Different types of exercise affect your heart differently, with both positive and possibly negative effects. Knowing how physical activity affects your cardiovascular system will allow you to choose the right type of exercise, workout or fun-filled leisure activity for a healthy heart.
Target Heart Rate
In order to get into specific exercise zones to improve your health and fitness, you'll need to calculate your target heart rate (THR), which is a percentage of your maximum heart rate (MHR). The only true, accurate way to get your MHR is to do a treadmill test under the supervision of a health professional. However, the most widely accepted formula for calculating your MHR for general purposes is subtracting 220 from your age. For a 40-year-old woman, the MHR would be 180. Her THR would depend on what type of exercise she wished to do.
Warm-Up
Before you begin an intense physical activity, it's a good idea to warm up so that all of your body's systems (blood circulation, heart rate, muscle function) can work together at one time. The THR for warm-up activities is 50 to 60 percent of MHR. The THR for warm-up for our 40-year-old woman would be her MHR of 180 X 50 to 60 percent, or a THR of 90 to 108 beats per minute.
Warm-up activities could include arm swings, arm circles, light jogging, moderate running in place, walking up and down stairs and skipping.
Fitness
The fitness THR is 60 to 70 percent of MHR. Fitness activities could include any activity done at this very moderate level of intensity, such as walking, cycling, skating, rowing, swimming, dancing, calisthenics or work on an exercise machine like a treadmill or exercise bike. This level of intensity burns more fat calories.
Aerobic
The aerobic THR equals 70 to 80 percent of MHR, and burns more calories but less fat than in the fitness zone. Aerobic exercise is considered the most heart healthy because of its reliance on oxygen and the cardiovascular system. Aerobic exercise is recommended three to five times per week by the American Heart Association, depending on whether it is done at a vigorously intense or moderately intense level. The Mayo Clinic recommends regular aerobic exercise to help lower cholesterol.
Activities can include those suggested in the fitness zone, done at a higher intensity. Elliptical machines, jumping rope, jogging and aerobic dancing routines are also used to perform cardio workouts. Adding more resistance to exercise machines can increase the effort to perform the exercises, which raises your heart rate. A measurement of whether or not you are in the aerobic zone is whether or not you can talk during the activity. If you can't talk while you're exercising, you have gone into the anaerobic zone.
Anaerobic
The anaerobic THR equals 80 to 90 percent of MHR. Anaerobic exercise is stop-and-start exercise at higher intensity, done for shorter time periods. In addition to the benefit you get while you exercise, you body recovers and repairs itself each time you stop. For example, after a tennis point, your body begins to remove lactic acid and other anabolic wastes from your muscles, and begins to replenish their adenosine tri-phosphate, which is the primary source of energy in muscle contractions.
In addition to tennis, activities like basketball, volleyball, soccer and football can be anaerobic, depending on how many breaks you take. Calisthenics such as jumping jacks, skipping rope, high-knee skips and butt kicks can be used for an anaerobic workout, as can short, repeated sprints.
Red Line
Red line, or the maximum performance THR, equals 90 to 100 percent of MHR. This level of activity is for the most fit athlete, and includes short workouts done at almost maximum intensity for very short periods of time, such as a true sprint.
References
- American Heart Association: Target Heart Rates
- The Walking Site: Your Target Heart Rate
- Bay Area Medical Institute: Exercise - Getting Started
- Missouri Families: How can I Determine my Target Heart Rate Zone?
- American College of Sports Medicine: Basic Recommendations From ACSM and American Heart Association
