Aerobic or cardio exercise is physical activity that gets your heart and breathing rates up for a sustained period of several minutes or more. Running, swimming and cycling are familiar examples of cardio. Cardio exercise has major health benefits, including reduced risks of heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity. You can lower your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes and even some forms of cancer, according to MayoClinic.com.
Definition
Your optimum heart rate for cardio exercise depends on your physical condition and your exercise goals. Target heart rate, also called a heart rate zone, is defined as a percentage of your maximum heart rate, or MHR. The MHR for men is about equal to 220 minus age for men; women should subtract from 226. A 30-year-old man aiming for a target heart rate of 60 to 70 percent of MHR would subtract 30 from 220, yielding an MHR of 190. His 60- to 70-percent range is 114 to 133 heartbeats per minute.
Getting in Shape
You can choose from many cardio activities. If you are just starting regular exercise, MayoClinic.com says that your optimum heart rate should be 40 to 50 percent of MHR. If you don't have a heart-rate monitor, count your heartbeats for 15 seconds while exercising and multiply the result by four. Another way to assess your exercise intensity is the "talk test." If you can talk normally while exercising, you aren't overdoing it. As you start to get in shape, gradually increase your cardio workout heart rate until you reach a level that meets your exercise goals.
Training
For most people, moderate exercise is appropriate. According to MayoClinic.com, you should aim to reach a point where you can do cardio with your heart rate at 70 to 85 percent of MHR. Website The Walking Site breaks it down a little differently. A target heart rate of 60 to 70 percent of MHR is good for achieving and maintaining a good level of cardiovascular fitness. A bit less, about 50 to 60 percent, is appropriate for warming up. If you want to train for an endurance competition, such as a marathon, the optimum heart rate for most of your workouts should be 70 to 80 percent of MHR--the heart rate zone that enables you to build stamina. Once you push over 80 to 85 percent, you are in the anaerobic heart rate zone, when your body uses oxygen more quickly than your lungs can absorb it. Effort at this level can be sustained for only short periods. High-intensity training like this helps you to build speed and further improve cardiovascular fitness, but it should not be attempted until you are in excellent shape.
Weight Loss
Website Best Running Tips stresses that exercise for weight loss is primarily a matter of distance, not speed. Whether you run or pursue some other activity, you need to get your heart rate up to 60 to 70 percent of MHR. It's a simple relationship: the more time spent doing cardio exercise at this level, the more weight you can lose. The typical adult should get an average of at least 30 minutes of physical exercise daily. However, if weight loss is your goal, you will probably want to work out more.
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