Take your resting heart rate (RHR) in the morning when you first wake up. For three consecutive mornings to get an accurate reading.
You can do this anytime but morning is best. Don't test after you had a stimulant, coffee, etc.
First, make sure you have access to a clock with a seconds hand.
You can do this anytime but morning is best. Don't test after you had a stimulant, coffee, etc.
First, make sure you have access to a clock with a seconds hand.
When you first wake up. Lay there a few minutes and relax. Take your first two fingers, pointer and middle finger, press them on your neck as pictured below. NOTE: never use your thumb.You should feel your pulse. If not your in trouble. only kidding ;) feel around and apply a bit of pressure. You can count the beats over the course of a minute or you can simply count for 10 seconds. If you count for 10 seconds just multiply the number by 6 to figure out beats per minute.
Count your pulse: _____ beats in 10 seconds x 6 = _____ beats/minute
Count your pulse: _____ beats in 10 seconds x 6 = _____ beats/minute
You can also take a radial pulse which is on the wrist. This is harder to find if you aren't familiar on the location.
This number is important and can tell you many things:
-Ideally you want your RHR to be anywhere from 60-80. The lower your heart rate the less stress on your heart and the more conditioned you are.
-A high heart rate (HR) can be a sign your body is in distress.
-If you typically take your heart rate and it's around 60 and suddenly at 80 it could mean you are getting sick and your body is fighting off infection.
-A high HR is not good. The more conditioned and physically fit you become the lower your RHR will be.
-Typically, runners have a lower RHR.
*****If you are on medication such as a beta blocker your HR may be low. This does make exercising a bit more challenging. As you try to get into your target heart rate zone the medication will constantly be fighting to bring the body back to "normal" making weight loss a challenge. NOT impossible but this method will not work for you. You will use a different method called rate of perceived exertion (RPE). see below
Now that you know your RHR you can find your Target Heart Rate (THR) for exercise.
What does that mean?
When you workout you want to be in your target heart rate zone.
You want to exercise between 50-70% also known as "Fat Burning Zone"
If you workout constantly at 80+ % you risk injury and will burn out and end up quitting.
If you aren't working hard enough your basically wasting your time at the gym.
You want to stay in your THR zone so that you can last (build stamina) and burn calories efficiently.
What is my Maximum Target Heart Rate Zone?
Another simple equation. You take 220 - your age= your maximum heart rate. Ideally, you don't want to workout at this number. However, it's a generic way to figure out your zone. You can spend a bunch of money to do a more accurate test but save your money.
Here is an example:
If you go above your zone it's no big deal. However, you want to use these numbers as guidelines.
Another easy way to tell if you are in your cardio zone is the "Talk Test"
If you can carry on a conversation with ease and no shortness of breath. You aren't working-out hard enough. Up the speed or incline. Re evaluate after 3 minutes.
IF you can barely talk and are gasping for air you need to slow down. You are working way above your zone and will tire out quickly.
You want to be able to talk but need a breath approximately every 3 words.
How do you incorporate this at the gym or outside running:
You can invest in a Heart rate monitor. It's a strap that goes around your chest under your shirt and comes with a watch. You plug in your age and it will do the calculations for you. It will beep at each zone based on your heart rate.
All cardio equipment at the gym has a built in heart rate monitor on the handles of each machine. It looks like a silver plate. you firmly hold the handles and after a few seconds the machine will tell you your heart rate. All the machines are not accurate. It depends on maintenance of machine.
If you have a Polar heart rate monitor. Most treadmills will sink with your heart rate monitor automatically.
It's best to use the talk test. If you have no one to talk to sing a song loud or softly to yourself ;)
If you are on a Beta Blocker you can use the talk test or RPE scale. It's a scale of 1-10. 1 being no effort and 10 being all out effort. Work around 6-7
WHY DOES ALL THIS MATTER:
Many times we get discouraged when we workout if our body is not changing. Be patient. Things are changing. You body is working hard to adjust to your new demands.
After a few weeks of exercise you can re evaluate your resting heart rate. It should be lower. Which is a great sign, your building endurance and your heart is getting stronger.
Now, you may of heard of OVER training. If you feel irritated and grumpy you may be over exercising. If you resting heart rate is higher then your original HR every morning. This is another sign of over exertion and you need to take a day off.
You never want to workout 7 days a week. You must take 1-3 days off a week. Depending on goal. Our body repairs and changes at REST. If it is constantly stressed it can not change.
I've seen it time and again. Someone will workout for weeks at a time. Then take a week off for vacation with no exercise come back and say, "huh, I actually lost!? yes, you let your body rest and repair itself.
RECOVERY HEART RATE:
When you finish exercising you want your heart rate to return back to normal within 1-3 minutes.
check your pulse for 10 seconds multiply by 6 after you finish exercising. Repeat this in 2 minutes. Your number should be dropping closer to your resting heart rate. Repeat in another 2 minutes. You should be cooling down and returning to baseline.
