Get Weight Loss Results Faster with Heart Rate Training
To get the most out of a fitness program and reach your goals sooner, you should know that keeping up with your heart rate is vital. Yet, you can take it to another level. Instead of just monitoring what your heart rate is during a workout, you can use these numbers continually throughout your workout and do heart rate training. Heart rate training is when you keep up with your heart rate so you can take your body into different heart rate zones during your workout. Heart rate training is becoming the preferred method of exercise for many people because exercise goals are met sooner and more efficiently.
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 been sedentary and you haven't exercised in the past eight weeks or longer. Fair Shape: You are fairly active and walk more than a mile, or do some type of aerobic activity, at least three times a week. Good Shape: You exercise almost daily and/or you run five or more miles weekly.
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.
Walk One Mile: Walk a mile at an even pace either on a treadmill or at a track. When you are nearing the end of your mile, or in the last quarter of your mile, take your heart rate. Add 40 to this number if you listed yourself in poor shape; add 50 to this number if you listed yourself in fair shape, and add 60 to this number if you listed yourself in good shape.
Once you know what your maximum heart rate is, you can begin heart rate training. The easiest way to keep up with your heart rate during a workout is to use a machine that has a heart rate control monitor. Most quality treadmills and fitness machines come with heart rate control monitors. A monitor will tell you what your heart rate is during your workout so you know what heart rate zone you are in at any given time. A heart rate monitor becomes your personal trainer and takes the guesswork out of heart rate training. The readings let you know when you are over exerting yourself, or when you should give yourself a little extra push so you can stay in a target zone longer, or even push yourself up to the next heart rate zone.
Your Individual 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: In this zone your heart rate is 50%-60% of your maximum heart rate and you can easily talk to someone.
Fitness Zone: Your breathing will be heavier in this zone and you may find it difficult to talk, but you will be able to speak in quick, short sentences. Your heart rate is 60%-70% of your maximum heart rate.
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: In this zone your heart rate is 80%-90% of your maximum heart rate and you should only be able to gasp out a word here and there because you will be breathing heavily.
Red Line Zone: In this zone you are at, or near, your maximum heart rate and breathing will be nearly impossible.
As you can see, heart rate training allows you to use every moment of your workout time more efficiently. Using a treadmill, or other machine, that is equipped with a heart rate monitor will help you know exactly what your heart is doing at all times. Using these machines will take the guesswork taken out of heart rate training so you can be certain that you are one workout closer to reaching your goals.
Article Source: http://www.search-raven.com
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The Sole F80 treadmill is one of the top selling home treadmills equipped with wireless heart rate monitoring. Read the full review of this home treadmill and other best rated treadmills here.
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