heart rate monitors

the max heart rate you should reach during exercise is 220 minus your age. so if you are 40 your max should be 180 bpm. The closer you are to that number the more calories you will burn.

Hi.

This is what I did to find my Max HR

Using the formula
220 - Your Age = Predicted Maximum Heart Rate

ex. 20 years old = 200 Max Hr


If you are a bit fit, do this

Actual test

You find a hill that is not too steep. Or set the treadmill on 3-5 degrees incline.

maximum heart rate

If you think your max HR is about 200 (Use the formula abow).

This will be sort of your target.

Now. Warm up for 15 minutes, very easy.

The test is a five minute run that goes like this :

Start off the first minute and try to run it at 40 heartbeats below target.
Target in this example is 200. So we start off at 160 in heart rate. No faster.

After one minute at 160, go up 10 beats and do one minute at 170 in heart rate.

You have a gradual increase from 160 and up to 170. No sudden "bursts".

After one minute at 170, up another 10 beats to 180.

Stay at 180 for one minute, before hitting 190 for one minute.

After the minute at 190, the last minute go all out. Which means you run as hard as you can, even a sprint in the end if you manage.

Using your Max HR data.

Zone 1
HEALTHY HEART ZONE:
50%-60% of your individual Max HR
This is the safest, most comfortable zone, reached by walking briskly. Here you strengthen your heart and improve muscle mass while you reduce body fat, cholesterol, blood pressure, and your risk for degenerative disease. You get healthier in this zone, but not more fit -- that is, it won't increase your endurance or strength but it will increase your health.

Zone 2
THE TEMPERATE ZONE:
60% to 70% of your individual Max HR.
It's easily reached by jogging slowly. While still a relatively low level of effort, this zone starts training your body to increase the rate of fat release from the cells to the muscles for fuel.

Zone 3
THE AEROBIC ZONE:
70%-80% or your individual Max HR
In this zone -- reached by running easily as an example -- you improve your functional capacity. The number and size of your blood vessels actually increase, you step up your lung capacity and respiratory rate, and your heart increases in size and strength

Zone 4
THE ANAEROBIC THRESHOLD ZONE:
80%-90% of your individual Max HR
This zone is reached by going hard -- running faster. Here you get faster and fitter, increasing your heart rate as you cross from aerobic to anaerobic training

Zone 5
THE REDLINE ZONE:
90% to 100% of your individual Max HR.
This is the equivalent of running all out and is used mostly as an "interval" training regiment -- exertion done only in short to intermediate length bursts.

Hope this helps

Good luck