FitSugar

Go Figure: Another Look at Target Heart Rates

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:50:00 PDT

Figuring out your target heart rate zones for your workout is a pretty simple equation: 220 minus age times the percentage you're shooting for. But this formula leads to a number that many sports trainers find low. They use an alternative equation that contains a few more steps.

If you are looking for an alternative method of finding your max heart rate and target zones, learn this alternate equation when you read more

Should You Get a Heart Rate Monitor?

FitSugar — Tue, 08 May 2007 04:00:00 PDT

You've heard me talking about them and you've probably seen them on people at the gym: Heart Rate Monitors. Duh, duh dom.

I know they can seem scary and you may be thinking my heart is fine, I don't need to monitor it. True as that may be, heart rate monitors are used as a training tool more than a heart health monitoring device. They are not only for people with known heart conditions, everyone can benefit from wearing a heart rate monitor but some people will benefit more than others.

OK, so is it right for you? If you've ever thought one (or more) of the following, then I'd say you'd benefit from a heart rate monitor:

"I think I am getting a great workout, though I don't seem to be breaking a sweat."
"How do I know if I am really working out?"
"When I try and take my pulse, I often feel like I miscount or miss a beat."
"I want to try to use a variety of machines, but I am worried that I am not going to know if I am getting an effective workout from machine to machine."
"Sometimes I think my heart is going to pop out of my chest because it is beating so fast -- How do I know if it's beating too fast?"
"I have a really hard time holding on to those sensors on the machine while I am exercising and they never seem to really work anyway."
"I would like to shorten my workouts once a week by training really hard for a shorter period of time, but I am not sure how I will know if I am accomplishing this."
"I love this beginner group class I have been taking for a few months now, but should I move onto the intermediate level?"
"How do I know if I am warming-up or cooling-down?"

A heart rate monitor really takes the guessing out of working out. All you have to do is know where you would like your target heart rate to be and keep on keeping out until it gets there. Once you get there, keep it there. Can't get it there, work harder. Simple, eh? Not sure what your target heart rate should be? Check out Fit's Calculator to find out. There are lots of great heart rate monitors out there, but a good one to start is the Polar SF3.

What's My Target Heart Rate?

FitSugar — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 02:00:00 PDT

When you're working out, it's important to know what your target heart rate is so you can maximize your exercise time. You want to get your heart rate up high enough that you are working your heart and lungs, but not so high that you can't maintain your pace and need to stop.

Your target heart rate is a zone between 50-85% of your maximum heart rate and it is measured in "beats per minute" (BPM). This means you are working hard, but not working as hard as you possibly could.
You can enter your stats in Fit's Calculator to figure out what your specific target heat rate is for your age, height, and weight.

Or you can use this chart to find out where your target heart rate should be, depending on the age that is closest to yours.

Age in Years	Target Heart Rate Zone in BPM	Average Maximum Heart Rate in BPM
20	100-170	200
25	98-166	195
30	95-162	190
35	93-157	185

You can test your heart rate by checking your pulse on your wrist or neck. Or you can wear a heart rate monitor if you don't want to be bothered with counting your breaths while exercising. I for one, love my heart rate monitor.

If you don't want to bother with either, than use the conversation pace test. If you can sing while maintaining your level of movement, than you're not working hard enough. If you can talk while moving, that's a pretty good pace, but try to push a little past there. If you can't even waste your breath to grunt an answer to a yes/no question, then you are working too hard.

Fit's Tips: If you're just beginning to do cardio, you want to aim for your lowest target heart rate. So if you were 25 years old, you'd want to be working out at a pace of 98 beats per minute. As you continue working out, gradually build up to the middle part of your target heart rate, around 134 beats per minute.

Low Resting Heart Rate?

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 02:00:00 PST

Have you noticed that since working out your resting heart rate is lower than it was? This is no cause for alarm as most athletes (yup, you're an athlete now) generally have low heart rates.

Runner's World gives us this analogy:

...consider a bricklayer lifting bricks. If his arm muscles are strong from lifting lots of bricks, he can move 10 bricks with each lift rather than just two or three. Similarly, if your heart muscle is strong thanks to running, it has a higher stroke volume, which means that it can pump more blood with each beat than an untrained heart. It can also pump the same amount of blood in a minute using fewer beats.

The average resting heart rate of adults is 60-100 beats per minute (bpm) while athletes are around 50-60 bpm. Other numbers to know: The infant/neonatal rate of heartbeat is 130-150 bpm, the toddler's is 100–130 bpm, the older child's is 90–110 bpm and the adolescent's is 80–100 bpm.

The worry would (and should) come in when a resting heart rate is lower than 30. However, even that can be completely normal (and usually is) if the athlete is totally healthy. The slow heart rate usually just indicates a strong heart. If you are concerned, it never hurts to consult a physician when dealing with your health.

Fit's Tip: The best time to determine your resting heart rate is when you first awaken in the morning or after sitting down and relaxing for at least 5 minutes. Get a heart rate monitor to monitor your heart while working out. Don't know your target heart rate? Check out the Fit Calculator to find out!

Where's the Muscle?

FitSugar — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 07:30:00 PST

So you've been doing tons of crunches to get rid of your gut, and you feel the difference. But you've got to press through a layer of flab to feel it. What gives?

