What's My Target Heart Rate And Why Should I Care?

Are you working out at an appropriate intensity level? The Cooper Aerobics Center suggests a simple Target Heart Rate formula you can use any time, anywhere, to see if your exercise sessions are in a range that will allow you to reach your aerobic fitness goals without pushing yourself too hard.

First . . . Subtract your age in years from 220. This gives you the maximal heart beats per minute doctors would typically expect for someone your age.

Then . . . Multiply the resulting number by 75 percent to find the median number of heart beats per minute when in your ideal exercise intensity zone. Your target heart rate zone is a range between 10 beats per minute below and above the median number.

For example, a 40-year-old would go through these steps. 220 minus 40= 180. Then, 180 X .75 = 135 beats per minute. He or she would want to keep the heart rate above 125 and below 145 during exercise.

Counting your heart beats
As quickly as possible after you stop exercising, take your pulse either on your wrist or on the carotid artery that runs alongside your "adams apple," pressing lightly with forefinger. Count beats for 10 seconds and multiply by 6 to determine your beats per minute. Be aware that your rate starts to slow down immediately, so any delay in finding the pulse will distort the count.

How much? How often?
Your best fitness results can be realized when you exercise regularly within your personal target heart rate – at least 20 minutes four times a week, or 30 minutes three times per week. Variations also should be noted, though. Persons who work out at a pace slower than their target heart rate can still gain dramatic health benefits if they make it a point to be active most days of the week and/or to extend the length of their stepped-down physical activity to 45 minutes or an hour. Major research at has shown that individuals who move from a sedentary lifestyle category to a moderately-active category gain even more dramatic health and longevity benefits than the people who exercise at an intensity and frequency high enough to move them from moderately-active into the physically-active category.

Simple Facts:

More is not always better.
Some activity is better than no activity.
You FEEL the benefits when you consistently exercise at YOUR optimum level.