With every step on the treadmill, you hear the thuds. Your heart is definitely pumping, and it’s working harder and harder by the minute. A fancy watch doesn’t have to tell you that. But is it important to monitor your heart rate while exercising? And while it seems important for a competitive athlete to know their stats, is it really necessary for the average gym goer?
Your heart rate says a lot about your health
Your resting heart rate is how hard your heart pumps when you are not exerting yourself. The best way to determine your resting heart rate is to take it first thing in the morning, before you even get out of bed. The average resting rate is 60 – 90 beats per minute. If you’re above that range, engaging in more cardio exercise can help. A regular cardio regimen can help your heart work more efficiently and actually lower your resting heart rate an additional 10 – 20 beats per minute.
According to a 2008 Harvard Health Publications release, “Each pulse of blood puts a mild stress on artery walls. More beats per minute means more stress.” Though exercising increases your heart rate for a brief period of time, it’s the long-term effects that matter. By exercising regularly and reducing stress every day (through meditation or relaxation techniques), you can lower your heart rate over time – which can mean great things for your overall health and wellbeing.
Moderate to vigorous exercise (and an increased heart rate) may promote weight loss
There are countless views on how to lose weight, but it’s really very simple: burn more calories than you take in. The more you exert yourself throughout the day, the more calories you’ll burn. If you’re itching to lose fat, though, checking your heart rate while working the elliptical is a good idea. There’s a heart rate range known as the “fat-burning zone.” For many, this is where you’ll want to stay during your cardio workout. More on how to calculate that below.
Target heart rate zones can keep your health goals on track
If you’re someone looking to boost your cardiovascular fitness, such as a recreational cyclist or long-distance runner, you may use your heart rate to create training zones. These zones will correspond with certain paces (miles per hour or minutes per mile) that you’ll use to improve your aerobic efficiency. A coach or personal trainer can create a plan to determine the different heart rate zones, or ranges, in which you should train to improve performance.
Anyone with serious health conditions, particularly heart disease patients, should monitor their heart rate during a workout to avoid entering a health-inhibiting zone. If you’re at risk, check with your doctor to see just how far you can push yourself during aerobic activity.
Determine your maximum heart rate with a simple formula
There are two formulas, the Karvonen and Tanaka, which vary slightly. However, the two methods have a strong correlation. In the example below, you’ll use the Tanaka formula:
- Multiply your age by 0.7
- Subtract that number from 208
Here’s an example. If you’re 40 years old, your math would look like (40 * 0.7) – 208 = 180. That means 180 is your maximum heart rate. Take note: your max heart rate will decrease as you get older.
The fat-burning zone mentioned earlier is 55 – 70% of your max heart rate. Using 180 as max heart rate, your fat-burning range is 99 – 126 beats per minute.
To check your heart rate while exercising, you can employ a number of different methods. The old fashioned way is to place your two forefingers on the bottom of your wrist and count the number of pulses you feel in 10 seconds. You then multiply that number by six to get total beats per minute. Of course, technology has come a long way. Easy-to-use tools like a watch (which usually comes with a chest strap with a sensor), a wearable fitness tracker or even an app on your smartphone can give you accurate heart information.
Whether you’re running a race or simply hitting the machines at the gym, monitoring your heart rate can help keep you on track and motivated during every workout.