HEART

Many of us do not think about our target heart rate on a daily basis, and the only time we hear our pulse is during a physical examination. There are many advantages to being aware of a target heart rate and to aim for this rate during an exercise routine. It is also useful knowing one's target heart rate to monitor heart health and to be aware of the correct target heart rate for one's age. Those who are undertaking fitness routines after a heart attack or who are suffering from heart problems must be aware of their target heart rate to avoid overstraining themselves and risking another heart attack. It is not difficult to measure one's target heart rate; two fingers on your carotid artery or an elaborate heart monitor will let you know what your pulse is.

The basic formula for measuring one's maximum heart rate is to for men to subtract their age from 220 and for women to subtract their age from 226. You will see that the maximum heart rate declines in beats per minutes as one gets older. One should be careful to note the difference between the maximum heart rate and the target heart rate. One should never work out at one's maximum heart rate. Those who work out at 90% of one's maximum rate are athletes who have been given permission to do so by a doctor. When beginning a workout, one's target heart rate should be 50% of the maximum heart rate. This is true for low impact workouts such as walking. In spite of the relatively low target heart rate, a high percentage of calories from fat can be burned at this target heart rate. As one gets stronger, it is a good idea to increase one's target heart rate for a workout from 50% working gradually toward 80%. For those with heart problems, it is essential to contact a doctor to see what target heart rate should be aimed for. It is also important to work gradually towards one's goal, which is the reason those with heart problems should use a heart monitor while working out.

Measuring one's target heart rate is not difficult. You need only to put your fingers on your neck and press on the carotid artery. Count the number of pulses you feel in six seconds and multiply the number by 60 ( a slower way is to count the number of pulses in a minute). This gives you the number of your beats per minute, and you can easily see whether or not you are reaching your target heart rate. One disadvantage to using one's finger is that it is difficult to exercise while measuring one's pulse with a finger, and stopping exercise will slow down the pulse. A better idea is to purchase a heart monitor which you can strap over your chest or wear as a wrist watch. These heart monitors give you your beats per minute automatically and are helpful in calculating one's target heart rate.

The strap-on monitors may feel cumbersome, but they measure one's heart rate continuously. Many also measure calories burned. Another possibility is to purchase a heart monitor that can be worn like a watch and will record one's heart rate after you put your finger on the pad. These “watches” are more convenient, but they only measure your heart rate when you put your finger on the pad.