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Home > Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot
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Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot
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By John L. Parker Jr.
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 (55 Reviews)
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Publisher:
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Breakaway Books
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Edition:
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3
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Published:
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December 31, 1969 |
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Binding:
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Paperback
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Pages:
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272
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John L. Parker, Jr. is one of running literature?s great luminaries. As the author of Once a Runner and Again to Carthage, he is revered, quoted, and imitated. He also wrote this wonderfully accessible, witty guide to training with a heart-rate monitor. His common-sense approach aims to force you to take easy days?easier than you can even stand at first. And mix these in with periodic hard days, all precisely calibrated to your resting heart rate and maximum heart rate, to achieve levels of running fitness you had never before been able to attain. His program is very specific, with numerous tables and graphs for runners of all levels. He imparts his wisdom with extraordinary clarity and wit, making the whole experience one of hiring a wise, encouraging, and amusing coach. This third edition of Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot brings Parker?s work up to date and back into print. Heart monitors are now cheaper and easier to use than ever, and any runner wanting to break his or her personal records would be well-advised to buy this book and train with Coach Parker.
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Customer Reviews:
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 Not so good for a beginner, June 1, 2000
By A Customer
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I bought this book after reading all the 5-star reviews from Amazon readers, but found it not so useful for someone like me who is new to running. It's written in a friendly, conversational style but the author assumes you are already a runner and know quite a bit about training. For example, Week 1 of his "Novice" training program includes a 5-mile run and several 3-mile runs, and he assumes you already know about intervals, tempo runs, and other training techniques. If you're below this level, there's not much guidance for you here. This book is probably terrific for the experienced and committed runner, especially one who has had some coaching. However, if you're just starting off with running for fun or fitness, an alternative I'd recommend is the chapter on heart rate monitors in "The New York Road Runners Club Complete Book of Running and Fitness" (Random House, 1997), which I found after I purchased this book. It offers a much shorter, clearer discussion of training with a heart rate monitor and includes a good plan for those just getting started. Happy running to you experienced folks and us beginners too!
127 of 127 people found the above review helpful.
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 Shows how to train smarter not harder!, May 9, 2000
By philly-reader (Elkins Park, PA USA)
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During the years that I've been training and competing in races from the mile to the marathon, I've read everything I could get my hands on about running. This Book Is The BEST!. It is the only book I have ever recommended to anyone on the subject. Here's why.. (1) The author is extremely readable. He informs without being condescending or a becoming a statistical drone. (2) The program works for you and with you. No more guessing whether you're training to hard or not hard enough. As you're fitness improves (and it will), so does your pace -- with NO ADDITIONAL effort. (3) Running has becomes a pleasure again. The core of the program are runs done at 70% of your max heart rate. These runs build endurance at a pace that leaves you looking forward to the next run. (4) The book gives training plans for those who don't want to plan a program, but, also explains the "philosophy" clearly enough so that one could confidently adapt your training to meet your individual needs. Now, you may notice that I haven't mentioned faster race times. I believe the author has the best comment on that -- IF YOU DON'T RUN A PERSONAL RECORD AFTER FOLLOWING HIS PROGRAM. HE PROMISES TO REFUND YOUR MONEY. I could go on but the proof is in the pages. If you want to improve your health and your running THIS IS THE BOOK.
55 of 59 people found the above review helpful.
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Anecdotal, funny, informative and oriented ONLY to runners., August 17, 1999
By A Customer
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This is the best heart rate guide I have found for runners. Parker isn't anal about rules - like Jack Daniels, he gives you rules, but also gives you a lot of common sense with which to interpret, bend and if necessary break the rules. Plenty of training schedules for runners of all levels. Nice section on "periodization," or why you need to build up training intensity over a period of weeks, peak, rest and start the process over again. Nice personal stories. Great sense of humor. Parker is also very open about when and where to "cheat" on the rules. This book, plus my monitor, has changed the way I train. My easy running is easier (I even stop and walk without guilt!), my hard running is more structured and intense, my injuries are nil and my times are improved. I would recommend it to any runner who is serious or thinking about getting more serious.
37 of 37 people found the above review helpful.
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A humorous and easy to use training guide for HRM training, January 28, 1999
By Mike Twomey jmt0314@msn.com (Greensboro NC)
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With the introduction of Heart Rate Monitors for endurance sports, a number of training guides have been written regarding their use. Most of the ones that I've previously read have been given to people who suffer from sleep disorders as reading material. "Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot" by John L. Parker is totally different. This guide is hilarious and may end up being the most useful book on training that I've ever purchased. The schedules that Parker outlines range from novice athlete to those intended for the serious competitor. I would highly recommend this book for those who want to use a HRM to improve their performances and have some fun at the same time. Parker is the author of the legendary "Once a Runner" a classic in the running world.
28 of 30 people found the above review helpful.
