Heart rate training comes along with a ton of advantages. Depending on if you’re trying to improve your cardiovascular health, lose weight or train for a sport, you’ll need to elevate your heart rate to the appropriate training zone, in order to reach your goals. Below are seven steps that’ll help you calculate your most idea heart-rate training zone for your fitness goals:
- Calculate Maximum Heart Rate
This is a simple process that can be completed with a pen and paper. When you subtract your age from 220, the result will represent an age-predicted maximum heart beats per minute. This calculation doesn’t consider your current fitness level or inherited genes, which means that your true maximum heart rate might be 10 to 20 beats per minute higher or lower than the age-predicted number. For example, if you’re 40 years old, your Maximum Heart Rate is 180 (22-40).
The second method of calculating your maximum heart rate involves an exercise tolerance or stress test. This is normally supervised by a physician and completed in a hospital or clinical setting. Throughout the three-minute stages of this test, the speed and incline will continuously climb in attempt to increase your heart rate until it reaches its highest level.
- Figure Out Your Resting Heart Rate
Take your pulse as soon as you wake up. Using your thumb and index finger, count the number of beats you feel in 10 seconds, and multiply that by 6, giving you the number of beats per minute. Do this for a couple days until you continue to get steady readings.
- Calculate Your Heart-Rate Reserve
Take your heart’s resting rate and subtract it from your maximum rate. Lets say your resting heart rate is 80 beats per minute, and your maximum heart rate is 180,your heart rate reserve is 100. (180-80=100). The heart-rate reserve is a figure used to indicate the cushion heartbeats that are available for exercise.
- Calculate Your Fat Burn Heart Rate Zone
This fat burning range will typically exist between 60 and 70% of your maximum heart rate zone. So, if your maximum heart rate zone is 180, your fat burn zone is between 108 bpm and 126 bpm. (180 x .6 and 180 x .7).
- Calculate Your Cardio Heart Rate Zone
In order to improve aerobic endurance, your range must be higher than that needed for fat burning; between 75 and 80 of your maximum heart rate. Again, multiply your maximum heart rate by the appropriate percentage. A person with a 180 maximum heart rate, will need to get their heart rate between 135 and 144, to reach their cardio zone.
- Calculate Your Aerobic-Anaerobic Threshold Heart-Rate Range
This range demonstrates the upper limits of aerobic exercise, which is the point immediately before pushing yourself into exhaustive anaerobic work. Working out at this intensity is typically done to enhance athletic performance, and it’s usually not recommended for weight loss. The range to hit this goal lies between 85 and 90% of your heart-rate reserve.
- Calculate Your Anaerobic Training Heart-Rate Range
This is a full-blown effort and represents 90 to 100% of the cushion of your heart-rate reserve. The main objective here is to work as fast as you can for as long as you can. Using the same example, a 40 year old increasing their heart rate anywhere from 170 beats per minute to the maximum of 180 beats per minute will result in anaerobic, carbohydrate-burning, lactic-acid producing, exhaustive exercise.
Train smart to get the most out of your workouts and achieve the greatest results!
Looking for a fitness center with group fitness classes, personal training, aquatics and yoga near Mt. Laurel, NJ? Future Fitness has it covered. We’re also one of the only fitness centers offering piloxing sign ups near Voorhees. Visit our website to learn more!