HEART RATE TRAINING
The following is very general information about heart rate training. There are many good books on the subject. Visit a local bookseller or visit our web site for more in depth heart rate training information.
In general, heart rate goes up while exercising. The harder you exercise, the faster your heart will beat. In this way, heart rate is a good indication of the exercise intensity. By setting your target heart rate and making an effort to maintain that rate, you will be able to work out more efficiently. Before starting a training program, consult a medical specialist or trainer.
1. For improving your general fitness
Bicycling is one of the best activities to improve your general fitness. To improve your overall fitness through bicycling, set your target heart rate zone from the training level of between 30% and 70%, depending on your physical strength. It is desirable to work for twenty to thirty minutes a time, at a frequency of more than three times a week. To obtain your target zone, see the table below, which illustrates the correlation between heart rate and training level. For beginners, it is recommended to start with the level of 30%. From this point, gradually increase the level according to your fitness level and experience. For a purpose of improving your health, 70% is considered to be the highest goal.
For the purpose of losing weight, work at a comparatively lower level for a longer period. For maximum benefit you will want to workout for more than one hour at a time.
PULSE RATE (bpm)
200 |
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180 | MAXIMUM | PULSE | RATE |
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| (204 | – 0. |
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| 80% |
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| 69 x | AGE) |
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160 | 70% |
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140 | 60% |
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| 50% |
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120 | 40% |
| TARGET | 190 | – | AGE | ||
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| 180 | – | AGE | ||
| 30% |
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100 | Exercise Level |
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90 |
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20 AGE | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 |
| 70 |