An exciting month for all you competition lovers - Jenny Craig is giving their valued clients the opportunity to win a heart rate monitor, to complement your exercise regimes in the coming winter months.
Inspired by this theme, I thought we’d put on our sports science hats and I’d let you all in on the secrets of how monitoring your heart rate during exercise can optimize results. Think that might be ‘over your head’? Think again! All it takes is a basic understanding of the fundamentals… all provided for you below.
First the simple sums :
Determine your maximum heart rate (MHR) by using this formula:
220 – your age = maximal heart rate. For example, if John is 45 years old, his MHR is 220- 45 = 175 bpm
General recommendations for exercise suggest you perform exercise at a moderate-vigorous intensity, but what does that mean for heart rate?
Moderate–vigorous exercise is considered to be within a target heart rate range of 60-85% of your maximum heart rate.
Let’s now go back to John to calculate his recommended training zones.
To calculate the low end of his heart rate zone: 175 x 0.6 = 105 bpm
To calculate the high end of his heart rate zone: 175 x 0.85 = 149 bpm
Therefore John’s ideal heart rate for exercise lies between 105 – 149 bpm.
How hard you work depends on your fitness level. If you’re just starting out an exercise regime, keep your heart rate at the lower end of your target heart rate zone and gradually work up to a higher level as you become more competent.
**** Some medications (such a beta-blockers and anti-arrhythmias) can lower your maximum heart rate and therefore lower your target heart rate zones. If unsure about your medication, heck with your doctor before you begin.
Now that you understand your heart rate range, where to now? Ideally aim to perform 30-40 minutes of exercise most days of the week to optimize your weight-loss goals and improve your health and fitness. It is important to remember that your exercise intensity needs to increase in conjunction with your fitness.
So there you go guys, a little bit of science for you to digest. Get stuck into it!