About Your Target Heart Rate
Develop a strong heart with blood pressure below 120/80 and a strong, slow heart resting rate “pulse” as shown below.
| Zone | Target Rate |
|---|---|
| Healthy Heart Zone (Warm Up) | 50 to 60% of maximum heart rate. |
| Fitness Zone (Fat Burning) | 60 to 70% of maximum heart rate. |
| Aerobic Zone (Endurance Training) | 70 to 80% of maximum heart rate. |
| Anaerobic Zone (Performance training) | 80 to 90% of maximum heart rate. |
| Red Line (Maximum effort) | 90 to 100% of maximum heart rate. |
Cardio Exercise Rules
Cardio Rule #1: Any exercise is good cardio exercise if it raises your heart rate significantly and lasts long enough.
Listen to your doctor and you body, not to advice from your friends. If you work out for at least 15 minutes, and if most of that time you are mildly short of breath and sweating slightly, you are performing good cardio exercise.
Unless you are training for the Olympics, this is all the Target Heart Rate advice most healthy people need. Regardless, many people want more.
Cardio Rule #2: Most of the Target Heart Rate Zone advice on the Internet is useless.
Hundreds of fitness sites provide thousands of impressive graphs, charts, and heart rate calculators, but most use obsolete formulas based on nothing but age. Everyone who is the same age should have the same heart rate? That's like telling everyone who is the same age to wear the same size shoes.
Cardio Rule #3: Wear A Heart Rate Monitor.
Heart Rate Monitors are small, comfortable, and inexpensive. They are essential for people beginning a cardio exercise program. Modern Heart Rate Monitors are extremely accurate and some even upload data to the Internet - where your doctor might need it.
Cardio Rule #4: Get Advice from Your Doctor
This sounds obvious but not enough people take it. Don't get advice about managing your cardio program from your neighbor and don't get it from a co-worker. Get medical advice from your doctor.
Let us Calculate Your Target Heart Rate Zone
To determine your ideal heart rate during exercise, We use six variables: your age, sex, weight, level of fitness, maximum heart rate, and resting heart rate. Just input your resting heart rate; we'll do the rest.
The best time to check your resting heart rate is in the morning: after a good night's sleep and before you get out of bed. If possible, use a heart rate monitor or similar professional device to take your heart rate.