Walking is beginner exercise that features many health benefits, including increased fitness, boosted energy levels and decreased health risks. Your heart rate when walking is directly related to your intensity. Consider your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, pace and terrain when calculating your average heart rate.
BMR
Your BMR is based on your height, weight, gender and age. The BMR is your daily calorie recommendation and is directly affected by regular exercise. Walking burns calories and will increase the amount of calories you need to consume to maintain your weight. However, those looking to lose weight can use walking to create a calorie deficit and lose weight.
Pace
Your pace when walking is the main factor when tracking your heart rate. A faster pace will greatly increase heart rate while a slower speed will slightly increase heart rate. An average fitness walking pace is close to a 15-minute mile, but a good pace will vary depending on your fitness level, walking technique, walking goals and terrain, according to TheWalkingSite.com.
Heart Rate Check
To accurately check your heart rate when walking, you can either check your wrist, neck beneath the jaw line or use a heart rate monitor. A heart rate monitor is a useful tool because it's constantly checking your heart rate and displaying it on a watch. This allows you to increase or decrease intensity accordingly to your fitness goal.
Maximum Heart Rate
Maximum heart rate, or MHR, is calculated by subtracting your age from 220. For example, a 30-year-old person's MHR is 190 beats per minute. Your target heat rate should be between 50 percent and 85 percent of MHR. To calculate your target heart rate zone, multiple your MHR by 0.50 and 0.85. For example, if your MHR is 190 beats per minute, or BPM, your target heat rate zone is between 95 and 161 BPM. When starting an exercise program, aim at the lowest part of your target zone, 50 percent, during the first few weeks, recommends the American Heart Association.
Terrain
Incline terrain such as a mountainous trail will increase your heart rate and your calorie burn. Plan your walking trail before beginning to prepare for the terrain accordingly. Challenging terrain will boost your heart rate into your fat-burning zone, or 50 percent to 85 percent of your MHR.
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