You should know your
Maximum Heart Rate and your correct training zone to know if you
are training at the right pace. Here are a few ways to figure your
target heart rate.
You can easily find your Target Heart Rate (thr) with this simple
method. Subtract your age from 220 (226 for women) to calculate your
Maximum Heart Rate (mhr). Find your training zone below and
multiply that number times your maximum rate.
Another, more accurate method is the
Karvonen Formula. You must know your resting heart rate to
use this method and insert your training zone from below.
Of course the most accurate method is a treadmill stress test
administered by a professional.
Note:If you are over the age
of 35, overweight, have been sedentary for several years, or have a
history of heart disease in your family, clinical testing is
recommended.
MEASURING YOUR HEART RATE
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.
TRAINING ZONES
Healthy Heart Zone
(Warm up) --- 50 - 60% of maximum 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 maximum heart 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 maximum 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 maximum
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 cardio respiratory 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 maximum 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.
Note: You should only train
in this zone if you are in very good shape and have been cleared by a
physician to do so.
