The first five chapters present basic heart zone training principles and also outline some useful tests of max heart rate. This section presents a mainstream understanding of heartzones and the training effects of different intensity levels. The percentages used to define the various zones are "simple" percentages rather than percentages based on the difference between resting heart rate and max heart rate--the Karvonen method. This section is somewhat repetitious, but the occasional organizational lapses didn't get in the way of my understanding the material.

In the next few chapters, Edwards treats the zones one at a time, explaining the usefulness of training in each zone. As someone interested in high performance, she pays good attention to the highest zones, but stresses the dangers of overtraining and suggests ways of avoiding it. Unlike authors such as Maffetone ("The Maffetone Method") who recommends more time in lower zones she recommends Zone 3 (70-80%) as the best all-round zone, the one that gives you "the most bang for your buck."

Other important parts of the book are the "Ten Step Program"--designed to help you create your own training programs using a point system of Edward's own, a weight loss training plan, a chapter for highly competitive athletes, and even a chapter on "Sex and the Heart Zones." All of these are useful or interesting, although none of them are outstanding for their organization or the clarity of the details.

Throughout the book, there is a need for more careful editing and typo checking. There is also no index.

All in all this is a B+ effort in a field of books that's not distinguished by first-class writing, organization, or editing.

26 of 26 found the following review helpful:

Excellent heart rate monitoring book  Feb 23, 2002

As a 40 something physician/triathlete/marathoner I found this book to be full of common sense advice, very informative and an easy read. I had used a heart rate monitor for about 6 months before I read this book and feel I have a much better understanding of how to get the most out of my monitor and train smarter rather than harder. This is an excellent book not only for the competitive athlete but for anyone interested in fitness. After reading the book I'm not sure it would be necessary to attend Sally Edwards' well known weekend seminars given around the country.

22 of 23 found the following review helpful:

The Heart Rate Guidebook to Heart Zone Training  Jun 07, 2002

I LOVED this book! I have been competing in Triathlon and running for 4 years and have read quite a few books on Heart Rate training. I have always had a hard time understanding heart rate training completely. This is the first book that put everything simply, and is for the person who is just starting an excercise program to elite competitive athletes. I'm very impressed, totally psyched to start my own Heart Zone training program. I started reading this book and couldn't put it down. Before I was finished, I had to order 2 more copies for friends. If you are interested in learning about training with a Heart Rate monitor, this is the book for you!

24 of 26 found the following review helpful:

There are many other good books on this topic - avoid this one  Aug 26, 2005
By J. Selberg
I was dissapointed with this book for a number of reasons:

1. Way too much fluff. The material in this book could have been provided in a couple of chapters. The book is filled with a lot of unnecessary filler that does not serve to improve the reader's understanding of training with a heart rate monitor.

2. The basics of heart rate training was repeated over and over again without telling the reader significantly more or new information.

3. This book contains so many careless typos I felt like I was reading an early draft copy of a mauscript prior to submission to an editor.

I don't doubt that the author is knowledgeable on this topic since she has a number of other heart rate training related books. However this one appears to have been rushed to press in an incomplete form and is one to avoid.

29 of 36 found the following review helpful:

Enough content to fill 2 pages, no more  Dec 19, 2002
By blurb
Very light on content. The book repeats itself every other page. How many times can I see the zone table repeated? Either the author is senile or she thinks us readers are! Reading some of the pages I had a feeling I already read them. Not very informative, and does not have enough practical advice.

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