Get Weight Loss Results Faster with Heart Rate Training
If you want to get an effective workout and reach your fitness goals sooner, you should consider heart rate training. Heart rate training is the process of monitoring your heart’s rate during your fitness routine and then actively raising and lowering it through the duration of your workout. Studies show that individuals who are heart rate training lose weight and reach their fitness goals sooner than people who are doing regular forms of exercise.
To begin heart rate training you must first find out your maximum heart rate. After you learn your maximum heart rate, you will take that number and base all of the heart rate zones around it. But, before you find out what your maximum heart rate is and do the calculations, you should judge what fitness level you are at:
Poor Shape: You have not exercised for a couple of months. Fair Shape: You exercise about three times a week-either walking or a form of aerobic activity. Good Shape: Your body is used to exercise because you run at least five miles a week or exercise most days.
After you have determined your fitness level, you can do the following test to find your maximum heart rate. While this test won’t give you your exact maximum heart rate, it will get you in the immediate vicinity.
Walk One Mile: Walk a mile at an even pace either on a treadmill or at a track. When you are nearing the end of your mile, or in the last quarter of your mile, take your heart rate. Add 40 to this number if you listed yourself in poor shape; add 50 to this number if you listed yourself in fair shape, and add 60 to this number if you listed yourself in good shape.
Once you know what your maximum heart rate is, you can begin heart rate training. The easiest way to keep up with your heart rate during a workout is to use a machine that has a heart rate control monitor. Most quality treadmills and fitness machines come with heart rate control monitors. A monitor will tell you what your heart rate is during your workout so you know what heart rate zone you are in at any given time. A heart rate monitor becomes your personal trainer and takes the guesswork out of heart rate training. The readings let you know when you are over exerting yourself, or when you should give yourself a little extra push so you can stay in a target zone longer, or even push yourself up to the next heart rate zone.
Your Individual Heart Rate Training Zones
The good news about heart rate training is it is short and intense. Routines should last between 20-30 minutes and you should rotate in and out of your individual heart rate zones throughout.
Healthy Heart Zone: You feel comfortable and your heart rate is at 50%-60% of your maximum heart rate.
Fitness Zone: You find it is getting a little harder to talk and you are breathing heavier. You heart rate is at 60%-70% of your maximum heart rate.
Aerobic Zone: In this zone your heart rate is 70%-80% of your maximum heart rate and you should only be able to speak in phrases.
Anaerobic Zone: Your breathing will be labored and you will only be able to gasp out a word or two. Your heart rate is 80%-90% of your maximum heart rate.
Red Line Zone: You are in your maximum output zone and you will only be able to keep up the pace in this zone for a few minutes.
As you can see, heart rate training allows you to use every moment of your workout time more efficiently. Using a treadmill, or other machine, that is equipped with a heart rate monitor will help you know exactly what your heart is doing at all times. Using these machines will take the guesswork taken out of heart rate training so you can be certain that you are one workout closer to reaching your goals.
