Easiest way to measure........

chris1529

What is the easiest way to measure target heart rate? I got a Polar FT4 HRM yesterday and it asked for my height, weight, and age. Then it came up with a round about range. BTW, I'm 5'2, 149 pounds, and 34 years ols. I read that sometimes they just subtract your age from 220. And that that is the highest your heart rate should ever be. Some sites say to take 50-75% and that's your target rate, while other sites say 60-85%. Confussed! And I want to make sure that it's calculated right for my heart rate and calories burned. BTW I did Turbo Jam yesterday for 43 mins and it said that I only burned 320 calories! I really thought that I was burning more than that before! Also, it says that my target heart rate is between like 121-158.

Anonymou5

Your being too vague. There are different heart rate zones for different targets such as:

fat burning - 120 - 139 BPM
aerobic/endurance - 139 - 152 BPM
sub threshhold - 152 - 165 BPM
threshhold - 165 - 174 BPM
vo2 max - 175 - 186 BPM

chris1529

Your being too vague. There are different heart rate zones for different targets such as:

fat burning - 120 - 139 BPM
aerobic/endurance - 139 - 152 BPM
sub threshhold - 152 - 165 BPM
threshhold - 165 - 174 BPM
vo2 max - 175 - 186 BPM

What?! I didn't know that there is so many different target heart rates for various types of exercise! I want to lose weight of course but I also want endurance for strength and energy. What is sub threshhold and the last 2??

Anonymou5

Basically Threshhold training is going to be at your limit, you will just be able to get rid of lactic acid and it will be hard work.

Vo2 max training is where you have gone beyond the limit, you can't get enough oxygen in for the amount your muscles need. This zone will be exceptionally tough (totally out of breath and incredibly tough to stay in this zone)

Then sub threshold will be somewhere between your limit and a comfortable endurance level.

Anonymou5

To make this info useful try staying in the fat burning zone for 3 minutes, then spend 1 minute in the subthreshhold zone, and then repeat this 5 times in a workout.

See if that increases your calories burned.

Once you get fit enough to do that easily you could work up to 3 minutes in endurance zone and 3 minutes in the threshhold zone 5 times in a workout.

Finally you could then spend 3 minutes in the endurance zone and then 3 in the VO2 max zone 5 times.

These intervals will improve your fitness and burn more calories.

Make sure to build up to this slowly.

chris1529

Thanks! I don't have much endurance and get winded easy. My heart rate went to 150 yesterday while working out and I felt like I had to stop. Not to mention that my shins and calves hurt pretty much every time I workout! So I guess it's safe to say that as long as I stay in the fat burning and endurance ranges, I will lose weight and build endurance.

SteveTries

Thanks! I don't have much endurance and get winded easy. My heart rate went to 150 yesterday while working out and I felt like I had to stop. Not to mention that my shins and calves hurt pretty much every time I workout! So I guess it's safe to say that as long as I stay in the fat burning and endurance ranges, I will lose weight and build endurance.

There are numerous models for HR zones. A simpler one that I prefer is
Recovery 60%-70%
Aerobic 70%-80% [e.g. a slow paced jog]
Anaerobic 80%-90% [e.g. a quick jog - most people can't sustain this for more than 30-60mins]
VO2 Max 90%-100% [e.g. HIIT sprints]

That fat-burning zone should be ignored. It's a load of tosh cooked up by workout equiptment manufacturers deliberately misrepresenting clinical data - basically you DO use a marginally higher % of energy from fat, but in other zones you are burning more fat total during the exercise and the caloric burn continues somewhat afterwards (particularly true with HIIT).

If endurance is your goal, work in the aerobic zone. This is where your body can process energy needs as you go along. for overall performance and fitness you'll want a workout schedule where you incorporate all different zones types.


I have recently gotten into this myself so my knowledge at the moment is based mostly on research and a few weeks of application and observation.

There are plenty of resources online that can help you understand better. You might want to start here:

http://www.running-world.net/heart_rate_training_zones_2.php

myfitnessnmhoy

If you're having trouble with endurance, I'd work in the endurance zone. You're still burning fat.

Here's what I did (understanding that I'm not a doctor or a nutritionist).

I picked a machine where I could absolutely control my heart rate, which in my case was an elliptical with a built in heart rate monitor. I started slow, and worked my heart rate up into the top of the "endurance" range and kept it there for as long as I could (30-45 minutes). I then cooled down for about 5 minutes. I did this 3x a week for about a month, and tracked my progress based on the number of watts I was able to generate or the distance I was able to cover at a given resistance level as my sign of progress.

Once my endurance started looking a little better and I felt my body could take it, I started doing some interval work. I got up to about 140bpm (10bpm below the top of cardio/endurance for my age), then went full-tilt-boogie for as long as I could take it (which started out as a pretty short ride!), getting my heart rate up to threshold (170) and turning all sorts of lovely shades of purple. I then lowered the intensity and got my heart rate back down to 140, then pumped it up again. This basically had the effect of increasing my endurance more quickly.

Using the machine at higher resistance levels and lower speeds (when you work up to it) seems to work better for me. Your mileage may vary, so experiment. Also try going backward on the elliptical since it engages different muscles, and play with different inclines to work different muscle groups.

And, yes, your legs will get sore each time you increase intensity. It passes in a couple of days, and lighter workouts on your "off cardio" days help. Mix some strength training in on the days you don't do cardio. Drink lots of water. Stretch (carefully and with proper form) as many muscles you're worked as you can after every workout - it helps a LOT with soreness.

Anonymou5

Thanks! I don't have much endurance and get winded easy. My heart rate went to 150 yesterday while working out and I felt like I had to stop. Not to mention that my shins and calves hurt pretty much every time I workout! So I guess it's safe to say that as long as I stay in the fat burning and endurance ranges, I will lose weight and build endurance.

Absolutely, just make sure you dip into the higher heart rate zones for short periods of time so you can improve.