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 Too many pages for just a few messages, March 25, 2004
By A Customer
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This book is an entertaining, quick, and easy read, but contains really only one key message that doesn't take more than a brief magazine article to explain. It's the same message repeated over and over again: training too hard is inefficient and you won't improve - you must alternate hard days with easy days, with "hard" being defined as over 70% your max heart rate, and "easy" being below that threshold. That's really all you need to know. Not worth reading an entire book on it - one chapter is entirely on athletes' testimonials trying to convince you of the importance of heart rate monitor training. Well hello, I'm reading the book - you don't need to continue to sell me on the strategy halfway through it! The suggested training programs are overly-simplistic, and I would find it hard to stick to them exactly, as Parker suggests, given other normal training needs (e.g., cross-training, weight-lifting, etc.). The book is also designed primarily for runners, as evidenced by the running-based training program. The book lacks any real insight beyond the very basics.
25 of 33 people found the above review helpful.
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excellent reference for using a HRM with running!, January 19, 1999
By A Customer
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This is the best book I have found for heart rate monitor training with running. He explains why and how HRM training works. He gives good max heart rate tests. He also suggest training programs and gives several case studies. I also bought Ed Burke's book "Precision Heart Rate Training". It was more suited for a variety of sports and did not go into the depth that Parker's book does. Sally Edwards' "Heart Zone Training" is too basic for the serious recreational athlete. This is THE book to get if you have or are thinking about getting a HRM to use with running!
22 of 22 people found the above review helpful.
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A Primer on the Use of Heart Rate Monitors for Sports Performance Improvements and general fitness - I Lost 200 lbs with, July 25, 2006
By The Automation and Control Guy
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The primary emphasis of this book is on how to use a heart rate monitor for sports performance improvements. The text is focused on runners, but the principles described apply to cycling, swimming, or cross-country skiing, in short in can be applied to any sport endurance training. Nevertheless the same principles can be used for general fitness improvement.
When I bought this book, about six years ago, I was looking for an introductory reference on the use of heart rate monitors for general fitness improvements, and wasn't disappointed at all, since what I learned really worked out for me: Armed with a Polar Heart Rate Monitor (the old M61) I was able to drop more than 200 lbs in about eight months, and the heart rate monitor training has helped me keep those lbs off for over six years. Not only I went fro size 44 to size 32 pants, but also obtained substantial benefits that included weight control, cardiovascular improvements, lowered blood pressure, and improved muscular-skeletal strength and flexibility, but also the myriad of mental and psychological benefits derived from being in the best shape of my life.
The book teaches you how to calculate the most important parameters for heart rate monitor training: Maximum Heart Rate, Resting Heart Rate, the Recovery Ceiling, and the Threshold Flour. When I first started training with the heart rate monitor I was unable to jog even for five uninterrupted minutes without gasping for air. After a few months of following one of the training principles lay out in the book (The Hard/Easy Principle): alternating hard training days with easy training days, I was able to go jogging for 90 uninterrupted minutes six days a week.
The book is written in a clear and conversational way, that makes it a must have for anyone and everyone looking for introductory information on the use of heart rate monitors training for sport performance, health improvement or weight control.
20 of 20 people found the above review helpful.
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A Primer on the Use of Heart Rate Monitors for Sports Performance Improvements and general fitness - I Lost 200 lbs with, July 25, 2006
By The Automation and Control Guy
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The primary emphasis of this book is on how to use a heart rate monitor for sports performance improvements. The text is focused on runners, but the principles described apply to cycling, swimming, or cross-country skiing, in short in can be applied to any sport endurance training. Nevertheless the same principles can be used for general fitness improvement.
When I bought this book, about six years ago, I was looking for an introductory reference on the use of heart rate monitors for general fitness improvements, and wasn't disappointed at all, since what I learned really worked out for me: Armed with a Polar Heart Rate Monitor (the old M61) I was able to drop more than 200 lbs in about eight months, and the heart rate monitor training has helped me keep those lbs off for over six years. Not only I went fro size 44 to size 32 pants, but also obtained substantial benefits that included weight control, cardiovascular improvements, lowered blood pressure, and improved muscular-skeletal strength and flexibility, but also the myriad of mental and psychological benefits derived from being in the best shape of my life.
The book teaches you how to calculate the most important parameters for heart rate monitor training: Maximum Heart Rate, Resting Heart Rate, the Recovery Ceiling, and the Threshold Flour. When I first started training with the heart rate monitor I was unable to jog even for five uninterrupted minutes without gasping for air. After a few months of following one of the training principles lay out in the book (The Hard/Easy Principle): alternating hard training days with easy training days, I was able to go jogging for 90 uninterrupted minutes six days a week.
The book is written in a clear and conversational way, that makes it a must have for anyone and everyone looking for introductory information on the use of heart rate monitors training for sport performance, health improvement or weight control.
20 of 20 people found the above review helpful.
