Be Heart Smart - Target Heart Rate

Regular cardio vascular exercise makes your heart stronger and more efficient, burns calories, lowers your blood pressure and helps keep you mentally sharp. However, it is important to exercise properly to get optimum results and help you achieve your goals. With today's busy schedules, no one has time to waste on ineffective or inefficient exercise.
Performing cardiovascular work at the correct level of intensity is essential. Exercise too hard and you risk injury and exhaustion or you may burn out and stop exercising altogether. If you don't work out hard enough, you may not get the results you want. The best way to measure intensity is to watch your heart rate as you exercise.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, your predicted maximum heart rate can be estimated by subtracting your age from 220. This is the maximum number of times your heart can beat in a minute. Then multiply that number by .55 and by .9 to find the range that is your heart rate training zone. For example, if you are 35 years old, you have a predicted maximum heart rate of 185 beats per minute (220-35 = 185). Your lower limit is 102 beats per minute (.55 x 185), and your upper limit in the zone is 166 (.9 x 185).

If you are just starting a workout routine, 55 percent may be an effective place to begin your workouts. A more conditioned person should work closer to 70 to 85 percent of her maximum heart rate. Depending on individual goals, most people who typically follow a regular exercise program should sustain at least 70 to 80 percent of their maximum heart rate for 20 to 60 minutes. There are several ways to monitor your heart rate: Manually checking your pulse, using a heart rate monitor, hand sensors on fitness equipment. Checking your pulse can be done by using the first two fingers of one hand to apply light pressure at the carotid artery on the neck or to the wrist. Measure the beats for 10 seconds and multiply by six to get your heart rate for one minute.