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What Should My Target Heart Rate Be

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What Is A Good Maximum Heart Rate For My Age

What Is My TARGET Heart Rate (Formula)?! – What are Heart Rate Zones?

A lot of people want to know what represents a good maximum heart rate for their age. There are a number of factors that play into this, namely your fitness history.

If youve been consistently training your cardiovascular system the right way for many years, age is just a number. Your maximum heart rate will continue to be higher than others your age, since youve been training it, Pippin adds.

Easy Steps To Find Your Target Heart Rate Range

Ryan Lawson, Exercise Specialist

Were all familiar with the phrase use it or lose it, and it perfectly applies to our body and muscles. Muscles are made to be used, and if theyre neglected its our health and quality of life that suffers.

Cardiovascular exercise is defined as any activity that increases your heart rate. Elevating your heart rate for an extended period of time will improve your heart health. A stronger, healthier heart is able to more efficiently deliver oxygen to the muscles and also burn more fat while youre exercising and resting.

The benefits of a stronger heart through cardiovascular exercise are numerous. In addition to a stronger heart and lungs, regular exercise has been shown to lead to better sleep, less stress, reduction in mood swings and depression and an overall more active lifestyle.

You have a target heart rate zone that you should strive for during activity. A simple way to calculate it would be to first find your predicted maximum heart rate, which you can find by subtracting your age from 220. Once youve figured your maximum heart rate, you can find your target healthy heart rate range by multiplying your maximum heart rate by 65 percent to find the low end of that range and multiply your maximum heart rate by 85 percent to find the high end of the range.

Example: The maximum heart rate for a 45-year-old is 175 and the target heart rate range would be about 113 to 149 beats per minute.

How Do I Determine Heart Rate

  • Take your pulse on the inside of your wrist on the thumb side or on the side of your neck next to your larynx .

  • Use the tips of your first two fingers to press lightly over the blood vessels on your wrist or neck.
  • Count your pulse for the number of beats in 60 seconds or count your pulse for the number of beats in 10 seconds and multiply by 6 to find your beats per minute.
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    When Is The Best Time Of Day To Work Out

    Trying to find the best time for exercise? The truth is, its personal! Follow these tips to figure out what fitness routine works best for you.

    Dawn, dusk or dead of night whens the best time to work out? Well, that depends;on whens the best time for you, because the;benefits of physical activity;depend upon how consistent you are.

    You might have heard that the best time to exercise is early in the morning to get your metabolism going or to avoid unexpected distractions during the day that could derail your workout. But if youre not a morning person, it may not work for you to try to get up at dawn to work out. The key is to do whats most likely to work for you consistently.

    If your schedule isnt predictable, you may need to be flexible and have a plan for various times of day.

    If you find that working out too late in the evening keeps you from falling asleep easily, shift your exercise session earlier in the day or try less intense, more mindful forms of movement.

    How To Calculate Target And Maximum Heart Rates

    Exercise Target Heart Rate: What You Should Know  Penn ...

    You can calculate your target and maximum heart rates using the formula below.

    To determine your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220. Your target heart rate zone is determined based upon your maximum heart rate. You want to stay within 5075 percent of your maximum heart rate during exercise, depending upon your fitness level.

    To find your target heart rate, multiply your maximum heart rate by 0.50. This will give you the low range number.

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    Measure Your Heart Rate

    To determine your heart rate, use your first two fingers to press lightly over the blood vessels on your inner wristthe side by your thumb. Count your pulse for ten seconds and multiply this number by six.

    If your heart rate is 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate, you have hit your target heart zone and are working at the right level of intensity.

    Wearing a multifunctional fitness tracker such as the Fitbit, or Nike+ FuelBand SE, does the work for you. The device is worn like a bracelet or watch and measures your heart rate.

    Exercising at the right level of intensity improves heart and respiratory endurance and helps keep your workout at a level that is vigorous enough to meet your health goals.

    After: Refuel Your Tank

    After your workout, Ms. Platt recommends refueling with:

    • Fluids. Drink water, of course. Blend your water with 100% juice such as orange juice which provides fluids, carbohydrates.
    • Carbohydrates. You burn a lot of carbohydrates; the main fuel for your muscles when you exercise. In the 20-60 minutes after your workout, your muscles can store carbohydrates and protein as energy and help in recovery.
    • Protein.;Eat things with protein to help repair and grow your muscles.

    Its important to realize that these are general guidelines. We have different digestive systems and a lot depends on what kind of workout youre doing, Platt said.So do what works best for you. Know that what you put in your body is as important as you what you do with your body . Both are crucial to keeping your engine performing at its best.

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    How To Calculate Your Ideal Exercise Heart Rate

    Dr. Allan Horowitz, published newspaper article, Richmond Hill Liberal, Copyright;May 16, 1990

    Dear Dr. Horowitz:

    I want to begin to improve my heart function by gettingback into some sort of decent shape. I used to run in collegeand I was even on the cross-country team. But trainingmethods are different now.

