heart rate

angyltears

I am very confused at how my heart rate can help me burn more cals by having it in a certain area...

I do the treadmill everyday but today I did it at school and it wanted to measure my heart rate! How do I find what my heart rate should be at when I'm doing cardio? Will i really burn more fat by keeping it at a certain rate? I know that working harder will burn faster, but sometimes I just want to slack a little so I will stay on longer to make up for it a bit.

angyltears

I am very confused at how my heart rate can help me burn more cals by having it in a certain area...

I do the treadmill everyday but today I did it at school and it wanted to measure my heart rate! How do I find what my heart rate should be at when I'm doing cardio? Will i really burn more fat by keeping it at a certain rate? I know that working harder will burn faster, but sometimes I just want to slack a little so I will stay on longer to make up for it a bit.

Poison5119

http://www.healthfitness.com.au/calculators/calculate_fitness.html

here is a link that will give you an option to find out what your heart rate range should be. You input a little info about yourself and it'll give you a range to work within to access fat burning mode. I'm sure others will chime in and add to this info. I try to keep mine somewhere in the upper third of my range to maximize my workout effort.

angyltears

Oh thank you! That is much easier to understand than all the other charts and graphs I've been seeing around!

exercisediva

Your training heart rate zone is a critical element in exercise. Taking your pulse and figuring your heart rate during a workout is one of the primary indicators in ascertaining the intensity level at which you and your heart is working. There are many ways to measure exercise intensity. The Karvonen Formula is one of most effective methods used to determine your heart rate. The Ratings of Perceived Exertion and Talk Test methods are subjective measurements that can be used in addition to taking a pulse.

The Karvonen Formula
This is a heart rate reserve formula and it’s one of the most effective methods used to calculate training heart rate. The formula factors in your resting heart rate, therefore, you’ll need to determine your resting heart rate by doing the following:

Prior to getting out of bed in the morning, take your pulse on your wrist (radial pulse) or on the side of your neck (carotid pulse).

Count the number of beats, starting with zero, for one minute. If you don’t have a stop watch or a second hand in your bedroom, you can measure the time by watching for the number to change on a digital alarm clock. Find your pulse and start counting when the minute number changes the first time, stop counting when it changes again.

To help assure accuracy, take your resting heart rate three mornings in a row and average the 3 heart rates together.
Another element in finding your training heart rate zone is determining the intensity level at which you should exercise. As a general rule, you should exercise at an intensity between 50% - 85% of your heart rate reserve. Your individual level of fitness will ultimately determine where you fall within this range. Use the following table as a guide for determining your intensity level:


Beginner or low fitness level . . .50% - 60%
Average fitness level . . . . . . . . 60% - 70%
High fitness level . . . . . . . . . . . 75% - 85%

Now that we’ve determined and gathered the information needed, we can pull the information together in the Karvonen Formula:


220 - Age = Maximum Heart Rate
Max Heart Rate - Rest. Heart Rate x Intensity + Rest. Heart Rate = Training Heart Rate

For example, Sally is 33 yrs old, has a resting heart rate of 75 and she’s just beginning her exercise program (her intensity level will be 50% - 60%.) Sally’s training heart rate zone will be 131-142 beats per minute:

Sally's Minimum Training Heart Rate:
220 - 33 (Age) = 187
187 - 75 (Rest. HR) = 112
112 x .50 (Min. Intensity) + 75 (Rest. HR) = 131 Beats/Minute


I suggest getting a heart rate monitor. I cant live without mine! Hope this helps!!