Calculate maximum heart rate?

misssararae
misssararae Posts: 23 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
How do you figure out your optimal heart rate and/or maximum heart rate you'd want to reach when working out? I'm doing Insanity and I've been taking it on the easy side this first week but now that I have a monitor I want to hit it as hard as I can!

Thanks!
Sara

Replies

  • efirkey
    efirkey Posts: 298 Member
    There are formulas to calculate this, but each person is unique. The best way is to keep an eye on your heart rate monitor and exercise at different exertion levels. Run a 50 yard sprint. Walk. Jog. Do jumping jacks. You will then get a good idea of how hard you are pushing your heart.

    For me I can easily get my heart rate into the 160s in a spin class, but have a hard time breaking 150 on an eliptical machine. When I walk my heart rate is around 100 and I seem to last the longest if I get my heart rate into the 120s. If you are out of shape, jump on a treadmill and start jogging. Your heart rate will be in the 140s and higher in no time.

    Experiment. Learn your own body.

    Polar has a webpage for calculating your heart rate zones
    http://www.polarusa.com/us-en/support/How_to_calculate_target_heart_rate_zone_

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