Your heart rate factors into health and exercise in three important ways. Your resting heart rate, maximum heart rate and target heart rate zone are all important elements to know and to keep in mind when you plan workouts and judge your overall health. The alternative is to use a conversational pace when you exercise, which means: if you can sing you aren't working hard enough, but if you can't talk you're working too hard. This method is not as accurate a gauge of whether you're working within the proper heart rate range and, depending on where you are, you might not want to try singing or talking to yourself.
Resting Heart Rate
Lower is better when it comes to your resting heart rate. Your resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you're at rest, such as when you're asleep. The average adult has a resting heart rate of 60 to 80 beats per minute. Regular exercise makes your heart work more efficiently and therefore lowers your resting heart rate. Athletes may have a resting heart rate of as slow as 40 bpm. If you're not an athlete and your heart rate is often below 40 bpm, see a doctor as this could indicate a health risk. A resting heart rate above 100 bpm could also be cause for concern.
Maximum Heart Rate
Your maximum heart rate is like a cap on how high you should try to go. It is not healthy to try to exercise above your maximum heart rate. If you've done your calculations correctly, you should find it difficult to even approach your max heart rate for more than a brief period. Your max heart rate is 220 bpm minus your age.
Target Heart Rate
Your target heart rate is a percentage of your maximum heart rate. Remember that this means it changes every year. You need to update your heart rate zone annually at least. Also, beginners use a lower amount. Start exercising at only 50 percent of your max heart rate and, after a few weeks, work up to 75 percent. Consistent exercise for six months prepares you to increase your intensity to up to 85 percent of your max heart rate, but this is not necessary just for general health.
Monitoring Your Heart Rate
You can monitor your heart rate in three ways: use the sensors on a cardio machine; wear a heart rate monitor watch; or take your pulse manually. Taking your pulse manually means you have to stop exercising every time you check your pulse, giving your heart rate time to drop down. The heart rate sensors on cardio machines are not always accurate. A heart rate monitor watch with a chest strap is the easiest and most efficient way to get constant feedback. The pulse sensors on the strap read your heart rate and send the number in bpm to the display on your watch so you'll always know what your heart rate is without stopping. Watches work when you're on machines or outdoors.
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