Heart Rate Training Chart
- Monitoring Your Heart Rate: Monitoring your heart rate with the EKHO chart is an easy way to determine if you are training at an effective and safe level.
- Training Heart Rate Target: Your training heart rate target depends upon your fitness level. Healthy individuals are recommended to train at 70-80% of their max heart rate to improve cardiovascular fitness (Training below 70% target heart rate is ineffective and above 85% is potentially unsafe.) A 60-70% training heart rate might be more appropriate, comfortable, and safe for individuals just beginning or out of shape.
Finding Your Training Zone:
Your appropriate training zone can be determined by using the chart above or by using the formulas shown below:
Max for Beginner (220 - your age) x 60%
Max for Intermediate (220 - your age) x 70%
Max for Advanced (220-your age) x 85%
*Note: The most accurate means of calculating your max hr for your ideal training zone is to have an exercise stress test taken by a sports medicine specialist.
For a more accurate measurement, use the Karvonen formula below:
- Your max heart rate can be determined by subtracting your age from 220 for men and 206 for women.
- Subtract your resting heart rate from 220 or 206.
- Multiply by .70 for 70%.
- Add your resting heart rate which gives you your 70% level.
- Repeat the following step to find 60% or 85% levels.
For example, using the chart and formula, a 50 year old man has a resting heart rate of 75 exercising at a 70% intensity level calculates as follows
- 220 - 75 - 170 (max HR)
- 170 - 75 = 95
- 95 x .70 - 66.5
- 66.5 + 75 - 141.5 (70% Training Heart Rate)
Using the same formula and chart an 85% intensity level is 155.75. His 70 - 85% training zone is from 141.50 to 155.75. (A 60% intensity level is 129 beats per minute.)
The Aerobic Workout: Each workout should consist of a 5-10 minute warm-up followed by 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise, and then a 5-10 minute cool-down.
- Warm-Up: The purpose of a warm-up is to gradually increase ones heart rate preparing the muscular and circulatory systems for the upcoming training period. This also helps prevent injury to muscles, ligaments, and joints.
- Training period: The training period should consist of exercising for 20-30 minutes in your 70-85% training zone. Individuals out of shape or just beginning should train at 60-70% level.
- Cool-Down: After the training period, gradually lower your exercise intensity level before stopping. This allows your system to return gradually to normal and prevents dizziness and nausea.
- Train 3-5 Times a Week to achieve a healthy level of fitness.
- Training Activities: the best activities to improve cardiovascular fitness are ones that increase blood flow through the heart and large muscle groups continuously, rhythmically, and are aerobic in nature, such as: jogging, swimming, cross-training, stair climber, etc.