Heart Rate In A Cardio Workout

A cardio workout is exercise that elevates your heart rate and causes you to break a sweat. Running, walking, aerobics and cycling are all examples of cardiovascular workouts. During a cardio workout, your heart rate should remain elevated for at least 20 minutes. The American Heart Association says your heart rate should increase between 50 percent and 85 percent during cardiovascular exercise. This strengthens heart muscles, lowers cholesterol levels and increases blood flow.

Taking Your Pulse

Your pulse is the number of times your heart beats each minute. A pulse can vary from person to person based on physical activity level and overall health. To take your pulse, place the tips of your second and third fingers on the palm portion of your wrist. Gently press down so you are able to feel blood flowing in your wrist. Use a watch or any clock with a second hand. Count the number of times you feel a beat in your wrist for 10 seconds. Take this number and multiply it by six to determine your pulse or heart rate.

Resting Heart Rate

Before starting cardiovascular exercise, you should determine how fast your heart beats on a regular basis. The best time of day to determine your resting heart rate is in the morning after a good night's sleep. The heart usually beats between 60 and 80 times per minute while at rest, according to the American Heart Association.

Muscle Demands

As you participate in a cardiovascular workout, your muscles demand more oxygen and nutrients to support the workload your body is placing on them. The blood flow to your muscles needs to increase. Your heart's response to the needs of your body is to beat faster. This gets blood flowing to your muscles more quickly.

Target Heart Rate

You need to pace yourself during cardiovascular exercise. You can measure your target heart rate at the beginning of your exercise session and then monitor it during the workout. You want to stay between 50 percent and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. You can measure your pulse during a workout to ensure you stay within your target heart-rate zone. You should be able to exercise at a conversational pace, meaning your should be able to talk and work out at the same time. If you are unable to talk while working out or have to stop to catch your breath, you may be exercising too vigorously.

Maximum Heart Rate

Very few individuals are able to work out out at their maximum heart rate, including those in top condition. You should not exceed this heart rate during workouts. A simple formula for determining your maximum heart rate is subtracting your age from 220. Maximum heart rates are frequently used by fitness professionals to help determine a safe level for cardiovascular exercise.