Heart Rates
Resting Heart Rate: A resting heart rate (RHR) is the number of beats per minute when the heart is at rest. RHRs vary by age, gender & athletic ability. According to the American Heart Association, RHRs can range between 60 to 100. Generally, a slower heart rate is associated with a more efficient heart & a better fitness level. To find your RHR, sit quietly for 5 minutes. Turn your palm facing up & use your finger tips of your opposite hand to feel the wrist pulse just above your thumb. Then, count the pulse beats for 60 seconds to get your RHR. Use a ‘RHR Chart’ to find out your fitness level. What’s your RHR & do you want to improve it?
Too Slow, RHR: If a resting heart rate (RHR) is too slow, it could indicate a problem. RHRs may vary due to fitness levels, diagnoses, medications, emotions (e.g., stress, anxiety, anger, worry), fever, outside temperature, dehydration & body position. Symptoms of RHRs that are too slow are chest pain, confusion/memory problems, dizziness/lightheadedness, easily tiring during physical activity, fatigue, fainting/near-fainting &/or shortness of breath. Seek medical attention if you have any of these symptoms.
Too Fast, RHR: If a resting heart rate (RHR) is too fast, it could indicate a problem. RHRs may vary due to fitness levels, diagnoses, medications, emotions (e.g., stress, anxiety, anger, worry), fever, outside temperature, dehydration & body position. Symptoms of RHRs that are too fast are fainting, lightheadedness/dizziness, rapid heartbeat/palpitations, fluttering in the chest, bounding pulse, chest discomfort, shortness of breath &/or fatigue. Seek medical attention if you have any of these symptoms.
Max Heart Rate (MHR): A MHR is the maximum beats per minutes that the heart can safely pump blood to the body. A simple way to calculate your MHR is to subtract your age from 220 (e.g., 220-58=162). MHRs may vary due to age, gender & fitness levels. There are more variations in MHRs for seniors. Knowing your MHR can help you create an exercise program that includes various types of intensities (or zones) which can help to improve & optimize your heart health.
Heart Zones: Heart Zone are guidelines used to create exercise programs to reach your health goals. To calculate the Heart Zones, multiple the maximum heart rate (MHR) with the percentage ranges associated with each zone. Zone 1 (warm-up/recovery/easy) = 50%-60% MHR; Zone 2 (aerobic, endurance, base, light, low-moderate) = 60%-70% MHR; Zone 3 (tempo, threshold, cardio, high-moderate) = 70%-80% MHR; Zone 4 (lactate threshold, redline, hard, high, vigorous) 80%-90"% MHR; Zone 5 (anaerobic, VO2 max, peak, maximum, very vigorous) = 90%-100%. [Example: Calculation for Zone 2 for a MHR of 162 is 97-113 beats per minute (162x65%=97 & 162x70%=113]. Consult with your doctor to find out the best cardiovascular exercises for your heart health.