If you work out on a regular basis, keeping up with your heart rate is an efficient way to know if you're exercising effectively. But when your heart rate gets too high during exercise, it can be a sign of over-exertion and can lead to fatigue and even heart problems. Knowing your maximum heart rate and how to stay in a safe heart rate zone is essential for working out effectively and keeping yourself safe.
Heart Rate Too High
Your heart rate becomes a problem during exercise when you approach your maximum heart rate. According to the American Heart Association, your maximum heart rate is the highest your pulse can go before you risk complete exhaustion. Over-exerting yourself may even put you at risk for a condition called tachycardia, where the heart begins beating abnormally due to an interference with the electrical signals that control your heart beat. Staying under your maximum heart rate helps ensure you're pacing yourself at a safe level and helps you have the most effective workout possible. You can approximate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from the number 220.
Target Heart Rate Zone
Staying at between 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate is the most effective and safest way to work out, according to the American Heart Association. This range helps ensure your heart rate doesn't get too high and allows you to pace yourself appropriately.
To figure out your target heart rate zone, multiply your maximum heart rate by .5 and .85. For example, if you are 45-years-old, your maximum heart rate is 175. That would make your target heart rate zone between 87 and 149. Monitor your heart rate as you exercise to make sure you're staying within your target heart rate zone.
Prevention
Preventing a heart rate that's too high while you're exercising is all about pacing yourself. Choose exercises you can do easily that will help you break a sweat and increase your heart rate, but that aren't so intense that you tire out easily and get fatigued within only a few minutes. If you're using a stationary bike or an elliptical, adjust the resistance on the machine in accordance with your heart rate.
To elevate your heart rate into your target zone, bump up the resistance a few notches and see how it affects your heart rate. If you notice your heart rate getting too high, lower the resistance and slow down for several minutes until your heart rate adjusts. Over time, you'll be able to find a range of intensity and resistance levels that will help you control your heart rate.
Considerations
If you're just starting out or getting back into an exercise routine, it may be difficult at first to control your heart rate. Start out slow, staying on the low end of your target heart rate zone. You can also use the "talk test" to determine how hard you're working out.
Aim for an exercise intensity that allows you to still talk to the person next to you, but makes it so you can't sing without catching your breath. Always talk to your doctor before starting any exercise routine. Your doctor can help you come up with a target heart rate zone that's healthy for you and any medical conditions you may have.
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