When you first start exercising regularly, you\u2019ll hear terms like heart rate zones and resting heart rate thrown about. These may be a bit of a mystery to you, particularly if you\u2019ve never given your heart rate much thought. Don\u2019t worry! We\u2019re here to clear away the mystery and help you become an expert on all things heart rate.<\/p>\n
Essentially, the target heart rate is a guideline to help you improve your cardiorespiratory fitness. Knowing your target heart rate helps you stay in a safe heart rate range while you\u2019re exercising. There are a few different ways to determine your target heart rate, but the simplest is probably to determine your maximum heart rate first by subtracting your age from 220. Once you know your maximum heart rate, you\u2019ll be able to determine your target heart rate zones, which are about 50 to 70 percent of your maximum during moderate activity and 70 to 85 percent during vigorous activity. For instance, if you are 35 years old, your maximum heart rate would be 185 beats per minute (bpm). If you are exercising at low intensity, you\u2019d find your target heart rate by multiplying 185 by .5 or .6, to determine that your target range is about 92 to 111 bpm. For a high intensity workout, you\u2019d use the same formula to find a target rate zone of about 129 to 157 bpm. The older you are, the lower your target heart rate will be.<\/p>\n
You can find your heart rate by checking your pulse, but it\u2019s easier if you have a fitness tracker with a heart rate monitor. Some exercise machines will also track your heart rate for you while you\u2019re working out. Determine your resting heart rate first, to understand your baseline. Your resting heart rate is the number of beats per minute right after a good night\u2019s sleep, before you\u2019ve had coffee or gotten out of bed. For most people, the normal heart rate when at rest is between 60 and 100 bpm. The lower your heart rate, the better, and some athletic people have heart rates as low as 40 bpm. Expect your heart rate to fluctuate- heart rate variability is normal.<\/p>\n
What if your heart rate is too high or too low when you\u2019re working out? This is often an easy fix. If your heart rate is too low, push yourself a little bit harder to get into the zone. If you have a high heart rate, slow it down, to bring it under control. If you\u2019re new to exercising, try to aim for the lower range of your target heart rate zone, gradually working your way up to more intensity. What is a dangerous heart rate? Going over your maximum heart rate is unsafe, and if your resting heart rate is consistently above 100, you should probably talk to your doctor. Your doctor can help determine if anything is wrong, and help you create a plan to safely reach your fitness goals.<\/p>\n
At the Wellbridge Family of Athletic Clubs<\/a>, we\u2019re all about helping you reach your goals and live your best life. That is why we offer world-class training that keeps up to date with the latest in health and wellness. At our clubs, you\u2019ll be greeted by our friendly team before you\u2019re challenged and motivated by top-notch instructors in our fitness classes. You\u2019ll make new friends because you belong here. Join today<\/a> or contact us<\/a> to learn more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Understanding Your Heart Rate When you first start exercising regularly, you\u2019ll hear terms like heart rate zones and resting heart rate thrown about. These may…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":77,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-50983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports-performance-training"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n