Now that you understand the advantages of exercise, and have thought about your fitness goals, it’s time to think about monitoring your workouts.

Why would you want to monitor your heart rate?

• to help build your aerobic fitness levels
• ensure right intensity levels to ensure your fitness goals
• guidelines set by your endurance fitness program
• guidelines set by your doctor

Even if you don’t monitor or track your heart rate, it is important to understand heart rates and Target Heart Rate Zones.

Participating in low, medium, or high-intensity exercise results in different levels of heart rates. Knowing your Target Heart Rate is important in making sure you are not overextending yourself during your workout.

It is also important to know how to maintain an appropriate level of intensity to get the results you want.

Basically, your pulse is your heart rate, or the number of times your heart beats per minute. Your heart rate is lower when you are at rest and increases when you exercise. This is because more oxygen-rich blood is needed by the body when you exercise. Heart rate is the best measure for how much power you are putting into your workout and the best indicator for your recommended range of workout intensity.

In order to determine heart rate, first you need to calculate your predicted Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) or the point at which you are at your highest intensity. You really need to be aware of this rate to determine what your target zone is and to make an impact on your fitness level.

The easiest and most common formula to determine predicted Maximum Heart Rate is:

220 - your age = MHR (predicted target…check with your Doctor to be sure)

Heart rate charts provide you with a visual that guides you to find the Target Heart Rate Zones for your age. It’s important to first determine your Resting Heart Rate (RHR), or the rate at which your heart beats when you first wake up. This rate should be 15 to 20 beats per minute slower than your usual heart rate.

To find your heart rate, press gently on the side of your neck to measure the pulse of your
carotid artery. You may also find your pulse on your wrist. Count each beat for 15 seconds and multiply that rate by 4 to determine your heart rate (in beats per minute).

This number will be used to calculate your target heart rate.
Keep in mind that as you get more fit, your heart becomes more efficient at pumping
blood around the body. As a result you will find your resting heart rate gets lower. Check out your own heart rate. Click the stop watch to start timing.