Monitoring your heart rate can be an effective way to get the most out of your exercise program. Keeping track of your heart rate and controlling how fast or slow your heart is working when you exercise is called heart rate training. Studies are showing that heart rate training helps people reach their exercise goals quicker and more efficiently. 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 been sedentary and you haven't exercised in the past eight weeks or longer. Fair Shape: You are fairly active and walk more than a mile, or do some type of aerobic activity, at least three times a week. Good Shape: You exercise almost daily and/or you run five or more miles weekly. Once you have chosen your level of fitness, the following test can help you learn the vicinity of your maximum heart rate. One Mile Walking Test: Go to a local track, or use a treadmill to walk at an even and steady pace for one mile. Take your heart rate during the last leg of your mile. If you are in poor shape, add 40. If you are in fair shape, add 50. If you are in good shape, add 60. 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. Various Heart Rate Training Zones A heart rate training routine should last between 20-30 minutes, and you should cycle in and out of the different heart rate zones throughout the workout. Healthy Heart Zone: You feel comfortable and your heart rate is at 50%-60% of your maximum heart rate. Fitness Zone: In this zone your heart rate is 60%-70% of your maximum heart rate and you may have trouble talking, unless it is in short sentences. 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: In this zone you are at, or near, your maximum heart rate and breathing will be nearly impossible. 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.
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