Heart Rate Training Zones In Aerobics

The benefits of aerobic exercise include cardiocirculatory health, stress reduction and a lower percentage of body fat. Whether you're an athlete or just beginning aerobic exercise, it's important to know your maximum heart rate and correct training zone, as well as their significance and relationship. Paying attention to your cardiovascular fitness can benefit your overall health. Use your heart rate training zone to determine the intensity level at which you should perform aerobic exercise.

Heart Rate

You can measure your heart rate in different ways. The most common is to take your own pulse either at your wrist or the side of your neck and count the number of beats that occur in 60 seconds. You can also count the number of beats for 10 seconds and add a zero to the number to calculate beats per minute, or BPM. However, using the full-minute method is more accurate, says The Walking Site. Your normal heart rate, or resting heart rate, is typically different from your active heart rate. Your resting heart rate, or RHR, can give you an idea of your overall health. If you notice that your RHR is much higher than the average -- between 60 to 100 BPM -- consult your health care provider. However, various factors automatically increase heart rate, such as recent activity, emotions and body positioning, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Training Zone

Once you determine your maximum heart rate, or MHR, you can figure your ideal training zone. A standard formula for finding your MHR is to subtract your age from 226 for women and 220 for men, according to Diet and Fitness Resources. Ideally, shoot for 50 to 85 percent of your MHR during aerobic exercise, or your target heart rate zone, suggests the American Heart Association. This standard formula is designed for those who don't normally participate in aerobic exercise. You can use other methods to determine your target heart rate training zone, such as a treadmill stress test or the Karvonen Formula, which is based on your RHR, according to The Walking Site.

Healthy Heart Zone

Ideally, you want to warm up within a healthy heart zone, which is 50 to 60 percent of your MHR, says The Walking Site. This is an easy training zone, and it's best to continuously work out in this range if you're just beginning an aerobic fitness program. You burn fat within this heart rate training zone and minimize your risk for injury during aerobics at this level.

Fitness Zone

When your heart rate stays within the fitness zone, you're working at 60 to 70 percent of your MHR and you increase exercise intensity, according to The Walking Site. Calories burned within both the healthy heart zone and the fitness zone are approximately 85 percent fat, but you burn more total calories within the fitness zone.

Aerobic Zone

Kick it up a level with endurance training in the aerobic zone, which is 70 to 80 percent of your MHR. In this range, you truly intensify your cardio and respiratory workout. Your heart becomes bigger and stronger, and more oxygen is distributed throughout your body with aerobic zone workouts. Maximize fat burning with a combination of low-intensity and high-intensity training, says BodyBuilding. Alternate between the healthy heart zone and the aerobic zone.