Monitoring Your Heart Rate

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To obtain the greatest cardiovascular benefits from your exercise workout, it is important to work within your target heart rate zone. The American Heart Association (AHA) defines this target as 60%-75% percent of your maximum heart rate.

Your maximum heart rate may be roughly calculated by subtracting your age from 220. Your maximum heart rate and aerobic capacity naturally decreases as you age. This may vary from one person to another, but use this number to find your approximate effective target zone. For example, the maximum heart rate for an average 40 year-old is 180 bpm. The target heart rate zone is 60%-75% of 180 or 108-135 bpm. See Fitness Safety.

Before beginning your workout, check your normal resting heart rate. Place your fingers lightly against your neck, or against your wrist over the main artery. After finding your pulse, count the number of beats in 10 sec- onds. Multiply the number of beats by six to determine your pulse rate per minute. We recommend taking your heart rate at these times; at rest, after warming up, during your workout and two minutes into your cool down, to accurately track your progress as it relates to better fitness.

During your first several months of exercising, the AHA recommends aiming for the lower part of the target heart rate zone-60%, then gradually progressing up to 75%. According to the AHA, exercising above 75% of your maximum heart rate may be too strenuous unless you are in top physical condition. Exercising below 60% of your maximum will result in minimal cardiovascular conditioning.

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