Most people know that regular aerobic exercise conditions the heart and helps to improve the circulatory system. Your heart rate also acts as a guide during exercise to let you know if you are working too hard. Although exercise has many advantages, you may not be gaining the benefits if your heart if pumping too fast. You can determine what your appropriate heart rate should be during exercise.
Heart Rate During Exercise
When you exercise using aerobic activity, your heart begins to beat faster. This is necessary because your muscles, particularly the large muscles of the legs and arms, require more oxygen to continue moving. The heart pumps blood to the lungs where it receives oxygen and then pumps it out to the rest of the body. The more oxygen that your muscles need, the faster your heart beats to try and keep up. For example, running a sprint race requires extensive use of muscles and forces them to work quickly, compared with performing light yardwork. You will still use muscles performing chores, but your body will not need such higher amounts of oxygen.
Checking Your Pulse
Your maximum heart rate is the fastest pace at which your heart can beat. You can determine your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. Check your heart rate during exercise to ensure that you are working at an appropriate level by feeling your pulse. Use two fingers and place them lightly over the skin at the pulse point. Some points where you may feel a pulse include the inside of the wrist under the thumb, or on the neck, next to your windpipe. You may count the number of beats you feel for one minute or for 30 seconds and multiply that number times two. This is your heart rate per minute, which will help you determine whether you are working too hard or at an appropriate level.
Target Heart Rate
Exercising at your maximum heart rate means that your heart is beating too fast for your workout. This is not beneficial and you may reach a point of exhaustion. You can instead try to exercise within a target heart rate, which is the rate at which you will derive the most benefits from your performance, according to Montana State University. You can determine your target heart rate by calculating 60 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. For example, if you are 40 years old, your maximum heart rate would be approximately 180 beats per minute. Therefore, your target heart rate should run between 108 and 153 bpm.
Considerations
Contact your doctor before beginning an exercise program, particularly if you have a history of a heart attack, you have diabetes or high blood pressure or if you are significantly overweight. Your doctor can help you to determine the right kind of exercise program and the appropriate level of intensity for your workout. Your heart rate should rise enough during exercise that you may start to sweat, but you should still be able to carry a conversation. Finish your exercise routine with a five to 10 minute cooldown period, to allow your heart rate to gradually lower back down to its normal rate.
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