IF after 7+ minutes your heart rate is still high it's a sign that you are out of shape. The more physically fit you become the faster your heart rate will drop and return to normal.
This will not change over one night but weeks/months/years of consistent exercise.
I wrote a FB message last week:
When I first started exercising years ago. I would run on the treadmill at what I thought was fast back then. I was afraid to let go. I always had one hand on the rail. It took me ONE year to finally let go.
After I was done running my face was CHERRY red for at least an hour! I was pushing my body to hard and was not conditioned.
I don't recommend pushing yourself as it leads to burnout and injury.
Don't give up, keep at it and don't get discouraged.
Remember to always bring WATER to the gym.
Follow me on Facebook Jackie's Fitness Tips
When you workout you want to be in your target heart rate zone.
You want to exercise between 50-70% also known as "Fat Burning Zone"
If you workout constantly at 80+ % you risk injury and will burn out and end up quitting.
If you aren't working hard enough your basically wasting your time at the gym.
You want to stay in your THR zone so that you can last (build stamina) and burn calories efficiently.
What is my Maximum Target Heart Rate Zone?
Another simple equation. You take 220 - your age= your maximum heart rate. Ideally, you don't want to workout at this number. However, it's a generic way to figure out your zone. You can spend a bunch of money to do a more accurate test but save your money.
Here is an example:
50-year-old person, the estimated maximum age-related heart rate would be calculated as
220 - 50 years = 170 beats per minute (bpm) This is your MAXIMUM target heart rate. The 50% and 70% levels would be:
- 50% level: 170 x 0.50 = 85 bpm, and
- 70% level: 170 x 0.70 = 119 bpm
You want to keep your heart rate between these two numbers.
If you go above your zone it's no big deal. However, you want to use these numbers as guidelines.
Another easy way to tell if you are in your cardio zone is the "Talk Test"
If you can carry on a conversation with ease and no shortness of breath. You aren't working-out hard enough. Up the speed or incline. Re evaluate after 3 minutes.
IF you can barely talk and are gasping for air you need to slow down. You are working way above your zone and will tire out quickly.
You want to be able to talk but need a breath approximately every 3 words.
How do you incorporate this at the gym or outside running:
You can invest in a Heart rate monitor. It's a strap that goes around your chest under your shirt and comes with a watch. You plug in your age and it will do the calculations for you. It will beep at each zone based on your heart rate.
All cardio equipment at the gym has a built in heart rate monitor on the handles of each machine. It looks like a silver plate. you firmly hold the handles and after a few seconds the machine will tell you your heart rate. All the machines are not accurate. It depends on maintenance of machine.
If you have a Polar heart rate monitor. Most treadmills will sink with your heart rate monitor automatically.
It's best to use the talk test. If you have no one to talk to sing a song loud or softly to yourself ;)
If you are on a Beta Blocker you can use the talk test or RPE scale. It's a scale of 1-10. 1 being no effort and 10 being all out effort. Work around 6-7
WHY DOES ALL THIS MATTER:
Many times we get discouraged when we workout if our body is not changing. Be patient. Things are changing. You body is working hard to adjust to your new demands.
After a few weeks of exercise you can re evaluate your resting heart rate. It should be lower. Which is a great sign, your building endurance and your heart is getting stronger.
Now, you may of heard of OVER training. If you feel irritated and grumpy you may be over exercising. If you resting heart rate is higher then your original HR every morning. This is another sign of over exertion and you need to take a day off.
You never want to workout 7 days a week. You must take 1-3 days off a week. Depending on goal. Our body repairs and changes at REST. If it is constantly stressed it can not change.
I've seen it time and again. Someone will workout for weeks at a time. Then take a week off for vacation with no exercise come back and say, "huh, I actually lost!? yes, you let your body rest and repair itself.
RECOVERY HEART RATE:
When you finish exercising you want your heart rate to return back to normal within 1-3 minutes.
check your pulse for 10 seconds multiply by 6 after you finish exercising. Repeat this in 2 minutes. Your number should be dropping closer to your resting heart rate. Repeat in another 2 minutes. You should be cooling down and returning to baseline.
IF after 7+ minutes your heart rate is still high it's a sign that you are out of shape. The more physically fit you become the faster your heart rate will drop and return to normal.
This will not change over one night but weeks/months/years of consistent exercise.
I wrote a FB message last week:
When I first started exercising years ago. I would run on the treadmill at what I thought was fast back then. I was afraid to let go. I always had one hand on the rail. It took me ONE year to finally let go.
After I was done running my face was CHERRY red for at least an hour! I was pushing my body to hard and was not conditioned.
I don't recommend pushing yourself as it leads to burnout and injury.
Don't give up, keep at it and don't get discouraged.
Remember to always bring WATER to the gym.
Follow me on Facebook Jackie's Fitness Tips