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Good but could be meatier, June 6, 2000
By Todd Sauder (Abbotsford, BC)
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I found the advice in this book to be excellent. It is factual and straight to the point. However, the main point of the book is to run your "easy" runs at 70% of max heart rate and your "hard" runs at 85%. Good advice but that's what I paid $23 (Cdn.) for? Hardly seems worth the money. There are some good training programs contained within but nothing I couldn't get over the Net for free. The middle of the book is filled with testamonials which are interesting and certainly give credence to the author's training theories but only serve to highlight his main point about 70% and 85% training. I would have liked to see some more specific examples of different types of workouts and how you can use the heart rate monitor to increase their effectiveness or simply to add variety to a training program. Overall, simple but excellent advice.
17 of 18 people found the above review helpful.
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An excellent guide to heart monitors!, November 7, 1999
By A Customer
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Before you strap on a heart monitor, you should definitely read this book. It will improve your PRs (it did mine). If your running has become a chore, the tips in this book will put the fun back into your training. I definitely recommend this book!
17 of 17 people found the above review helpful.
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Great perspective - smart and to the point., April 3, 2005
By JimmyC (Atlanta, GA USA)
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This is a pretty good book. I don't know what the author was thinking about though by giving it that title. I didn't want to read it or buy it because... well, I don't consider myself to be a complete or compleat idiot.
The fact is, he is a good author and a great trainer. The basic premise of the book is to remember to 1. RECOVER and 2. Use the right fuel. I wrote a complete review on my weblog:<a href="http://charanis.com/blog/2005/04/02/heart-monitor-training-book/"> Heart Monitor Training Book..</a> http://charanis.com/blog/2005/04/02/heart-monitor-training-book/
Here are some quotes:
Lactic acid and its effects
Fast twitch red cells
The Bear is lactic acid build-up
The Wall is lack of glycogen
The secret about breathing (hint - winded isn't lack of oxygen - its that their muscle cells can't use it).
Duration of training is key to fat burning
Running longer then two hours is counter productive
Training increases blood supply
It takes time to grow capillaries (Be patient)
buy this book if you are training -
13 of 13 people found the above review helpful.
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It works!, April 1, 2006
By J. Rice (Rockville, MD USA)
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First, this training methedology takes a lot of self-discipline. Probably everyone who starts out with this, apart from non-runners, will be frustrated by how slow Parker says to run. But... if you stick with it, it works. I credit this book with improving my enjoyment and efficiency during running, but moreover I think it has protected me from injury by making sure I have good recovery.
Bottom line -- you'll hate this book when you start out, because you'll have to slow down. But as your body adapts (takes about two months in my experience), the benefits will start to pour in. Stick with it, it really does work, and it makes sense.
13 of 14 people found the above review helpful.
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Get an Editor!!, September 4, 2003
By A Customer
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In general, I like this book and I have started the Intermediate Training plan laid out by the author. I have had a heart monitor for awhile, and I have always thought that if I was training in my "zone" every day, the heart rate monitor was helping me train well. The author made me begin to question that and made me think about new ways to use the monitor effectively, making sure I am running easy on my easy days and hard on my hard days. I am really hoping I see the results the author promises. Time will tell. . . What REALLY irritates me about this book is the huge number of distracting errors and typos. Some are small and insignicant I guess (spelling mistakes, grammatical errors). Others not so insignificant. For example, the book has training schedules but there are instances where the daily mileage does not add up to the weekly mileage. The formula described for calculating our actual maximum heart rate in one of the charts is incorrect. There is even a "see page" reference to a page that doesn't exist! This is really the publisher's fault and not the author, but it makes the book difficult to read. For a third printing of a second edition, one would think that this wouldn't be an issue. Still, I appreciate what the author has to share and the book has gotten me psyched about setting some new PRs.
13 of 14 people found the above review helpful.
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GOOD STUFF, September 25, 2003
By A Customer
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I have been running, cycling, lifting weights, stretching, skating, skiing and falling off cliffs for thirty years. As I enter my sixties I find that I am not quite as fast as I once was and want to optimize my exercise. I found this book. The reason I like this book is that it doesn't emphasize staying in "the zone," but emphasizes what to do on those days when I'm not going hard (burning glycogen). I'm sold. I am now on a hard/easy/easy schedule, using the monitor to keep my heartrate below 70% THR on my recovery days. Already I'm threatening to break a 10 minute mile baby. Rory Donaldson, slogger, roryd@brainsarefun.com
12 of 12 people found the above review helpful.
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 Interesting read-- but no PR's for me, January 26, 2002
By A Customer
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As an experienced road-racer for a decade, and user of a heart monitor for several years, I looked forward to learning to use it more effectively. Author of the classic, "Once a Runner," Parker promises marked improvement and PR's, backed up by enthusiastic testimonials. I eagerly followed his 12 week training plan to the letter, achieving 45-55 mile training weeks without injury or fatigue and increasing my cardiovascular fitness with a drop in resting heart rate to 45. Unfortunately, my 5K race pace slowed considerably as a result. All the easy running in the program made the hard training days feel much harder and converted me into a slower runner. This form of training just may not be suitable for every "compleat" idiot runner!
