Heart Rate Training: The Fast Way to Reach Your Weight Loss Goals
Torii Tompson
If you want to get an effective workout and reach your fitness goals sooner, you should consider heart rate training. Heart rate training is the process of monitoring your heart's rate during your fitness routine and then actively raising and lowering it through the duration of your workout. Studies show that individuals who are heart rate training lose weight and reach their fitness goals sooner than people who are doing regular forms of exercise.
To begin heart rate training you must determine your maximum heart rate. This number will be used to calculate your heart rate zones. However, before you test yourself to find out what your maximum heart rate is, be honest with yourself about your fitness level:
Poor Shape: You have not exercised for a couple of months. Fair Shape: You exercise about three times a week-either walking or a form of aerobic activity. Good Shape: Your body is used to exercise because you run at least five miles a week or exercise most days.
After you have determined your fitness level, you can do the following test to find your maximum heart rate. While this test won't give you your exact maximum heart rate, it will get you in the immediate vicinity.
One Mile Walking Test: Use a treadmill or go to a track where you can accurately walk one mile. Walk at a steady and even pace. The last quarter of your mile you should take your heart rate. If you listed your fitness level as poor, add 40 to this number. If you listed your fitness level as fair, add 50 to this number. If you listed your fitness level as good, add 60 to this number.
After you have done your adding, this number will be your maximum heart rate target zone and you can start planning out your heart rate training routine based off of it. Heart rate training is easiest when you use exercise equipment, such as a treadmill, that is equipped with a heart rate monitor. The monitor will act as your trainer letting you know what heart rate zone you are throughout your workout. Using monitors saves time and lets you stay focused on your workout-instead of trying to do the monitoring manually and doing the calculations in your head. All you have to do is look at the heart rate monitor and you will know when to intensify your workout, back it down, or continue your pace, depending on your routine.
Various Heart Rate Training Zones
Unlike other forms of exercise a heart rate training workout should only last between 20-30 minutes. During the workout you should move in and out of your heart rate zones.
Healthy Heart Zone: Exercise is comfortable and you are able to carry on a conversation while you are in this zone. Your heart rate is 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: You are really stepping it up and talking is limited to short phrases only. Your heart rate is at 70%-80% of your maximum heart rate.
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.
Heart rate training is a great way to reach your weight loss or training goals faster. Using a quality treadmill, or other exercise machine, that is equipped with a heart rate control monitor is by far the easiest way to heart rate train. These machines enable you to know exactly what is going on with your heart rate so you can effectively move in and out of your heart rate zones.
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