Learn
more about heart rate basics and use these heart rate charts to help you
understand and improve your overall cardio fitness. Understanding the different
types of heart rates and what they represent, you can measure your overall cardio
heart health.
Knowing
how to measure a maximum heart rate, and understanding how a target your heart
rate zone while exercising can set the stage for successful weight loss, get
the maximum benefits of any exercise regime and ultimately help you to understand
the overall health of your heart.
Q: What is a heart rate?
A:
The average number of heart beats per minute; a heart beat is when the heart
contracts to pump blood thru your system.
Q: What is a resting heart rate?
A:
Resting heart rate is the number of beats in one minute while you are at a
complete rest state. Your resting heart rate indicates your basic overall heart
health and fitness level. The more conditioned your body is, the less effort it
needs to make to pump blood thru your body.
Q: What is a recovery heart rate?
A:
This is the heart rate your body will drop to after two minutes, after stopping
an exercise session. For instance you exercised for 30 minutes and your heart
rate was at 155. Two minutes after you stopped exercising, your heart rate then
decreased to 95. This recovery heart rate measure helps to evaluate your
overall heart fitness level. Use this measurement to compare between exercise
sessions.
Q: What is a maximum heart rate?
A:
A maximum heart rate (Max HR) is the highest number of beats your heart
contracts during a one minute measurement. Max HR is a useful tool to measure
training intensities and typically is used to measure or predict the level of
exercise. It's always good to measure your Max HR while doing exercises to
ensure you stay within a safe range or use it to measure if the exercise is
actually working well enough to raise your heart rate to acceptable ranges and
levels.
Q: How do I measure a Max HR?
A:
The best method of determining your individual maximum heart rate is to be
clinically tested and monitored on a treadmill. This is called a treadmill
stress testing and is done by a cardiologist or certified physical therapist.
Based on your age and physical condition, a formula is used to predict your Max
HR. The other method is by using an age-predicted maximum heart rate formula:
WOMEN:
226 - your age = age-adjusted Max HR
MEN: 220 - your age = age-adjusted Max HR
MEN: 220 - your age = age-adjusted Max HR
Example:
If you are a 30-year-old woman, your age-adjusted maximum heart rate is 226- 30
years = 196 bpm (beats per minute).
*note
that this formula allows you to estimate your Max HR. Be sure to consult with
your exercise trainer and doctors for the most effective rates that are
customized to your health.
Heart Rate Charts:
Heart
Rate Chart: Babies to Adults
|
||
AGE
|
Beats Per Minute (BPM)
|
|
Babies to Age 1
|
100 - 160
|
|
Children ages 1-10
|
60 - 140
|
|
Children age 10+ and adults
|
60 - 100
|
|
Athletes:
|
40 - 60
|
|
Target
Heart Rate During Exercise
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||
Age
|
Min-max
Heart Rate (BPM)
|
|
15
|
123 - 164
|
|
20
|
120 - 160
|
|
25
|
117 - 156
|
|
30
|
114 - 152
|
|
35
|
111 - 148
|
|
40
|
108 - 144
|
|
45
|
105 - 140
|
|
50
|
102 - 136
|
|
55
|
99 - 132
|
|
60
|
96 - 128
|
|
65
|
90 - 120
|
|
70
|
90 - 120
|
|
75
|
87 - 116
|
|
Q: What is your heart rate reserve?
A:
The heart rate reserve is the difference between your Max HR and your Resting
HR. For instance, if your Max HR is 150 bpm and your resting HR is 65, this
means your heart rate reserve is 95. (150 - 65 = 95)
Q: What is a safe heart rate?
A:
Your "safe heart rate" is a heart rate that is prescribed to help
moderate and supervise your exercise training so that you don't over do it.
This range is typically about 60% of the maximum heart rate and helps to reduce
the amount of stress on the heart while gaining good effects of exercise. This
is especially important if you have a heart condition or just starting an
exercise regime.
Q: What is a target zone?
A:
A target zone is a heart rate range that helps you maintain an intensity level
while you work out. There are different target zones for different types of
athletes and levels of exercise you are following. Target zones typically
correspond with a specific exercise goal and helps to effectively grade if an
exercise is actually working for you or overworking you.
Fitness
Target Zones: Heart Rates
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||
Exercise
Level
|
Benefits
|
Intensity
Level
(Max HR %) |
Light Exercise
|
Healthy Heart
Maintenance |
50% - 60%
|
Weight Loss
|
Burn Fat & Calories
|
60% - 70%
|
Base - Aerobic
|
Increase stamina & endurance
|
70% - 80%
|
Conditioning
|
Fitness conditioning, muscle
building, and athletic training
|
80% - 90%
|
Athletic - elite
|
Athletic training and endurance
|
90% - 100%
|
Select
which level represents your physical condition and then locate the Heart Rate
Zones for your age from the Target Heart Rate Chart. For Example: if you want
to burn fat to lose weight, select your favorite exercise and keep within
60-70% of your maximum heart rate, based on your age, for at least 30 minutes a
day, 3 times a week.
(If you need more information about your Heart Rate or want an individualized HR analysis, do not hesitate to contact me).
(If you need more information about your Heart Rate or want an individualized HR analysis, do not hesitate to contact me).