12 of 15 people found the above review helpful.
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This book is the cure for burnout!!, March 29, 2001
By eric d peters (tucson, az United States)
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I have been an on-and-off runner for the last 15 years (33-years-old now) Back in my younger days, I used to run the same 6-mi course virtually every day, with little to no variation. My goal?...To be faster than my fastest time on that course. This was my concept of fitness. In retrospect, there is little wonder that running became a chore admixed with assorted minor injuries. Up until about a month ago, whenever I got back into running, I would essentially duplicate this "training" method. No wonder I have been a three months on, two months off kind of guy for so long. I picked up this book and have started to truly train smarter and not harder. The heart rate monitor does not lie and gives the best objective measure of how you are working. Staying within the recommended HR ranges allows one to get what they need out of each workout, but still have something left over. I agree with earlier reviews that there is little meat in this book (run easy days at 70% of less of HR range MAX; run hard days at 85%+); nevertheless, it is an entertaining book with little fluff, inspiring testimonials, and a bunch of workout plans in the back to give any level of runner a framework to get going. It is a quick read (about 2 hours for me). Having perused the Triathletes Training Bible by Friel ( a highly rated book for any kind of athlete), this book seems to be geared toward the average athlete and is devoid of, what I feel, is annoying minutae. I truly believe Parker's method will keep me away from burnout. Heck, it may even get me to race one day. Get this book..then loan it to a friend!
10 of 10 people found the above review helpful.
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A great way to start and keep running enjoyable., December 13, 2000
By Mark D. Smucker
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Parker does an excellent job of showing one how to, as he says, "train with a heart rate monitor and not just wear one." The writing is enjoyable and made me want to get out there and get running. The book can be a little rough in places, but this isn't an expensive book and I was forgiving considering the value. The training programs are great but geared for a 10K as your race goal. Especially nice are 4 different levels for the training programs so that one can find a program that works for you. You'll need a book like "The Competetive Runner's Handbook" by Glover to understand "tempo run" and "striders" and to see where Parker's programs fit into a full year long training program. Using the heart rate monitor, and following Parker's programs dilgently, I was able to get out there and get running from scratch and enjoy it whereas in the past I burn out and fall off the exercise wagon before building a habit. (And if the book doesn't work for you, Parker will refund your money!)
9 of 9 people found the above review helpful.
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best HR monitor book out there, October 19, 2003
By steven altfillisch (Glendora, CA United States)
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I've read all the training books and this one boils it all down to the basics needed to get the most out of training. The best part is that Parker's two principles will apply to all types of training and racing goals. After two years of following his guidelines I am still racking up PRs and enjoying my training!
9 of 10 people found the above review helpful.
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Do it scientifically, June 11, 2003
By Burak (Cleveland, OH)
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I really liked this book. I actually like reading about fitness books and learning the science behind it. Around us, it is easy to find people who train wrong. I heard many people thinking that running fast will make them lose more fat which is totally wrong. In this book starting from the first chapter, writer tries to teach you how to run scientifically. You calculate your heart zones and start to run accordingly. You start to learn your body and do not push your self hard in a wrong way. This technique is perfect for fat loss. Because you learn your fat burning zone and start to run in that range. If you are a serious runner, you run accordingly. First building up endurance then increasing your hard days. I read some reviews which I am sure that they did not read the whole book. There is no way that you can be unsuccesful with this book, if you understand it completely. You can be a serious runner or a fat burner or a fitness builder. It works for all. With this book I not only decreased my fat percentage in my body but also increased my performance. My advice please read the whole book before making any judgements and starting your training. If you want to be a serious runner, with the information taught in the book, build up a running plan for yourself.
9 of 11 people found the above review helpful.
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Very Pleased!, March 20, 2002
By Darin Lawton (Chandler, AZ United States)
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I purchased this book as a way to get started with a jogging regimen with the possible chance of competing in races eventually. The book is very basic and straight forward in it's presentation of material. It would be great for the beginning runner who needs some motivation to begin and sustain a running regimen. The book includes workouts for the novice as well as the competitive runner. The best thing about the book was that it got to the point and made it very easy to understand in the process. After two weeks I ran my first race and was very succesful!
8 of 8 people found the above review helpful.
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Good if you are patient., July 20, 2005
By K. Harback (DC)
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This book describes a system where you can use a heart rate monitor as an objective measure of exertion to improve your running by doing alternating high intensity and low intensity training days. It is clearly written with real life examples and walks you through the calculations.
