subject: Garmin 405CX - Your Personal Interval Training Coach [print this page] Garmin 405CX - Your Personal Interval Training Coach
The Garmin 405CX GPS enabled sports watch is your portable personal trainer and is ideal especially for interval training. It is the most complete model of the Garmin 405 Forerunner range with integrated heart rate monitor, heart rate based calorie computation and a more sensitive GPS module.
The Garmin 405CX has a built in interval workout mode. You can create interval workouts based on time or distance for your run and rest portions of the workout.
Create interval workouts with your Garmin 405CX
You create a complete interval workout session in the Training > Workout menu of your Garmin 405CX. Once you have selected the type and duration for both workout and rest you enter the number of repetitions. The Garmin 405CX will beep an audio alarm as it counts down the time to the start of the new interval. You also have the option of ending an interval early.
If you vary the exercises, you can use the Advanced Workout Mode and the Courses menu section to create customised workout steps. In addition, you can also select warm up and cool down periods, which are important to avoid injury. (See the Garmin 405 CX manual for detailed instructions on how to set the various interval training options.)
Benefits of Interval Training
The benefits of interval training are by now undisputed. From anti-aging to cardiovascular health to an improved immune system, carefully controlled stop-start exercises with built in rest periods and a number of repetitions of exercise cycles are the best foundational workouts for any sport.
Consistent interval training has huge cardiovascular benefits. It helps reduce your resting pulse and increases the efficiency of your heart. It increases endurance making any other type of sport easier and therefore more fun be it hiking, skiing, climbing, swimming or cycling.
Further proven benefits are not only lower cholesterol levels with associated reduction in the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease but also a stronger immune system.
How To Structure Your Interval Training With The Garmin 405CX
Interval training combines aerobic and anaerobic workout with rest periods. For maximum effectiveness regularity and consistency are of prime importance. It is here that the Garmin 405CX comes into its own.
After warming up period you start your cycle of aerobic/anaerobic exercises punctuated by rest periods. General guidelines recommend a ratio of 3 minutes aerobic to 1 minute anaerobic exercise when you push yourself as hard as you can. After a 30 second or 1 minute rest period, the cycle starts again.
During a total workout of, say, 8 cycles exercises should become progressively harder peaking in the middle with cycles 4 and 5. After that, the level of difficulty should decline again. The full workout should then be completed by a cooling down period.
Benefits Of The Garmin 405 CX
You can set your Garmin 405CX to monitor your customised heart rate training. It will not only time your interval training but use audible signals indicate whether you are inside your targeted heart rate zone, too high or too low. This allows you to focus on your interval training and to maintain your heart rate throughout your workout without even having to glance at your watch.
