In doing any physical activity, it is important to know your heart rate in order to achieve the best results. Aerobic exercise heart rate is recommended to reach 85% of the maximum heart rate for 20 to 30 minutes. Offers from BestTreadmillAustralia.com.au will help you reach your fitness goals within the recommended heart rate in accordance with your exercise routine, age, workout intensity, and cardiovascular system.

 

Aerobic Zone Heart Rate

Before we proceed to the discussion of the benefits of aerobic exercise, let us first figure out what an aerobic exercise zone means. The aerobic zone is the power or strength that your body uses to improve your aerobic metabolism system to convert fat and glycogen to energy. It crosses the division between low-intensity and high-intensity training. Generally speaking, you will be needing to move constantly and perform physical activity while incorporating your large muscle groups to lead your heart rate up to this intensity.

The benefit that you will acquire in reaching your maximum heart rate through aerobic exercise varies. The range of heart rate differs according to several factors such as age, physical condition, and gender. If you have a heart rate monitor device, it will be easier for you to determine the results of your aerobic exercise. However, you can easily compute this manually.

First of all, it is important to know your target heart rate. Once again this will vary on your age and level of exercise. Apart from knowing your heart rate, your resting heart rate matters as well, this will help you determine if your physical activity is effective if there are any changes in your heart rate. By doing this, you will able to adjust the intensity of your training and exercises. Equipment like treadmills have the option to adjust the intensity.

 

Calculating Heart Rate

To determine your target heart rate, first, figure out your resting heart rate. You can identify your maximum heart rate according to your age by doing this method:

220-your age= your maximum heart rate

Example: 220-28=192

The maximum heart rate of an individual who’s 28 years old is 192 bpm, this is the maximum heartbeat per minute of your heart during physical activity. Once you figured out your maximum heart rate, you can start calculating your preferred heart rate target. The target heart rate zone is the stage where your heart is conditioned and exercised without compromising safety precautions.

In general, the target heart rate should be at least 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate for moderate intensity. Vigorous-intensity should reach about 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. Beginners may opt to reach a lower target heart rate and moderate exercises for a while. They can systematically increase their exercise intensity later on. Physically fit and healthy individuals can start reaching their highest target heart rate with high-intensity exercises.

 

Calculating Target Heart Rate Zone

Follow these simple steps to calculate your target heart rate:

1. Subtract your current age from 220, this is your maximum heart rate.
2. Determine your resting heart rate using a heartbeat monitor or fitness tracker devices. The resting heart rate is usually more accurate in the morning right after you wake up and is often between 60 to 100 bpm.
3. Compute your heart rate reserve or known as HRR by deducting your resting heart rate from your maximum heart rate.
4. For moderate-intensity exercises, multiply the result of HRR to 0.7 or 70% then add the total to the resting heart rate to get your target heart rate target zone.
5. For vigorous-intensity exercises, multiply the result of HRR to 0.85 or 85% then add the total to the resting heart rate to get your heart rate target zone.

Example data:

1. 220-28 y/o = 192 (maximum heart rate)
2. Assuming that your resting heart rate is 85 bpm. 192-85= 107 (Heart rate reserve)
3. 107 x 70% = 74.9
4. 74.9 + 85 = 159.9, this is your target heart rate if you wish to perform moderate-intensity workouts.
5. For a high-intensity workout, 107 x 85% = 90.95
6. 90.95 + 85 = 175.95 for vigorous exercises.

 

Determining if You Are Reaching Your Target Heart Rate

So how exactly will you know if you are achieving your desired heart rate zone? Some people opt to use a heart rate tracker to monitor their heartbeats per minute. If you do not own one, you can follow these easy steps to check your pulse rate.

• On your short resting period during exercise, put your phone on a 15-second timer.
• Next, check your pulse at your wrist by placing your index and third finger over your radial artery. You will be able to feel your heartbeat on your wrist below the side of your thumb.
• When you are ready, start your timer and count your pulse. Multiply the pulse count by 4 to come up to your heartbeats per minute.

For example, based on our sample computation above for moderate-intensity exercises. You need to reach the target heart rate of 159.9 per minute if you are 28 years old. If your 15-second pulse is about 39, multiplied by 4, you will get 156 bpm, which means you are short by 3.9 bpm.

 

Reach Your Heart Rate Goal

Remember that your maximum heart rate is just a guide for you to know your average target heart rate. Sometimes, your actual maximum heart rate is lower or higher than your manual computation. If you wish to have accurate maximum heart rate data, you may opt to consult a professional trainer. Aside from providing correct workout routines, they are also trained to help clients that are aiming for particular results, may it be physical fitness changes or desired heart rate. Most of the time, only athletes and people with a medical condition are concerned about getting the precise maximum heart rate.

Don’t forget that there are other factors that can affect your heart rate. People who undergo medications for example have the tendency to have different heart rates at a time because of the side effects of the drugs that they’re taking. For situations like this, ask your doctor if you can increase or lower down your target heart rate.

Things That Can Affect Heart Rate

• Cholesterol. Bad cholesterol can block up the arteries that are connected to your heart. While good cholesterol can clean up this blockage but on a limited capacity only, hence resulting in changes in the heart rate.
• Cardiorespiratory System Condition. Doing aerobics is one of the few things that maintain the heart’s healthy condition. The more you exhibit cardio, the lesser risk you have to acquire heart diseases.
• Hypertension. Blood pressure contributes greatly to the heart rate. People who have high blood pressure tend to have an irregular heart rate.
• Body temperature. The temperature of your body also contributes to the changes in your heart rate. Humidity can apparently increase your heartbeat by 2 to 4 bpm.
• Dehydration. When your body does not get the amount of water it needs to function fully, dehydration occurs. When this happens, your heart rate will increase gradually.
• Lack of nutrition and sleep. Unhealthy habits such as not having balanced meals and sleep deprivation affect the heart rate by increasing the heartbeat. Get some protein here!
• Emotions/Anxiety. It’s no surprise that whenever we feel something exciting, thrilling, scary, or frightening, our heart speeds up, and oftentimes, it gives us an 808 drum feeling.
• Wind. Walking against a strong wind can increase our heart rate, on the contrary, walking with the wind behind you decreases the heart rate.

Our heart is one of the most precious organs in our body, that’s why it’s important to keep it healthy. Monitoring your heart rate while you are doing a physical activity is a good practice to make sure that you are not pushing yourself too much. That said, it is also an effective way to know if you are reaching your target heart rate to keep your heart healthy and functional.