I have been doing the program a couple months now-- progress is slow, but by doing long runs at recovery pace (low intensity) I have been able to up my weekly mileage beyond what I had been doing without getting injured or burnt out. Not much improvement in speed yet (but is has gotten hotter and hotter outside as I've been doing the hard day / easy day heart rate training).
8 of 8 people found the above review helpful.
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Read it, do the work and get real results!, November 5, 2006
By E. E. D. Winius
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I am not a competitive athlete. I don't even run. I bought this book in order to try to understand the heart rate monitor and it's uses, hoping it would make training more interesting. I own an eliptical trainer (for warming up and cooling down) and an indoor rower (my 'main machine'). I train to gain general fitness and keep my back from complaining. My work is such that I can't train every day of the week.
The general tone of the book is conversational, encouraging and mr. Parker obviously knows all the shortcuts and excuses runners use to try to get results faster. He can also explain why they don't work very clearly.
I got more than I expected. First of all, you need to find out your maximum and minimum heart rate in order to really work with this book. A challenging prospect since I live in the Netherlands and I needed a hill to find out what it was. My brother and I made a trip to the dunes to find a suitable hill, and both of us came home with surprising results. We were also quite exhausted! You need to put effort into this part, but I definitely recommend really doing the work to find your personal maximum and not being satisfied with a calculated estimation. It made all the difference in the world to my training. I turned out to have a rather low maximum, so never realised why I always came up short! John Parker helped me find out why. My brother turned out to have a high maximum for his age. Estimations wouldn't do him justice, either.
Using the new information and training schedules I suddenly started to improve by leaps and bounds: more energy, better health, weight loss and an overall joy in seeing my performance improve. I've started to make my slow rows longer (regularly doing 10 k) and my fast rows more interesting with interval work. I can adapt all the training schedules in his book to my rower.
There are training schedules for beginners (and no, I don't think he expects you to run the full distance, just keep your heart rate in the right zone for that particular distance!) for intermediates and for the better runners out there. There is info for those who engage in other sports. There is even information about the oddities you might encounter while working with a heart rate monitor.
I personally didn't need to read the succes stories included in the book. Some of you out there might need to. Like me, you will probably need all the encouragement mr. Parker can and does give you to give his method a try. Some might find his tone a bit patronizing, I thought it was funny. I do recommend you try it though. It made a huge difference for me!
8 of 9 people found the above review helpful.
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Senior Runners, Read this Book, April 22, 2006
By RSM (far Northern California)
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Senior runners can add years to their running lives with the training schedules in Parkers book. I am 61 and have been a moderately serious recreational runner for about 30 years. In my late 50's I had some abdominal surgery and was ordered to stop running for six months. After my recovery, I found that I just could not train the way I had before. I simply was not recovering from my training runs. I would do a nice comfortable 6 miler, and be exhausted for days. I went from mid a 40's 10K to being embarrassed to enter a race. I moped around for about a year, and somebody recommended training with a heart rate monitor. I bought a Polar S120 and Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot. I struggled with some of the counter intuitive ideas in the book, but figured I did not have much to lose. I am now back up to 30 miles a week and feeling pretty good. I don't know yet if this stuff is going to help me set new PRs, but it has gotten me back out on the road. If you other old geezers are starting to cut back your mileage, or getting injured more, spend the 10 bucks and give this a try.
8 of 9 people found the above review helpful.
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Excellent book, August 11, 2005
By S. Nemeth (Michigan USA)
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This book is an extremely easy to understand and use book for pulse monitor training. It was even fun to read. It is very concise and practical..I have implemented the program and enjoy it. I found another book on pulse training and found it extremely wordy, complex, with no clear direction for a training program at the end.
7 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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The Best Book I have read on Heart Rate Training., April 11, 2000
By A Customer
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I have been running with a Heart Rate Monitor for about 4 years now. And I have read a lot of books about HR Monitor training. I believe that this book is the best as it gives a very simple plan to use and train with. Written for a runner by a runner. If you can follow the advice in this book you will be a better runner. It has worked well for me, but it does take discipline to stay with. This is a long term plan so that you will be running well for years to come. Good luck to you all, and Thank you Mr.Parker.
7 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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Very effective training method if you stick with it!, February 21, 2008
By Wendy Perez (Mystic, CT)
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I'm not a great runner, and I'm not even a good runner. I never care about my finishing times, my splits, or whether my "equipment" is the latest and the best (except for my UnderArmour clothes, which in New England, in January, become super important).
I run because it just feels good when it's over. And it makes my body look downright pretty.
I bought this book because I wasn't feeling good anymore. I found myself feeling really tired and burned out after four or five weeks and taking a week off just to end up at Square Two or Three again.
What this book did was teach me to use my HRM as a personal trainer. At first, it was difficult to stick to the advice. My body wanted to go faster and my watch kept telling me to slow down. When I finally surrendered and decided to just "trust" the science, everything started to fall into place. Everything!
