Call Today: 1-888-940-1022
Scottsdale: (480) 951-6951
Ahwatukee: (480) 940-1022
Gilbert: (480) 855-6044
Now Hiring for Sales Click here
Social Media:
0
  • No products in the cart.
Total:$0.00

06 Feb Understanding Heart Rate and Your Exercise Routine

Posted at 10:09h in At Home Fitness by
0 Likes

Now that you have purchased a piece of exercise equipment with a heart rate monitor, you may be wondering how you can use that monitor to help you achieve your fitness goals.  The reality is that there are different heart rate target zones that you should strive to fit within in order to achieve the goals you have set.  Therefore, understanding these heart rate zones and knowing your goals is essential to achieving optimum health.

Long Term Health

If you are simply looking to achieve a level of long term health, exercising for 30 minutes per day at a heart rate of 50-60% of your maximum heart rate is ideal.  If you purchased a machine with a heart rate monitor, it should be able to calculate your maximum heart rate for you and will even let you know the capacity at which you are currently working.  In order to get a more exact determination of your maximum heart rate, however, you may want to consult with a physician.

Burning Off Excess Fat

If your goal is to burn off excess fat, you should workout for at least 45 to 60 minutes at a time.  This way, your body will begin to draw upon its fat stores in order to burn off excess calories.  Your heart rate for this fitness goal should be at around 60- 70% of your MHR.  At this rate, you should notice a change in your breathing, but you should still be able to easily carry on a conversation.

Building Your Endurance

If you are trying to improve your endurance, you will need to look at the distance you cover as well as your heart rate.  If you are using a treadmill, for example, you should strive to cover 5 to 10 miles at a time.  Regardless of the machine, you should maintain a heart rate that is 65-80% of your maximum heart rate. 

Improving Your Aerobic Fitness

If you are trying to improve your level of aerobic fitness, you should workout for 20 to 60 minutes every other day at 70-80% of your maximum heart rate.  You can alternate every other day between this type of workout and a fat burning workout or a general health workout.