    In those days, we went outand ran and ran and ran untilwe were in good shape. Now Ihear so much about gettingyour heart rate into the targetzone for training purposes. Iam 50 years old and although Ihave never had any healthproblems, I dont want tooverstress my heart. Whatkind of heart rate should I beaiming for while training?

    Answer:

    This is a good question andone which should be prefaced byadvising you to visit your doctorbefore beginning any trainingat all. You should probably havea thorough physical if you havenot had one recently andperhaps an electrocardiogramand maybe some other heartfunction tests which your doctormight find advisable for you.

    3 TIMES A WEEK

    If your doctor pronounces youfit, then you should train atleast three times a week andpreferably four times a week.Do not train two or three timesa week just to let your musclesand joints have a needed rest.

    To improve your endurance,you should work out atapproximately 60 to 80 per centof your maximum aerobiccapacity the ability of yourheart and circulatory system toprovide oxygen to the tissues ofyour body.

    NOT COMPLICATED

    What Are Exercise Heart Rate Zones

    What is my target heart rate?

    Heart rate zones are a percentage of your maximum heart rate . Exercise too close to your maximum HR and your heart and body will struggle to keep up with the demands.;

    The goal of heart rate zones is to make you the most efficient, but to allow you to challenge yourself to improve cardiovascular fitness, says Travers.;;

    Exercise heart rate zones are the training levels based on your maximum heart rate.;As you increase your pace, cadence and workload, you increase the demands on your heart. Travers breaks it down:;

    • Lower-intensity zone:;Youre exercising at 50% to 60% of your max heart rate. At this point, 85% of the calories you burn are fat. The downside? Youre burning fewer calories overall than you would if you were exercising at a higher intensity. Youre generally able to sustain this zone the longest amount of time.
    • Temperate zone:;Youre exercising at 60% to 70% of your max heart rate. Roughly 65% of the calories you burn are fat.
    • Aerobic zone:;Working at 70% to 80% of your max heart rate puts you in the aerobic zone. About 45% of the calories you burn are fat. But youre burning a higher number of overall calories compared to the other heart rate zones. You generally sustain this zone the shortest amount of time.;

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    What Is Your Heart Rate

    Your heart rate, or pulse, is the number of times your heart beats in 1 minute. Heart rates vary from person to person. Itâs lower when youâre at rest and higher when you exercise.

    Knowing how to find your pulse can help you figure out your best exercise program. If youâre taking heart medications, recording your pulse daily and reporting the results to your doctor can help them learn whether your treatment is working.

    Blood pressure vs. heart rate

    Your heart rate is separate from your blood pressure. Thatâs the force of your blood against the walls of your blood vessels.

    A faster pulse doesnât necessarily mean higher blood pressure. When your heart speeds up, like when you exercise, your blood vessels should expand to let more blood pass through.

    Exercise And Resting Heart Rate

    One study put participants through a 12-week aerobic conditioning program of cycling, Stairmaster, and running on a treadmill. Participants dropped their resting heart rate down from an average of 69 to 66, a 3 point drop. When they stopped the aerobic program, however, their resting heart rate went back to around 69 again.

    It appears that you must continue exercising to keep your resting heart rate lower. What else can you do?

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    What Is A Normal Resting Heart Rate

    A normal resting heart rate for adults is between 60 beats per minute and 100 bpm. An abnormal pulse rate below 60 bpm or above 100 bpm could increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, or early death.

    Normal Resting Heart Rate for Women

    The normal resting heart rate for adult women is similar for men, between 60 bpm and 100 bpm. Age and activity level are more important factors for heart rate.

    Studies show that having high resting heart rate increases your risk even after controlling for other factors such as physical fitness, blood pressure, and lipid levels.

    Is a resting heart rate of 80 bad? A bpm of 80 is still within the normal range, but over 90 can be dangerous.

    For example:

    One study tested the resting heart rate of about 3,000 men over 16 years. The study found that, after accounting for other risk factors, men with a resting heart rate over 90 bpm were three times more likely to die than the men with the lowest RHR.

    Further, an increase in heart rate over time is associated with an increased risk of death from heart disease and all-cause mortality.

    ;

    Is A Low Resting Heart Rate Good Or Dangerous?

    At the other extreme, one study found that having a low resting heart rate is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation in athletes.

    Having a heart rate below 60 bpm doesnt mean that youre not healthy. For example, a low RHR could be the result of taking a drug such as a beta-blocker. Moreover, athletes generally have lower heart rates.

    How Will You Spend Your Heartbeats

    Why a Good Heart Rate Matters for your Health and Fitness
    • Your resting heart rate appears to determine how long you live. And the things you do to lower your resting heart rate are good for your overall health.
    • Theres at least one risk factor of having a very low RHR, but there seems to be a higher risk of overall disease at higher heart rates.
    • Stress, physical or emotional, seems to be the most important factor in determining your heart rate.
    • Exercise allows your body to adapt to stressful situations better. Additionally, it will enable your body to reach a deeper relaxed state as your heart muscle becomes stronger and your circulation becomes more efficient.
    • How do you compare with your age group? I am in the athlete range, but I exercise regularly.
    • If youre going to exercise, build up slowly so your body can adapt.
    • I find the simplest exercises are the most effective. Theyre the ones you can do at home every day without going to the gym.
    • High-intensity interval training is one of the quickest and most effective workouts for resting heart rate, HRV, muscle building, and weight loss. Why not give it a try?
    • You have a maximum number of lifetime heartbeats, use them well.