Someone talked about it being a difficult book for beginners, but the truth is, that if you come with a heart that beats, you can use this method. You simply need to walk, crawl, run within your heart range and the rest will follow.
I think beginners will benefit the most soonest because they haven't adopted bad habits (or delusions of grandeur, of which I am guilty). Just be sure to invest in a good HRM (I love the Polar F4) and you're off.
The only reason I didn't give it the full five stars was because some of the scientific information was tough to follow. I had to sit down and digest that, reading it three times, and am still not clear on how the body uses fat for fuel. I read this several months ago and will go through it again to see if it's clearer, but you don't need to understand that to adhere to the principles and see the results. I, however, prefer to know WHY and HOW things work.
Other than that, a gift for all runners, walkers, and crawlers.
6 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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Quick and easy read - Lacking information is some chapters, November 3, 2001
By John D Hendricks (Grayson, GA United States)
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This book has to be one of the quickest reads if done in a while--no confusing details and a simple, down-to-earth writing style. It covers the basics of Heart Rate Monitor training well for runners. The cyclists and triathletes alluded to on the cover will find the book sadly disappointing and should look elsewhere for greater insight into Heart Rate Monitor training for their respective sports. I've only got two gripes with this book: 1) It could have been much shorter and too the point. The whole book could be condensed to a phamphlet.
2) The quality of the typesetting stinks and grammatical errors abound. To me, these were very distracting and could be easily corrected. Overall, I'd have given this book 2 stars, but the jury is still out on whether or not his training theory works.
6 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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Makes so much sense., March 8, 2004
By J. Scott Calder (Dayton, OH United States)
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This book is a very easy read (I read it in about 2 hours) with a common sense approach. The problem is most of us don't use common sense, so this book helps you do it. Increased my speed in a very short time. The only knock is it could be more in depth on training plans and use in races.
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Serious runners' guide has lessons for all, February 6, 2007
By C. D. Lynn (Marietta, GA USA)
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Parker's message is that most runners over-train by following the standard advice to keep their heart-rate between 70-85% of maximum for their daily workouts. He explains first that the percentage should be based on the range between resting and absolute max heart-rate, not simply the max value. But his main point is that you should alternate easy and hard days - on the easy days, keep below 70%, and on the hard ones, above 85%. This allows the glycogen level to recover between hard runs, which the conventional method fails to do.
As a middle-aged layabout trying to fend of aging by jogging rather than a real runner, I found the book worked for me, increasing my endurance and even my pleasure in running.
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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World of Difference, November 9, 2006
By R. Gilardi
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Coupled with the purchase of my first heart rate monitor this book is the best investment I ever made towards my running. I've run for years always trying to improve my time by running faster and harder. I could never seem to really enjoy the effort and see sustainable results. Following this program for the past 8 weeks I've achieved new PR's for distance and time.
The author states you'll be out the door in 10 min with a plan. He was right. I've never enjoyed running more and I now look forward to tracking my progress after every run.
The title is interesting because the odd spelling of 'Compleat' foreshadows the poor editing of the book. It's noticeable but doesn't impact the real content. The book appears sizeable but probably half is testimonials and training plans. Well worth the investment.
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Triathlete's give it a miss, Runners should buy it, July 24, 2001
By Lamby (London, UK)
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The books principle is to use the heart rate monitor to not train too hard on easy days and to go hard on hard days. This works well for runners who find it hard to do easy runs, triathlete's do this automatically by cross training. The triathlon chapter is there to sell a few more books. The stuff on calculating heart rate zones is good.
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Book Geared for Runners, November 10, 2006
By healthgal (WI)
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I ended up sending this book back because it is really geared more towards a runner. Not someone like me who walks mostly and lifts weights for more general health. I ended up sending this book back because it was a little too complicated for me. If you are someone who is looking for a book to help a beginner with a heart monitor, I wouldn't suggest this particular book.
I imagine it's a great resource for a runner though!
: )
5 of 11 people found the above review helpful.
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For serious runners only, June 24, 2002
By Ray (Deerfield Beach, FL USA)
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This book is for the serious runners. The long distance runner may benifit from this but I was looking for weight loss help. I found other books to meet this need.
5 of 16 people found the above review helpful.
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Good for runners, July 10, 2001
By A Customer
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I thought this book was really clear and easy to read. It would be a great book for runners. Unfortunately, I bought this book as a resource for triathlon training since it said "for runners, triathletes..etc" on the cover, and there were only a few pages dedicated to triathlon training. There were 12 week training programs for runners, but only a one-week sample for triathletes.
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Useful and easy to read, August 30, 1999
By A Customer
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This book is a useful way to learn to use that heart rate monitor you just bought. The book is oriented mainly to runners, but the concepts Parker presents apply equally well to other endurance sports. It is easy, entertaining reading, but with enough information to put together a basic HRM training program. The training program Parker presents is simpler and easier to follow than many others I've seen.
