Eshealthtips.com – Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your heart and overall health. It’s also a great way to lose weight.
Reach Target Heart Rate at a Safe Pace
But before you start an exercise program, you need to figure out your target heart rate. It’s the number that experts recommend you work to achieve when exercising vigorously. When you’re new to a fitness program, start slowly and work up the intensity level. This way you’ll be able to reach your target heart rate at a safe pace.
Keeping your heart rate within the 50 to 75 percent range of your maximum is recommended for moderate exercise, according to the American Heart Association. However, there are other factors that play into your target heart rate. For example, if you have a chronic illness or a medication that could affect your heart rate, talk with your doctor to make sure it’s appropriate for you before starting a new program.
If you find that your heart rate drops during your workouts, it may be caused by vasovagal syncope or a heart rhythm disorder called bradycardia. These conditions occur when blood vessels expand and blood pools in the lower parts of your body, which makes your heart beat too slowly. If you experience these symptoms during or after exercise, stop exercising immediately and see your doctor. There are many things that affect exercise intensity, including breathing, heart rate, sweating and muscle fatigue. The Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion is a useful way to measure your intensity level and determine your target heart rate zone.
Keeping Exercise Intensity at the Right Level
It is important to keep your exercise intensity at the right level to maximize the health benefits of physical activity. This means you should try to work hard, but not too hard. When you are exercising at the right intensity level for your goals, you are more likely to meet guidelines for physical activity, such as 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week.
You are also more likely to reap the long-term health benefits of physical activity, such as a lower risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and other health conditions. One of the easiest ways to track your heart rate is by using a watch or timer on your smartphone. You can also check your heart rate by placing the index and middle fingers lightly on an artery on the thumb side of your wrist.
When you work out, your body needs periods of rest to allow it time to repair and replenish. This is especially true for vigorous aerobic exercise, such as running or cycling. As you become stronger through aerobic training, your resting heart rate (RHR) will decrease. This is because your heart muscle can pump fewer heartbeats to supply the same amount of blood.
Increases RHR if Doing Regular High-Intensity Exercise
However, it is important to note that you can increase your RHR if you do high-intensity exercise regularly. This is called V02 max and will improve your fitness levels. If you want to increase your intensity levels, use your workout monitor or heart-rate app to track your progress over time. These devices can also notify you if you’re ready for another hard workout or if you need more rest.
You can even get a health coach or trainer to help you develop a program that works best for your goals and personal circumstances. By keeping a log, you can see how your fitness level is improving and identify any health issues that may need attention. Your heart rate (or pulse) is an important tool to measure your exercise intensity. It’s a number that shows how much oxygen your heart needs to deliver to your body during exercise and can reveal if your workout is safe or not.
Your resting heart rate can vary from person to person, but most people have a normal range of 60 to 100 beats per minute. This is a good range to keep your heart rate within when exercising and can help you determine the appropriate intensity level for your workouts. While there are many ways to monitor your heart rate, the easiest is with a wrist watch or fitness tracker. Another option is to place your fingers on the silver sensors attached to a cardio machine at a gym. Your target heart rate is a range of numbers that reflect how fast your heart should be beating while you’re working out, suggests Johns Hopkins cardiologist Michael Blaha, M.D.
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