Your heart rate refers to how many times your heart beats in a minute. This number varies depending on factors such as your age, activity level and mood. Your heart rate increases when you exercise. The more intense the workout is, the higher your heart rate will be.
Finding Your Target Heart Rate
During vigorous exercise, you want to work at 70 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. You can estimate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. A 20-year-old would have a maximum heart rate of 200. So, he would aim to keep his heart rate between 140 and 170 beats per minute while exercising. A 40-year-old would have a maximum heart rate of 180. She would want to keep her heart rate between 126 and 153 beats per minute while exercising. A 60-year-old would have a maximum heart rate of 160, so he would aim to keep his heart rate between 112 and 136 beats per minute.
Measuring Your Heart Rate
To check your heart rate, place your index and middle fingers on the thumb side of the other hand's wrist. You should feel a gentle throbbing or beat. This is your pulse. You can also feel your pulse by placing your fingers on the side of your neck by your windpipe. Count how many times your heart beats in 10 seconds and then multiply the number by six to find your heart rate.
Intervals
To burn the most calories, you should vary your heart rate throughout your workout, according to Dixie Douville, master instructor for Mad Dogg Athletics. You can vary your heart rate through intervals. Start by doing an exercise at a moderate intensity and then increase the difficulty. This is commonly done by increasing your speed. For example, you can alternate running at a normal speed for a minute and then sprinting for 20 seconds. During your sprints, your heart rate will approach its maximum. You should try to do intervals once or twice a week, Douville says.
Steady Pace
Douville cautions that doing too many interval workouts may be too intense and could lead to injury. So you should exercise at a steady pace three or four days a week. During these routines, aim to keep your heart rate between 65 and 80 percent, Douville suggests.
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