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Run to the Bookstore and Buy this Book!, January 23, 1999
By A Customer
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Don't run without reading this book. Solid research, breezy writing. Most practical and credible % heart-rate formula available. At 54 years of age, I clocked a 5:14 mile after 3 months of following the book's advice and intermediate training schedule. Whether you want to get fit, lose weight or run faster, this book shows you how. It's scientific and it really, really works!!! Well done, Mr. Parker!
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Easy to read but exercises too hard, October 11, 2000
By A Customer
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I had been running for years and had also done a few marathons when I decided to use a heart monitor. As I saw lots of 5 stars for the book I decided to buy it. In my opinion it asks too much of the runner. I reached a point where I dreaded to run on certain days because of the book. My rest heart rate was 51 and my maximum heart rate was 199. Even at novice level I had to run at 85% several times for 400 yards or 800 yards. I think it is a must to use a heart rate monitor but don't use the programs the author suggests. For German readers I suggest Ole Petersen's books "Ironman" or "Marathon".
5 of 8 people found the above review helpful.
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Runners, August 10, 2006
By butler
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This is a book primarily for competitive runners. It's well written and interesting. It will also help anyone involved in a serious exercise program which relies on exercising at a certain percentage of heart rate--but not as much. And if you're neither,then it's not for you at all.
4 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Heart Smart work of art, not to part, with my book cart., January 3, 2001
By "mr_bits" (Chicago, IL)
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I'm not as young as I used to be and Health is a growing concern. With the holiday season upon us many americans do not understand the cardiovascular danger of the heart enlarging during this time. I'm glad I got this book. Not only do I feel better, but I've calmed my greatest fear. The fear that the sickening joy and merriment of Christmas would unexpectedly cause my heart to grow three sizes someday, killing me instantly.
4 of 16 people found the above review helpful.
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great book on hrm training, September 7, 1999
By Derek Rose (Manchester, NH)
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this is probably the best book on training i've read. it really changed the way I run, for the better. Definitely recommended.
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Hard to beat, July 13, 2010
By Cosmos (Find me...)
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HARD TO BEAT. The basic premise is that less is more when your smart about it.
Pro's: John Parker has an informal writing style and makes a clear presentation of a relatively basic, yet effective method for improving athletic performance. The author has some ingenious ideas for determining heart rate and training, but hear me now and listen to me later, this book is a presentation of the "easy/hard" training system which as the author notes, we all talk about but seldom quite get it right. This book is geared to running, but with some effort the reader can apply the lessons to any endurance based training. Much less self-promotion than some other books on the market that I've come across or purchased and this book logically progresses in each successive chapter. I especially liked the chapter's where other athlete's explained their experiences with this system and using heart rate monitors. After reading this book I felt more motivated to train and better equipped to use my heart rate monitor in a basic way.
Con's: Not quite accessible to the real beginner in my opinion, and the the presentation would benefit with other training plans (use of intervals on hard days, etc.) as well as a discussion of methods of determining over-training or discussion of the various heart rate systems. I would love to read a cogent analysis of Polar heart rate monitor systems as compared with Nike, Adidas, Garmin and the other's now on the market. adidas miCoach Zone
Overall: I'm glad I have this book and it will stay on my shelf for those days where I think I too know better than my body tells me. This book is well worth the nominal investment and as a bottom line: John Parker's "easy/hard" system works well.
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Good aid to heart health & better training results, October 25, 2005
By Carlos (Andalucia, Spain)
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Easy reading, straight to the point, helpful to plan an step-by-step training plan to obtain/maintain good heart health. Recommended even if you're a pro: you can find a new dimension in training.
3 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Well thought out book, December 17, 2005
By CJ (Seattle, WA USA)
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I found this book useful as I ventured into the world of heart monitor training for the purpose of running marathons. Relatively simple to follow (for someone well-conditioned, I can't see some people getting their max heart rate with the way Parker does it, for example). Be aware that this is an evolving area of sports medicine and this is just one perspective.
Worth buying.
3 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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An absolute must!, April 4, 2000
By A Customer
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This book should be required reading for anyone who wishes to begin running, is already an active runner, or someone who feels like they have either plateaued or burned out. Certainly, if you purchase a HR Monitor, spend a little extra for this book. It will improve your training and make your running rewarding and exciting.
3 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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A Good Book, and not just for Runners, April 18, 2008
By J. Mijares (San Francisco, CA)
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First off, I really enjoyed this book. The author has a bit of a strange writing style where he may come across as a smart-mouth, but it gives him a unique voice.
Several of the reviewers here have stated that this book is only for runners. I would have to disagree. Having read the book from front to back, you can apply much of the heart rate training advice to any sport. I'm not an avid runner, but I love my rowing machine and this book has helped me realize that I'm really overtraining at times, which explains why some days I seem to gain a pound even though I know that I worked my tail off the day before. Or some days when I'm rowing (or walking) and I feel that I haven't gotten in much effort, and yet I lose a pound.
