|
| Maximal Heart Rate: | Please enter age above to calculate | Target Heart Rate: | Please enter age above to calculate |
Target heart rates let you measure your initial fitness level and monitor your progress in a fitness program. This approach requires measuring your pulse periodically as you exercise and staying within 55 to 85 percent of your maximal heart rate. This range is called your target heart rate.
The way to find your target heart rate is to do this formula:
Subtract your age from 220. The number you get represents your theoretical maximal heart rate. Multiply that figure by .55 and .85 (55%-85%) to determine your training heart rate zone. For a 35 year old person, for instance, the training range is 101 beats per minute (bpm) to 157 bpm.
[220-35=185; 185 x .55 =101; 185 x .85=157]
Wearing a heart rate monitor is an easy, accurate method of checking your heart rate…. but you don’t have a monitor. Here is another easy way.
The easiest place to feel your own heart beat is the carotid artery. Place your index finger on the side of your neck between the middle of your collar bone and your jaw line. (You may also use the radial artery on the under side of your wrist.) You can count the beats for a full 60 seconds or count for 6 seconds and add a zero at the end. If you felt your heart beat 14 times in 6 seconds the number would be 140 for a full 60 seconds. Counting for only six seconds is a convenient method, of course it is more accurate to count for the full 60 seconds. You can use several varieties of this method (30 seconds x 2, 15 seconds x 4, etc). The longer you count the more accurate your reading. Whatever you choose, be consistent in your method.
Resting Heart Rate—Your heart rate is simply the number of beats per minute that your heart contracts. Normal resting heart rates range from 60-100 beats per minute. Resting heart rates are most accurate when measured first thing in the morning, before getting out of bed, and averaging that measurement over 3 days.
Healthy Heart Zone (Warm up) – 50-60%of maximal heart rate: The easiest zone and probably the best zone for people just starting a fitness program. It can also be used as a warm up for more serious walkers. This zone has been shown to help decrease body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol. It also decreases the risk of degenerative diseases and has a low risk of injury. 85% of calories burned in this zone are fats!
Fitness Zone (Fat Burning) – 60-70% of maximal hear rate: This zone provides the same benefits as the healthy heart zone, but is more intense and burns more total calories. The percent of fat calories is still 85%.
Aerobic Zone (Endurance Training) – 70-80% of maximal heart rate: The aerobic zone will improve your cardiovascular and respiratory system AND increase the size and strength of your heart. This is the preferred zone if you are training for an endurance event. More calories are burned with 50% from fat.
Anaerobic Zone (Performance Training) – 80-90% of maximal heart rate: Benefits of this zone include an improved VO2 maximum (the highest amount of oxygen one can consume during exercise) and thus an improved cardiorespiratory system, and a higher lactate tolerance ability which means your endurance will improve and you’ll be able to fight fatigue better. This is a high intensity zone burning more calories, 15% from fat.
Red Line (Maximum Effort) – 90-100% of maximal heart rate: Although this zone burns the highest number of calories, it is very intense. Most people can only stay in this zone for short periods. You should only train in this zone if you are in very good shape and have been cleared by a physician to do so.
|