Even if you do your ab work out every day, you're strengthening your belly, but not doing anything about the layer of fat above your washboard stomach.

The answer? To lose the fat you have to combine all those abdominal crunches with some cardio. Do 30-45 minutes at 70-80% of your maximum heart rate 3 times a week. Curious to know what your maximum heart rate is? Check out Fit's Calculator for the answer.

Burning calories, doing your crunches, and eating a sensible diet will have you seeing your fabulous abs in no time.

Get it Up, Your Heart Rate That is: Treadmill and Elliptical

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 10:20:00 PST

To diversify your work out even more, try alternating between the TreadMill and the Elliptical in this boredom busting program.

Hop on the TreadMill and run one mile or 10 minutes, whichever comes first.
When you're done, get off the TreadMill.
Now, immediately get on an Elliptical machine and go for one mile or 10 minutes, whichever comes first.
Now get back on the TreadMill and repeat the whole thing once more for a total of 40 minutes.
Cool down on the Elliptical for 5 minutes.

Not sure where your heart rate should be? Check out the Target Heart Rate Calculator!

Fit's Tip: This program is great for anyone that gets bored doing 40 minutes on a single machine.

Get in Gear: Heart Rate Monitor

FitSugar — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 12:30:00 PST

OK so after playing around in the Fit's Calculator, you've figured out that you don't like taking your heart rate manually -- Too much work involved.

You've probably seen other people sporting their heart rate monitor watches at the gym but are you a little intimidated by them? It seems a little scary to go to the store and buy your own, especially when you may have no idea what you are getting yourself into.

The term Heart Rate Monitor sounds like it is straight out of the hospital, complete with suction cups leading to wires stuck all over your body. But most heart rate monitors are just a non-conspicuous (and wireless) strap that you put around your upper body (just below your breast line). It tracks your heart and sends the information to your watch or the machine your are using. Almost all newer cardio machines will read the signal as well. No more awkwardly holding on to the sensors while you are running on the treadmill.

For a good starter watch, I love the Polar SF3 ($69.95). It does everything a normal watch does and reads your heart rate. The watch comes with the strap and does not have all the bells and whistles some HRM watches come with, so it's easy to get started. Buy it here.

Want to know what your Target Heart Rate is, then go to Fit's Calculator!

Fit's Tip: Tracking your heart rate is a great way to really get the most out of your work out.

FIT Calculator: Target Heart Rate Calculator

FitSugar — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 09:45:00 PST

So I've been telling you to get your heart rate up a lot recently and maybe you understand why but maybe you don't.

Here is the rundown as to why you should care:
Knowing your target heart rate lets you measure your initial fitness level and monitor your progress in a fitness program. There is a mathematical equation that allows you to find your resting heart rate and then you multiply it by certain percentages to see where your heart rate should be depending on where you are in your workout. Knowing your THR is like having a free cardio personal trainer.

Luckily, FitSugar has taken the hard work out of it with SugarStats, a new calculator that will let you see what your personal target heart rate is. Check it out here!

That's not all! With the new SugarStats you can also evaluate your calories in a day, see if you're drinking enough water and find out your Body Mass Index.

Cardio Workout: Elliptical Incline Booty Workout

Susi May — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:33:50 PST

I like to power up my cardio and make it work double time, like this elliptical workout. By playing with the incline on the machine, you can really target your glutes and hamstrings. That's right! You get your heart rate up while toning your backside. Talk about a win-win. Increase your booty work and focus on keeping your heels down while doing this workout.

Ready to go? Take a look at the workout.

Hilary Duff's High-Energy Prenatal Piloxing Workout

Self — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:39:32 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Some women may take it easy during their last trimester, but Hilary Duff isn't the type to let her workouts slide just because she's eating for two. The singer-actress may be seven months pregnant, but according to her trainer of eight years, Vivica Jensen, she's still staying fit with biweekly Piloxing sessions. "Piloxing is the first fitness program that blends the best of Pilates, boxing, and dance into a high-energy, hour-long interval workout," says Jensen, who created the hybrid class. "I put a lot of focus into balance and alignment, which can be thrown off when you're pregnant. You also get a great cardio workout, and the boxing element tones your arms and legs."

Although Jensen has tweaked Duff's workouts to accommodate her pregnancy, she's quick to point out that the mom-to-be is no slouch in the gym. "Since Hilary was already in good shape, she's able to do everything but at her own pace with a few modifications like taking more breaks to drink water and catch her breath when her heart rate goes up and not doing advanced ab exercises," says Jensen.

As her due date draws near, the former Lizzie McGuire star is also preparing her body for the hardships of labor. That means plenty of arm, leg, chest, and core exercises. "For now, I'm focusing on her core muscles because I want those muscles intact so she has an easier delivery," says Jensen. Just don't expect Mrs. Comrie to stay bedridden for very long since "Hilary loves being healthy and has always been very active. Once she gets the OK from her doctor, we're really going to kick it up a notch," says Jensen. "She's tough with amazing form, so I'm able to work her hard and really kick her butt!"

Want to stay fit throughout all nine months of your pregnancy (or even if you're not eating for two!)? Incorporate four moves into your regular workout routine to get buff like Duff. Read on for the moves.