Maybe you’ve noticed the addition of multiple PIQ classes throughout our class schedule, most recently with the addition of Tuesday morning at 6am. So, what’s the buzz around this class that you keep hearing so much about? And, why should you be taking it?

It has everything to do with heart rate.

Performance IQ, or PIQ for short, is the software system that we use to display each class members heart rate. Each user has a profile created based off of age, weight, and gender. The on screen display will look a lot like the image above.

Below I have broken down for you what each color coded box and percentage means and how it is used in class.

A BLUE box represents a maximal heart rate of 60% or less. This means you’re probably resting. If you’re spending a lot of time here you’re not working hard enough.

A GREEN box represents a max heart rate of 60-69%. This is your aerobic zone; you’re working with oxygen, and easily keep a conversation going while working out. For this class, and all of our classes for that matter I don’t recommend you spend much time here. Why? It’s not that taxing on your system as the other colors will be.

A YELLOW box represents a max heart rate of 70-79%. You’re starting to work. The intensity of what you’re doing is getting harder - more reps being done, heavier weight lifted, longer duration of work but you’re still able to “do work” in this color or percentage without much difficulty.

An ORANGE box represents a max heart rate of 80-89%. This is where you’re starting to feel uncomfortable. The heart rate range of 80-89% is where PIQ is designed to have you live for the majority of class. You are now in that High Intensity Training zone. You are crossing over from the aerobic training (exercising with oxygen) to crossing the line into anaerobic training (exercising without oxygen). Everything about being in the orange box is challenging and uncomfortable. Physically and mentally this is where you want to stop. Your heart is pounding. Your legs are screaming. But you CAN’T stop! This is where you make most of your fitness gains.

A RED box represents a max heart rate of 90-100%. Red is very accurate representation of where you’re at here. You’re red lining. You’re close to that point where you might need to step out for a moment or take a knee. You will go red. You will dip into that upper max heart rate range. Will you benefit from being in this upper limits of your heart rate? Yes. Is it the intent of class to have you spend the overwhelming majority of it “in the Red”. No.

Okay, but what does it all mean?

As I have mentioned one of the many objectives of class is to have you “do work” in the upper limits of your max heart rate, more specifically in the 80-89% range. ORANGE! It’s a big range. Some exercises will get you into this range quicker than other. Some might even kick you right out of it directly to RED.

PIQ is designed solely for the individual. It is an amazing class setting. The intensity and music volume is high. This is not a class designed to exclude anyone. If you want to work and be held accountable to something other than the clock this class is it. Your heart rate response is what will dictate your rest, reps, weight selected, etc. I won’t lie to you, you will be uncomfortable. You will be pushed right out of that comfy work zone swore you couldn’t work any harder in. The numbers won’t lie either. I will promise you this. If you keep coming back and giving everything you have you will see change. Not just physically in your level of strength, capacity to do work, and ability for your heart rate to drop quickly but Mentally! So much of your level of success in this class is dependant upon how deep you can dig. What once seemed impossible is now possible.

And that is a new topic for another blog.

See you in PIQ - Tuesday 6am, Wednesday 5:30pm, Thursday 5:30pm

SK

PS - This class is damn tough and is not intended to be taken on back to back days or even multiple times throughout the week.