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    Heart Rate Tips To Keep In Mind

    • Start at your beginning.;Before getting overly concerned about your heart rate, Martin says, its best to simply get moving. If you havent exercised much before, start where youre comfortable and gradually exert yourself more over time.
    • Listen to your body.;Your body provides other indicators of how hard its working that you need to consider along with heart rate. Pay attention to how hard youre breathing or sweating, and stop if you feel very uncomfortable, Martin says. Devices recording your heart rate have been known to malfunction, for exampleanother reason listening to your body is important.
    • Remember that target heart rate is just a guide.;Dont get overly fixated on numbers, Martin says. Ideally, they just push you to work a little harder.

    Target Heart Rate And Estimated Maximum Heart Rate

    One way of checking physical activity intensity is to determine whether your pulse or heart rate is within the target zone during physical activity.1

    For moderate-intensity physical activity, your target heart rate should be between 64% and 76%1,2 of your maximum heart rate. You can estimate your maximum heart rate based on your age. To estimate your maximum age-related heart rate, subtract your age from 220. For example, for a 50-year-old person, the estimated maximum age-related heart rate would be calculated as 220 50 years = 170 beats per minute . The 64% and 76% levels would be:

    • 64% level: 170 x 0.64 = 109 bpm, and
    • 76% level: 170 x 0.76 = 129 bpm

    This shows that moderate-intensity physical activity for a 50-year-old person will require that the heart rate remains between 109 and 129 bpm during physical activity.

    For vigorous-intensity physical activity, your target heart rate should be between 77% and 93%1,2 of your maximum heart rate. To figure out this range, follow the same formula used above, except change 64 and 76% to 77 and 93%. For example, for a 35-year-old person, the estimated maximum age-related heart rate would be calculated as 220 35 years = 185 beats per minute . The 77% and 93% levels would be:

    • 77% level: 185 x 0.77 = 142 bpm, and
    • 93% level: 185 x 0.93 = 172 bpm

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    Normal Resting Heart Rate

    The heart rate measures how many times the heart beats in 60 seconds.

    It is important to identify whether your heart rate sits within the normal range. If disease or injury weakens the heart, the organs will not receive enough blood to function normally.

    The United States National Institutes of Health have published a list of normal resting heart rates.

    The heart rate gets progressively slower as a person moves through childhood toward adolescence.

    The normal resting heart rate for adults over the age of 10 years, including older adults, is between 60 and 100 beats per minute .

    Highly trained athletes may have a resting heart rate below 60 bpm, sometimes reaching 40 bpm.

    The following is a table of normal resting heart rates at different ages according to the NIH:

    Age
    Over 10 years 60 to 100

    The resting heart rate can vary within this normal range. It will increase in response to a variety of changes, including exercise, body temperature, emotional triggers, and body position, such as for a short while after standing up quickly.

    Ways To Measure Your Heart Rate

    HOW TO CALCULATE TARGET HEART RATE

    If you’re now thinking about measuring your heart rate to see how effectively you’re burning fat, there are a number of ways in which you can do so, with many of them thanks to modern technology:

  • Use a heart-rate monitor. These gadgets are available in most sports shops, and they are usually attached to the body using a strap. They measure your heart rate while youre exercising, and many of them nowadays can be linked with a computer to view your results more comprehensively.
  • Use a smartwatch or FitBit-type device. The next generation of smartwatches are geared towards those who like to keep on top of their fitness many of them send notifications if youve not reached your step target for the day, or if they detect youve been sitting down for too long! FitBit-type trackers can also measure your heart rate and help you decipher whether youve hit the target rate yet.
  • Go old-school: check your wrist and neck periodically. Taking your pulse manually can help you pinpoint your heart rate – you only need to hold it for ten seconds to get an accurate idea of how fast your heart is beating, then multiply that value by six, eg If your heart rate is 15 beats per 10 seconds then your heart rate per minute is 90 beats per minutes
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    Does Your Heart Have A Maximum Number Of Beats

    The maximum number of lifetime heartbeats for humans is about 3 billion. But you wont die when you reach a set number of heartbeats. Heartbeats, however, are a marker of your metabolic rate. The faster your metabolic rate , the shorter your lifespan.

    For example:

    The total number of heartbeats per lifetime is amazingly similar across all mammals. For example, a mouse has; a heart rate of 500 to 600 beats per minute but lives less than two years. At the other extreme, a Galápagos tortoise has a heart rate of about six beats per minute and has a life expectancy of 177 years.

    Do the math and the heart of a mouse beats 100 times faster than that of a tortoise. But a tortoise lives 100 times longer than a mouse. Humans, however, have about 60 bpm and have about 3 billion heartbeats per lifetime.

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