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The Appropriate Heart Rate for a Cardio Workout

Jan 21, 2011 | By Leslie Truex
The Appropriate Heart Rate for a Cardio Workout
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Cardiovascular exercise helps control weight and reduces the risk of many health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and some forms of cancer. It involves doing activities that force the heart and lungs to work harder to meet the body's need for oxygen. For aerobic exercise to be effective and safe, you need to know your body's target heart range and workout at a level suited to your health and fitness.

Heart Rate for Sustained Aerobic Activity

The standard calculations for finding target heart rate are suitable for anyone who does not have a history of heart problems or is not taking medications that affect blood pressure. The target heart rate range is 65 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate is calculated by subtracting your age from 220. If you're 25 years old, your maximum heart rate is 195 beats per minute. Multiply your maximum heart rate by 0.65 and 0.85 to determine your target heart rate range. In this example, your target heart rate range would be 127 to 166. Your goal is to work out for 30 minutes to an hour at a heart range between 127 and 166 beats per minute.

Heart Rate for Interval Exercise

Interval exercise involves working out by alternating between low and high intensity levels. Very high intensity levels burn more fat but cannot be sustained over a long period of time. By alternating between low and high levels, you can burn more fat and still get periods of rest to sustain the higher activity. Target heart rate for interval training varies from 55 percent of your maximum heart rate on the low end to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate on the high end. A 25-year-old exerciser would interval train at 107 beats per minute during the low interval and as high as 195 on the high.

Cardio Exercise and Heart Disease

Exercise can help patients with heart disease. However, because exercise puts strain on the heart, these clients should seek a doctor's approval and exercise recommendations before starting a cardiovascular exercise program. The standard target heart rate calculations may not be suitable for heart disease patients, so the doctor will provide guidelines for determining optimal heart rate. If you have heart disease, purchase a heart rate monitor to track your heart rate throughout the workout and let the trainers and instructors at your gym know of your condition so they can modify their exercise instructions for you. During your workout if you experience labored breathing or extreme fatigue, stop exercising and contact your doctor. Call for emergency help if you have chest pains.

Cardio Exercise and Beta Blockers

Cardiovascular exercise provides several health benefits, including improving blood pressure. However, people who are diagnosed with hypertension and prescribed medication to control blood pressure need a doctor's approval and exercise recommendations before starting a workout program. Beta blocker medication lowers blood pressure, which makes it difficult for you to reach your target heart rate during exercise. Your doctor can provide guidelines on how to best determine your workout intensity by adjusting your target heart rate. Use a heart rate monitor to provide feedback that you're working at the appropriate level. Tell the trainers and instructors at your gym that you're taking beta blockers so they can modify their heart rate instructions for you.

References

Article reviewed by Eric Lochridge Last updated on: Jan 21, 2011

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