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How High Should a Heart Rate Be During Exercise?

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Unlock the full benefits of your workout by determining how high a heart rate should be during exercise and targeting your heart rate zone.

Maintaining an optimal heart rate during exercise is crucial for maximizing cardioprotective benefits and minimizing risk factors.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends targeting a heart rate between 50-85% of your maximum heart rate during moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise.

However, this target range can vary based on individual factors such as age, fitness level, and underlying health conditions.

Unlock the full benefits of your workout by determining how high your heart rate should be and targeting your optimal heart rate zone.

Calculating Your Target Heart Rate

To determine your target heart rate range, you first need to calculate your maximum heart rate.

The AHA suggests using the formula: 220 – your age = estimated maximum heart rate. For example, if you’re 40, your estimated maximum heart rate would be 180 beats per minute (bpm).

Once you have your maximum heart rate, you can calculate your target heart rate range by multiplying it by the desired intensity level:

  • Moderate intensity: 50-70% of maximum heart rate
  • Vigorous intensity: 70-85% of maximum heart rate

The AHA provides this target heart rate chart that breaks down the ranges by age:

AgeTarget HR Zone 50-85%Average Maximum Heart Rate, 100%
20 years100-170 beats per minute (bpm)200 bpm
30 years95-162 bpm190 bpm
35 years93-157 bpm185 bpm
40 years90-153 bpm180 bpm
45 years88-149 bpm175 bpm
50 years85-145 bpm170 bpm
55 years83-140 bpm165 bpm
60 years80-136 bpm160 bpm
65 years78-132 bpm155 bpm
70 years75-128 bpm150 bpm

For a 40-year-old, the moderate intensity range would be 90-126 bpm, and the vigorous range would be 126-153 bpm.

Why does determining your target heart rate matter?

It concerns the differing health benefits between non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) and exercise activity thermogenesis (EAT).

Unlock the full benefits of your workout by determining how high your heart rate should be and targeting your optimal heart rate zone.

The Difference Between NEAT and EAT

Two main components of daily energy expenditure related to physical activity are non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) and exercise activity thermogenesis (EAT).

NEAT refers to the energy expended from spontaneous physical activities like walking, fidgeting, and performing daily tasks.

It accounts for a significant portion of total daily energy expenditure, ranging from 15-50% for most people.

Exercise activity thermogenesis (EAT), on the other hand, is the energy expended during planned, structured exercise like going for a run, taking an aerobics class, or lifting weights.

Hitting your target heart rate during aerobic exercise falls under exercise activity thermogenesis.

The higher your heart rate during exercise, the more calories you’ll expend.

However, increasing NEAT by moving more throughout the day can also provide significant health benefits and boost your overall daily calorie burn.

Although both EAT and NEAT are important, there are unique health benefits to the vasculature in our bodies that are provided with structured exercise, specifically when we hit the aerobic or vigorous target heart rate zone.

Unlock the full benefits of your workout by determining how high your heart rate should be and targeting your optimal heart rate zone.

Cardioprotective Benefits of EAT

Regular aerobic exercise within the vigorous target heart rate range zone is the best workout for the heart muscle and offers numerous cardioprotective benefits, including:

  1. Improved Cardiovascular Function: Exercise enhances the heart’s ability to pump blood more efficiently, reducing the workload on the heart and lowering resting heart rate and blood pressure.
  2. Better Cholesterol Levels: Aerobic exercise can raise levels of HDL (good) cholesterol while lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides, reducing the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease.
  3. Increased Insulin Sensitivity: Higher target heart rate exercise improves the body’s ability to use insulin effectively, lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes, a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
  4. Reduced Inflammation: Aerobic exercise has anti-inflammatory effects, which can help prevent the development and progression of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular conditions.
Unlock the full benefits of your workout by determining how high your heart rate should be and targeting your optimal heart rate zone.

Factors Affecting Target Heart Rate

While the AHA’s target heart rate range is a general guideline, several factors can influence an individual’s optimal heart rate during exercise:

  1. Chronic Conditions: Certain conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or lung disorders may require adjustments to the target heart rate range. Consult with a healthcare professional for personalized recommendations.
  2. Medications: Some medications, such as beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers, can affect heart rate response during exercise. Adjustments to the target range may be necessary.
  3. Fitness Level: Those at lower fitness levels may be able to hit and sustain a higher target heart rate with less intense activity than those with higher fitness levels.
  4. Age: As individuals age, their maximum heart rate decreases, and the target range may need to be adjusted accordingly.

Write down your target heart rate range based on your age and desired intensity level.

Aim to exercise within this range during your next workout.

Use a fitness watch to monitor your heart rate and ensure you’re hitting your target zone.

Tracking your heart rate is a great way to maximize the benefits of aerobic exercise and ensure you’re training at the optimal intensity for your individual needs. You should aim to exercise at these higher heart rate zones twice a week through aerobic fitness such as HIIT workouts, running, walking (if you are starting at a lower fitness level), biking, etc.

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Unlock the full benefits of your workout by determining how high your heart rate should be and targeting your optimal heart rate zone.

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Unlock the full benefits of your workout by determining how high your heart rate should be and targeting your optimal heart rate zone.

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