Aerobic exercise offers many benefits, including weight control, increased stamina and stronger heart and lungs. It also reduces your risk of health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and some types of cancer. But for aerobic exercise to safe and effective, you need to learn to measure and track your heart rate and work out at the level suited to your fitness and health.
Target Heart Rate
Healthy people who are not on any medications or have a history of heart problems can use the standard guidelines for determining target heart rate. For aerobic exercise, you need to reach a heart rate that is 65 percent to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. To calculate your target heart rate range, subtract your age from 220 and multiply by 0.65 and 0.85. For example, you're 30 years old, your target heart rate range will be 123.5 to 161.5 (220 - 30 = 190; 190 X 0.65 = 123. 5 and 190 X 0.85 = 161.5). Instead of doing the math, you can use heart rate charts found on gym equipment or on the American Heart Association website. To measure your heart rate you can hold two fingers at the carotid artery or on your wrist and count the beats for 10 seconds. Multiply that by 6 to calculate your heart rate. For example, if you counted 24 your heart rate would be 144 (24 X 6 = 144). Some exercise equipment such as treadmills have heart rate sensors you can use instead.
Perceived Exersion
If you have difficulty finding your pulse or you're already fit, you can use perceived exertion to measure how hard your heart is working. One method is the talk test. If you can hold a conversation with effort, you're probably in your target heart range. If you can sing, you're not working hard enough. Another option is to use the perceived exertion scale from 0 to 10. At 0 you're doing no activity such as sitting, whereas at 10 you're exerting maximum effort. For aerobic exercise you want to workout between moderate and heavy or 3 and 5 on the perceived exertion scale.
Aerobic Exercise And Heart Disease
People with heart disease need to obtain a doctors approval and recommendations before starting an exercise program. Because the heart is already compromised, using target heart rate or perceived exertion may not be appropriate for heart disease patients. Your doctor will let you know what heart rate you should strive for and the exercises that are safe. Consider getting a watch with a heart rate monitor so you can accurately measure your doctor's prescribed heart rate throughout your workout. Let the trainers and instructors at the gym know about your condition so they can modify their instructions to you. At anytime if you have labored breathing or extreme fatigue, stop your exercise and contact your doctor immediately. If you have chest pains, call 911.
Aerobic Exercise And Beta Blockers
While aerobic exercise can improve blood pressure, individuals with hypertension who take beta blocker medication need to get their doctors approval and exercise recommendations before beginning an exercise program. Beta blockers work to lower blood pressure and make it difficult for you to reach your target heart rate. Your doctor will let you know how to determine your target heart rate by adjusting it or using perceived exertion. Let the trainers and instructors at your gym know if you're on beta blockers so they can modify their heart rate instructions to you.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Aerobic Exercise: Top 10 Reasons to Get Physical
- American Heart Association: Target Heart Rate
- Cleveland Clinic: Heart and Vascular Health & Prevention - Rated Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale
- American Council on Exercise: Exercising With Heart Disease
- MayoClinic.com: High Blood Pressure (Hypertensioin) - Beta blockers: How Do They Affect Exercise?
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