Your heart is the most important muscle in your body and, like all muscles, must be exercised regularly to remain strong and
efficient. According to fitness experts, exercise is more effective when you work out in a specific heart rate range or zone.
This is referred to as your Target Heart Rate Zone (THRZ) and is reflected by the number of beats per minute your heart
pumps. This zone can vary greatly depending on your age, fitness level and various other factors. If your heart rate is too
low during exercise, your body reaps little or no benefit. This means you’re not likely to see the results you want, like weight
loss or increased endurance. If your heart rate is too high during exercise, you may tire too quickly and become frustrated,
or even run the risk of injury. In this case, you’re likely to quit exercising because it’s simply too difficult.
Monitoring exercise intensity helps you to stay at a level of exercise that allows you to accomplish your goals. In fact, the
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that, in order to get the most benefit from your cardiovascular
exercise, you should work within your Target Heart Rate Zone for at least 20 to 60 minutes per workout, 3 to 5 times per
week. Knowing your exercise intensity (heart rate) will allow you to work at the right level of exercise to accomplish this.
Your Target Heart Rate Zone represents the minimum and maximum number of times your heart should beat in one minute
of exercise. The ACSM recommends that all individuals should work within a Target Heart Rate Zone of 60% to 85% of
Maximum Heart Rate. This means that your heart rate during exercise should not fall below 60% or rise above 85% of your
maximum heart rate. Let’s look at John from our earlier example. John is 35 years old, so his estimated maximum heart
rate is 220 minus 35, or 185 beats per minute (bpm). The ACSM says that John should exercise between 60% and 85% of
185 beats per minute to stay in his THRZ. Let’s determine John’s THRZ:
111-157 beats per minute is the range or zone John will want to keep his heart rate in during exercise in order to achieve his
goals. If John is a beginning exerciser, he’ll want to stay at the low end of his THRZ. If John is a more advanced exerciser, he
may want to work at the higher end of his THRZ to challenge himself more.
DIFFERENT INTENSITY LEVELS WITHIN A TARGET HEART RATE ZONE
Beginner:
60% of MHR
Weight Loss:
75% of MHR
Aerobic:
85% of MHR
A monitor consists of two parts: a transmitter and a receiver. Each time your heart beats, the electrodes detect the beat and
send the information to the receiver on the elliptical. Your current heart rate (bpm) is visible on the elliptical’s display.
Why should I monitor exercise intensity?
How do I determine my Target Heart Rate Zone?
What is a heart monitor?
John’s Estimated Maximum Heart Rate:
185 bpm
Lower Target Limit:
185(MHR) X 0.6
111 bpm
Upper Target Limit:
185(MHR) X 0.85
157 bpm
John’s Target Heart Rate Zone
111-157 bpm
9
Heart Rate Monitoring
