MAF or Garmin zones - Excited to try this out

by Josh
(NSW, Aus)

Hi, I'm a 36 yr old Male & have always been very active with other sports. However, it's been years since I've run & now starting up again I've been plagued by calf injuries (very frustrating)

I'm setting up the zones & keen to get started. I'm aware Garmin's aren't completely accurate but my max HR topped at 199bpm during a 5km race I recently competed in - hard running. My resting HR is 41 bpm

Zone 2 on garmin is "easy" at 129-139 bpm. Is this where I should be sticking?

Or should I be adhering to the "aerobic zone" of 140-159 bpm?

Very confusing as I'm not sure the garmin "zones" align with what mafs consider "zone 2"? Staying in the "Aerobic Zone" on Garmin seems to make logical sense but this is technically "zone 3" on my watch...

Many thanks for any help you you offer!

Nicole's reply:
Hi Josh, thanks for the question.

If you want to do MAF training then you need to stick to the MAF guidelines. If you start mixing in HR zones from Garmin then you will not be doing MAF training.

If you havent yet worked out what your MAF heart rate should be then take a look here: 180 MAF Formula.

Doing a calculation from the information that you have given me I would put your MAF HR zone at 129 - 139. I subtracted 36 from 180 and then subtracted another 5 for injury and the fact that you are coming back into running. I hope that helps and all the best on hour MAF journey!