Are you getting the most from your workout?! Unfortunately, if your cardio exercise of choice is not sufficiently "stressing" your body, you might not be doing any good for your aerobic fitness level!
In order to make sure that your sweat sessions are beneficial, it is incredibly important to calculate your maximum heart rate. Knowing this number will help determine your aerobic training zone. The training zone encompasses the range of heartbeats from your aerobic training threshold (the minimum level of intensity) to your anaerobic threshold (the maximum level of intensity).
To calculate your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220. The result is an age predicted maximum beats per minute. Once determined, you will want to find your aerobic training threshold. That number is the result of finding 55% of your maximum heart rate. Lastly, you will want to figure out your anaerobic threshold. To do that, multiple your maximum heart rate by .85 (85%).
Here is a real life example based on my age:
Maximum Heart Rate: 220 - 27 = 193
Aerobic Training Threshold: 193 x .55 = 106
Anaerobic Threshold: 193 x .85 = 170
My Training Zone: 106 - 170 beats / minute
Now that you have all of your calculations, you will want to make sure that your heart is beating accordingly while you are running, biking, rowing, etc.
For those of you who are "tech-y" or those that don't want to be bothered by a calculator, check out this great article listing the top heart rate monitors to purchase, as well as an easy to follow interval workout plan!
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