And since it’s Valentine’s Day – today is ALL about a focus on the HEART – literally!
Do you know how to check your heart rate?
Or use the heart rate monitor on a machine or that attaches to you?
You can also use the ‘old school’ method and find your radial pulse on your forearm/wrist area or your carotid pulse on your neck and count for a minute how many beats you pick up to find your resting heart rate. Men and Women tend to average around 70 beats per minute depending upon age. The formula below would help you determine your optimum training zone, however.
For example, I’m 33 and 220-33 = 187, so my maximum heart rate is 187 (HRmax).
WHY is this all so important?
You want to not only focus on physical results, but there’s a reason why it’s called CARDIOvascular fitness – to workout the heart! So, if you start out little by little and progress to a range that fits your fitness level, you won’t overexert yourself or cause harm in that way.
In a whole other post I’ll talk about why Max Interval Training can not only be efficient but effective!
What are some fun ways you change up cardio to work within your zone?
This is such a great how-to! It’s really important info to have (and use!) Have a great weekend, Kat!
Thanks Laura!
Work those hearts! 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day!
Haha, thanks Ang same to you!
get to DANCIN!!!!
on the kitchen.
while I sing off key 🙂
There IS no other way!
Great informative post Kat. I need to pay attention to this more!
Thank you!
Love this post! It’s definitely important to be heart healthy! I love to change it up with simple things in my everyday life. Like playing chase with my boys and jumping on the trampoline with them! I try to teach them that exercise can be fun!
Very true, thanks Mindy!
Excellent info. Stuff many of us think we know, but really don’t. I’ve been hitting up the HIIT workouts lately and loving them!
You’re so right, a healthy heart is very important! I use my heart rate monitor religiously when I run, it’s actually what I use for my interval training. I have a specific program that has a great heart rate scale, so I always judge my speed and effort on my heart rate. Thanks for sharing!
~Bre
If you have access to a track, here’s a workout to find your Max HR (more accurate than old 220-age):
Warmup 15 MIN
400m Moderate (5k) pace
400m jog
400m easy w 4 10-20 sec sprint bursts
200m jog
200m = 100m build to MAX SPRINT then 100m MAX SPRINT
Check your HR now. You can repeat the last step after a 400m easy jog until you think you’ve maxed out. 400m=One Lap of an outdoor track.
Really great info. Since getting a HRM, I’ve realized how important it is to know just how hard my body is (or isn’t) working. Great post and have a great weekend!
Great info on HRM. We often work zones in group cycling class. Love it.
My gym just installed a new heart-rate training system, so I wear my heart rate monitor for our indoor cycling workouts. Training with that data is incredibly helpful. Like you wrote, you know exactly which zone you’re in, how hard you’re working, etc. Hope you and G had a great day! 🙂
Great info Kat. I need to wear my HRmonitor more often.
Such a great post for Valentines. Matters of the heart rate zone. =) I like.
Fartleks are pretty much my personal choice for interval training, that and cycling class.
I am all about the heart rate training, so I obviously LOVE this!