It's all in the science. I really appreciated the chapter on the science behind how the muscles work with both fat and glycogen.
Why only four stars? Sadly, the editing in this book is terrible. There are typos galore, and page 62 refers to a diagram on page 70 which doesn't exist!
Is it that bad? The advice in the book is sound, but the editing problems don't really make for a pleasant reading experience. Still, I'd recommend this book if you can find a copy because it has comprehensive and helpful advice.
And, yes, while I'm not an avid runner, this book has inspired me to start a running program this summer.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Good but very basic information, October 28, 2006
By Michael J. Lauterbach
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This is what the book says: train at less than 70 percent of your max. Really. Really. I have trained at less than 70 percent of my max and it helped. Others have trained at 70 percent of their max and that helped too.
That having been said, he is right, and the book is an easy read and is a good way to get started. The basics of HRM training are very basic, so the style fits. Just don't expect any more than that. Also, this is geared more toward runners than anything.
For the opposite approach, check out Friel's Cyclists Training Bible.
2 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot, February 3, 2007
By Gillman (Pittsburgh, Pa)
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This book is for runners, as a walker it is of limited value.
2 of 14 people found the above review helpful.
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Raves for Heart Monitor Training, May 17, 2010
By P. H. Jolly (NE Ohio)
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If you search the web, you are hard pressed to find any info about this book. Why? I have no idea. Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot is a fantastic book for runners of any level. I loaned my copy out, and simply bought another for myself.
John L. Parker does a fantastic job breaking down the complex physiology of heart rate monitor training into a readable yet informative text. It truely is heart rate training for the complete idiot (like me). Runners of any level will benefit from learning the principles Parker puts forth in the book.
This book should be a part of EVERY runner's library. By the way, I am 48 and a mid to back of the pack runner.
I have read some comments about Parker's training schedules from the book, and they are legitimate concerns. But if any runner learns the principles within the book, they can be applied to your own, individual training schedule.
I only wish John Parker had a website or some other non-fiction to read. He is only known for his novel "Once A Runner", but nothing is ever mentioned about this masterpiece.
2 thumbs up!
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Just starting out but hopeful, November 7, 2009
By Terri Givens (Austin, TX USA)
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I ordered two different heart monitor training books, and this one is by far the easier one to follow. I'm still skeptical about the results since I've only been trying it out for a week, but it seems to make sense. On the plus side, the book is very easy to read, Parker gives good background information on why this method works, and it's useful for someone like me just hitting 45, and wanting to stretch my running career out as long as possible. I think he's a bit dismissive about cross training, since most elite runners do some kind of strength work, but I just use the "off" days for weight training and biking.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Buy this Book!, March 20, 2003
By A Customer
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The best way to start a fitness program. John Parker captures the essence of Heart Rate Training for the novice to the experienced athlete.
1 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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Great training book, August 13, 2010
By Francisco J. Yarce A. (Guadalajara, Jalisco, MX)
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This book is great to improve your training. The clarity of the explanation is great and very easy to follow, great examples and includes a 12 week program for all levels of runners that I find very useful.
The author also provides a lot of tips for racing and slow pace running.
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Excellent, April 15, 2008
By J. Stoll (Lima, Peru)
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I'm a beginner runner. The message is very simple but it works: do the hard days hard and do the easy days easy. By applying this guidelines, I cut my easy 5K run (70% heart rate reserve) from 35:30 to 32:40,working 15 miles a week during 6 weeks. Amazing !!
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His Methods Work, October 4, 2007
By W. Varnadore (Helena, AL)
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This book is great. For the person that said he had them running 17 miles the first week. First, if they would have read the book, he has a scratch program in the back of the book for true beginners. Second, your running ( actually probably walking)those miles at <70% your max heart rate if your just beginning to run. These is a great book. I have read and implemented his method into my marathon training program, and had not run in more than 5 years when I started. I have had no injuries, and about to run my first marathon. If you are patient the first month and read the book his method works.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Don't Over-train, April 9, 2007
By Truth About Caffeine.com (SCR Books)
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Runners will find this guide to managing your heart rate during workout especially helpful, but athletes of all kinds will find something useful.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Runners Choice, October 17, 2001
By Mike Roberts (Brentwood, tn USA)
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I agree with another review here that this book provides little specific information for the triathlete. There is only one chapter on multisport, and it doesn't provide any additional information to anyone who has done any reading on multisport training. From a training standpoint, this is just a book for runners. With that in mind, however, this book is an interesting read and very informative, without too much technical information, on the basic physiology at work. I feel it can even be useful to the multisport athlete despite the shortcomings discussed above. It's only going to help your running, however, and you are going to have to experiment yourself to figure out how to incorporate the heart rate into your running training because the basic training philosophy espoused calls for 5-6 running days per week which will be too much for most triathletes.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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