Topic: Heart Rate
Utilizing Heart Rate Zones
Cardiovascular health is the foundation of fitness. From long distance running to weightlifting, all types of exercises require a strong heart and lungs. Maintaining a specific hear rate zone will have a great affect on longevity and effort. For example, one is able to run for a longer duration if they do so at a slow pace compared to sprinting. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes per week of cardiovascular activity at a moderate pace or 75 minutes per week of high intensity training for hear health.
Aerobic fitness allows your body to recycle oxygen, which translates to a longer durations. Anaerobic fitness prevents oxygen from being recycled in your body due to higher effort, which translates to improving higher power and speed. For most people working out anywhere from 70 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate is where your body will shift from aerobic to anaerobic.
Calculating your hear rate zones using your hear rate reserve will give you the most accurate beats per minute due to incorporating your age as well as personal resting hear rate. Below are two examples:
- 50 year old long slow endurance training at 60% with 65bpm resting heart rate.
220 – age(50) – RHR(65) x .60 + RHR(65) = 128bpm
- 25 year old high intensity training at 85% with 55bpm RHR
220 – age(25) – RHR (55) x .85 + RHR(55) = 174bpm
Exercising in a hear rate zone that is speficic to your goals will dramatically improve your ability to achieve that goal. Apply heart rate training to your next workout!
