Work out Heart Rate Zones
Your heart rate zone can be used to measure how effective your workouts can be based on your current age and fitness level. For example, you can use your heart rate zone to determine if you need to increase the intensity of your exercise routine if your heart rate is too slow, or exercise at a slower pace to avoid experiencing injuries or health problems such as cardiac arrest if your heart rate is too fast. To work out your personal heart rate zones, you must perform calculations such as your heart rate while resting and your heart rate reserve, which measures your personal maximum heart rate threshold during exercise. All of the calculations presented in this article will help you determine your personal heart rate zones.
Steps
- Calculate your maximum heartbeats per minute by subtracting your current age in years from 220 if you are a man, and from 226 if you are a woman.
- For example, if you are a 30-year old man, subtract 30 from 220. Your maximum heartbeats per minute is 190.
- You can also visit a doctor or health-care provider to have them calculate your maximum heart rate using different tests. Methods of testing may include a stress test or exercise tolerance test on a treadmill.
- Determine the lowest end of your heart rate zone by multiplying your maximum heartbeats per minute by 50 percent.
- For example, if your maximum beats per minute is 190, multiply 190 by 50 percent for a result of 95 beats per minute.
- If your heart rate is lower than the lowest end of your heart rate zone while you exercise, you may need to intensify your workout routine to increase your heart rate.
- Determine the highest end of your heart rate zone by multiplying your maximum beats per minute by 85 percent.
- If your maximum beats per minute is 190, take 190 and multiply it by 85 percent for a result of 161 beats per minute.
- If your beats per minute is higher than the highest end of your heart rate zone during your workout, you may want to lessen the intensity of your exercise routine to prevent yourself from experiencing any injuries.
- Measure your heart rate by counting your heartbeats for exactly 1 minute.
- This can be done by placing your fingers on the carotid artery on your neck or on the radial artery on your wrist.
- You can also wear a heart-rate monitor to determine your heart rate. Purchase a heart-rate monitor from a retail store or store that specializes in athletic equipment.
- Calculate your resting heart rate by counting your heart beats for 15 seconds and multiplying the result by the number 4 immediately after you wake up.
- Continue to measure your heart rate after waking up for 5 days in a row for consistent readings and to find your resting heart rate average.
- To determine the average of your resting heart rate after 5 days have passed, take the sum of all 5 heart rates and divide that result by 5. For example, if your heart rate sum equals 351, your average resting heart rate is 70.
- Do not get out of bed before measuring your heart rate because it may increase your heart rate and cause inaccuracy in the readings.
- Determine your heart rate reserve by subtracting you average resting heart rate from your maximum heartbeats per minute.
- For example, if your maximum heartbeats per minute is 190 and your average resting heart rate is 70, your heart rate reserve will be 120.
- Determine your heart rate zones for different training levels by adding your resting heart rate to various percentages of your heart rate reserve.
- Burn fat during your workouts by using between 50 and 75 percent of your heart rate reserve.
- Increase your stamina and endurance during workouts by using between 75 and 90 percent of your heart rate reserve.
- Improve your athletic performance if you are an elite athlete by using between 90 and 100 percent of your heart rate reserve.
- For example, if your goal is to burn fat during your workouts, and your heart rate reserve is 120, take 50 percent and 75 percent of that number to equal 60 and 90 respectively. If your resting heart rate is 70, add 70 separately to 60 and 90 for results of 130 and 160 respectively. You will burn fat when your heartbeats per minute is between 130 and 160.
