heart rate calculations

mibonita

Help me! I know my target heart rate is in the 70-80 range, but how do I calculate the "per minute"? I have a heart rate monitor that shows me what my current heart rate is, and when I am working out it is generally around 122...do I just divide that by 60? I know this sounds lame, but it is just something I have never been able to figure out!

AlsDonkBoxSquat

Help me! I know my target heart rate is in the 70-80 range, but how do I calculate the "per minute"? I have a heart rate monitor that shows me what my current heart rate is, and when I am working out it is generally around 122...do I just divide that by 60? I know this sounds lame, but it is just something I have never been able to figure out!

I don't really understand your questions. I don't understand the basis for your 70 - 80. What you're hr monitor is showing you should be the beats per minute (122 bpm). My active target is over 160 bpm.

slbeutler

I am not sure exactly what you mean either, but I am assuming the 70-80 means that you should be aiming to work with 70-80% of your max heart rate. I22 is my warm up, but depending on your age, it may be different for you. I can get up into the 170's when I am really working hard.

AnnaPixie

Sorry, dont understand either. Do you mean your 'resting' heart rate should be 70-80? Or do you mean you should be working out at 70/80 PERCENT of your maximum heart rate?

Kolohe71

Heart rate monitors give your heart rate in beats per minute, so the 122 you are seeing IS the per minute rate.

Where are you getting the 70-80 target range? Typically your target should be calculated as: 180 - age = target heart rate. So for you, if your profile age is correct, you should be targeting about 136.

If the by 70-80 you mean of % maximum heart rate, that is calculated as: (220 - age)*% = target heart rate. Again assuming your profile is correct, you should be between 123 & 141.

cjjones007

Yes - your target Resting Heart Rate is probably for 70-80...
Resting would be done - with your heart rate monitor - just turn it on then lie down...
After 30 minutes or so you can see what your actual resting heart rate is by just looking at the watch for a 10 seconds and if the number is static (say it floats between 74-75 then you have a really good idea for your heart rate...

I think maybe what you saw what that for working out you should keep your heart rate at 70% to 85% of your MAX heart rate..

That is done based off of your age... This is found by taking 220 and subtracting your age... So a 43 year old should have a max heart rate of:
220-43=177
Then to get the best workout zone for you (fat burning and some cardio) you should start out working out and keeping your heart rate between:
70% (177*.70) = 124
85% (177*.85) = 150

122 is just slightly below where you should be on the low end of your workouts...

Does that help???

teasdino

LOL!!! WOW, I just googled all that info! You are around my age! How funny! Read my profile and pop me a friend invite if you want. Here is the info that I gleaned. I wanted to make sure I was doing mine correctly. How funny! Just go to your start and get your calculator and a notepad out.
Hope this helps ;-]
jac


Here are seven easy-to-follow steps that will help you calculate your ideal heart-rate training zone.

1. Calculate your maximum heart rate
The easiest way to do this is a simple paper-and-pencil calculation. Subtract your age from 220. The result is an age-predicted maximum beats per minute.

This method does not take into account your fitness level or inherited genes, which can make your true maximum heart rate 10 to 20 beats per minute higher or lower than the age-predicted number.

A second method to calculate your maximum heart rate is to have an exercise tolerance or stress test. This usually is supervised by a physician and performed in a hospital or clinical setting in three-minute stages, during which the speed and incline continue to increase in an effort to elevate your heart rate until it climbs to its highest level.

2. Determine your resting heart rate
Take your pulse before you get out of bed in the morning. Do this for several days in a row to get consistent readings.

3. Calculate your heart-rate reserve
Subtract your heart's resting rate from your maximum rate.

For example, if you are 40 years old, subtract that number from 220; your maximum rate is 180. Next, subtract your resting rate, 80 in this example. Your heart-rate reserve is 100 beats per minute.

This heart-rate reserve represents the cushion heartbeats available for exercise.

4. Calculate your aerobic training heart-rate range for fat burning
This fat-burning range will lie between 50 and 75 percent of your heart-rate reserve.

Using the example above, 50 percent of 100 beats per minute is 50. And 75 percent of 100 is 75. Next, add your resting heart rate to both numbers: 50 + 80 = 130 and 75 + 80 = 155. Your heart rate during aerobic training that will most efficiently burn fat is 130 to 155 beats per minute.

5. Calculate your aerobic training heart rate for fitness
The range required to improve aerobic endurance is higher than that needed for fat burning, between 75 and 85 percent of your heart-rate reserve.

Again using the previous example, 75 percent of the heart-rate reserve of 100 is 75, and 85 percent is 85. Again, add the resting heart rate to both numbers.

Re-add your resting heart rate to both numbers: To improve your aerobic endurance, you need to aim for between 155 and 165 heartbeats per minute.

6. Calculate your aerobic-anaerobic threshold heart-rate range
This range represents the upper limits of aerobic exercise -- the point just before you push yourself into exhaustive anaerobic work. Exercising at this intensity is usually done to improve athletic performance. It is not recommended for weight loss.

The range to accomplish this task lies between 85 and 90 percent of your heart-rate reserve. Again, using the example of a person with a heart-rate reserve of 100 and following the same math process as in previous steps: the desired range would be 165 to 170 beats per minute.

Be advised, however, operating at this intensity level will not burn body fat. It becomes a carbohydrate (muscle-glycogen burning) exercise.

7. Calculate your anaerobic training heart-rate range
This is all-out effort and represents 90 to 100 percent of the cushion of your heart-rate reserve. The goal here is to go as fast as you can for as long as you can.

Using the same example, anything from 170 beats per minute to your maximum of 180 beats per minute becomes pure anaerobic, carbohydrate-burning, exhaustive, lactic acid-producing exercise.

This is no-pain, no-gain type training.

mibonita

Okay, apparently, yes, I was told to be at around 70 PERCENT ..Aye aye aye...

mibonita

Thank you!

shimmergal

@teasdino - excellent. thanks much for the reply.

mibonita

Yes! Thank you so much