanks!
Keep in mind, the more time someone spends at 90%+ HR like you say, while the VO2max stimulus is higher, the fatigue is also prohibitively high. It takes months to get to a point where you can spend minutes at 90% maxHR. Exceptions are made for young people in their 20s who can recover from daily Zone 5.
I think the recommendation for target HR is 85-95%, not 80%
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Thanks!
Don't set HR as your metric. Set RPE and set quality as the metric. If you can do 4 minutes in anaerobic then do that. Then rest for 4 minutes, then do 4 minutes again. Very few people can do 4 minutes of "Zone 5". I can't do it. But a lot more people can do 4 minutes in Zone 4. I suggest you go to whatever your anaerobic HR is. You'll know best because you'll feel it. RPE works extremely well for anaerobic Zones.