IMPROVING YOUR HEART RATE
A moderate amount of exercise for 30 minutes on most days is good for your heart and your overall health. Your watch may remind you how long you've been working out, and a calendar can confirm how many days you've been to the gym. But, how do you know if you're exercising at a moderate pace? That's why knowing your target heart rate is so important.
Your target heart rate zone is 50 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate, or how
much work your heart can handle. It's a good way to gauge how fit you are and whether you're working out at a moderate pace.
Exercise makes your heart stronger, so it doesn't need to beat as often. When you need to exercise more intensely to reach your target heart rate, it's a sign that you're becoming more fit.
If you exercise at your target heart rate for at least 30 minutes on most days, you may reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke.It's important to check with your doctor if you're considering an exercise program. Your doctor may want to modify your target heart rate based on your situation. And, some medications, such as those for high blood pressure, may affect your heart rate.
If you're not currently active, start with a few minutes of activity every day. Then,
increase the amount of time that you exercise and pick up the pace -- but don't overdo it. If you hit a plateau, increase the intensity or length of your workouts. The
lower the intensity of the exercise, the longer you'll need to do it to get results.
Appropriate exercises can be walking briskly, bicycling, yoga, dancing and swimming are all moderate-intensity activities. But, doing any exercise that gets your heart pumping is a good place to start.
You can do a basic calculation to work out your heart rate. Your maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age. So, if you're age 40, for instance, your maximum heart rate would be 180 beats per minute.
Your target heart rate is calculated by multiplying your maximum heart rate by the
desired exercise intensity. For someone who is age 40 this would be -
180 X 50 % = 90 bpm
180 X 75 % = 135 bpm
So, your target heart rate zone is between 90 and 135 bpm.
To check your heart rate, stop exercising and find your pulse on your neck or wrist.
Then count the number of times your heart beats for 10 seconds-starting at 0, not 1. Multiply that number by six to get the beats per minute. Or, try the talk test. A good rule-of-thumb is to stay within an intensity level that allows you to hold a conversation while exercising.
A moderate amount of exercise for 30 minutes on most days is good for your heart and your overall health. Your watch may remind you how long you've been working out, and a calendar can confirm how many days you've been to the gym. But, how do you know if you're exercising at a moderate pace? That's why knowing your target heart rate is so important.
Your target heart rate zone is 50 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate, or how
much work your heart can handle. It's a good way to gauge how fit you are and whether you're working out at a moderate pace.
Exercise makes your heart stronger, so it doesn't need to beat as often. When you need to exercise more intensely to reach your target heart rate, it's a sign that you're becoming more fit.
If you exercise at your target heart rate for at least 30 minutes on most days, you may reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke.It's important to check with your doctor if you're considering an exercise program. Your doctor may want to modify your target heart rate based on your situation. And, some medications, such as those for high blood pressure, may affect your heart rate.
If you're not currently active, start with a few minutes of activity every day. Then,
increase the amount of time that you exercise and pick up the pace -- but don't overdo it. If you hit a plateau, increase the intensity or length of your workouts. The
lower the intensity of the exercise, the longer you'll need to do it to get results.
Appropriate exercises can be walking briskly, bicycling, yoga, dancing and swimming are all moderate-intensity activities. But, doing any exercise that gets your heart pumping is a good place to start.
You can do a basic calculation to work out your heart rate. Your maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age. So, if you're age 40, for instance, your maximum heart rate would be 180 beats per minute.
Your target heart rate is calculated by multiplying your maximum heart rate by the
desired exercise intensity. For someone who is age 40 this would be -
180 X 50 % = 90 bpm
180 X 75 % = 135 bpm
So, your target heart rate zone is between 90 and 135 bpm.
To check your heart rate, stop exercising and find your pulse on your neck or wrist.
Then count the number of times your heart beats for 10 seconds-starting at 0, not 1. Multiply that number by six to get the beats per minute. Or, try the talk test. A good rule-of-thumb is to stay within an intensity level that allows you to hold a conversation while exercising.
posted by . | 5:27 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home