You have all probably all seen this before.
When you exercise, your heart beats faster to meet the demand for more blood and oxygen by the muscles of the body. The more intense the activity, the faster your heart will beat. Therefore, monitoring your heart rate during exercise can be an excellent way to monitor exercise intensity.
For the majority of aerobic enthusiasts, there is a range of exercise intensities that is described as safe and effective for promoting
cardiovascular benefits. To determine what range is best for you, you’ll
need to be familiar with a few terms. 1Maximal Heart Rate: This number is
related to your age. As we grow older, our hearts start to beat a little more slowly. To estimate your maximal heart rate, simply subtract your age from the number 220. 2Target Heart-Rate Zone: This is the number of beats per minute (bpm) at which your heart should be beating during
aerobic exercise. For most healthy individuals, this range is 50 percent to 80 percent of your maximal heart rate.
MONITORING EXERCISE INTENSITY USING HEART RATE
So, if your maximal heart rate is 180 bpm, the low end of the range (50 percent) would be 90 bpm, and the high end of the range (80 percent) would be 144 bpm. (Use the chart to determine your own target heart-rate zone.)
WHAT DOES THIS RECOMMENDED
HEART-RATE RANGE MEAN?
Now that you’ve determined your target heart-rate zone, you need to know how to put that information to good use. These numbers serve as a guideline — an indicator of how hard you should be exercising. Those just beginning an aerobic program should probably aim for the low end of the zone and pick up the intensity as they become more comfortable with their workouts. Those who are more fit, or are training for competitive
events, may want to aim for the higher end of the zone. Keep in mind that the target heart-rate zone is recommended for individuals without any health problems. Additionally, individuals taking medication that alter the heart rate should consult their physician for recommended exercise intensity.
HEART RATE BY AGE
Age: 20 30 40 50 60 70
50% 100 95 90 85 80 75
80% 160 152 144 136 128 120