Finding Your Target Heart Rate Knowing your maximum heart rate and your correct training zone is important to ensure you get the most from your cardio workouts.
How to Find Your Target Heart Rate
Subtract your age from 220 (226 for women) to calculate your Maximum Heart Rate.
Now that you know your Maximum Heart Rate, what should you do with it?
Use the training programs below as guidelines for working towards your goals.
Cardio Training Programs
Cardio Health
For improving cardiovascular health you should perform your cardio training at 50 - 60% of maximum heart rate: This is the easiest cardio program and probably the best zone for people just starting a fitness program. It can also be used as a warm up for more serious walkers. This zone has been shown to help decrease body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol. It also decreases the risk of degenerative diseases and has a low risk of injury. 85% of calories burned in this zone are fats!
Fat Burning
To speed up your metabolism and burn fat you should cardio train at 60 - 70you’re your maximum heart rate: This type of training will provide the same benefits as the cardio program above, but with more intensity burning more total calories. The percent of fat calories is still 85%.
Endurance Training
To improve endurance train at 70 - 80% of your maximum heart rate: The aerobic zone will improve your cardiovascular and respiratory system AND increase the size and strength of your heart. This is the preferred zone if you are training for an endurance event. More calories are burned with 50% from fat.
Performance Training
For performance training you should be training at 80 - 90% of your maximum heart rate: Benefits of this zone include an improved VO2 maximum (the highest amount of oxygen one can consume during exercise) and thus an improved cardio respiratory system, and a higher lactate tolerance ability which means your endurance will improve and you'll be able to fight fatigue better. This is a high intensity zone burning more calories, 15 % from fat.
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