We Got the Beat
Heart rate. We all have one. Even the Grinch. But what is it? What does it mean? And what can it tell me?
Most simply, heart rate, aka pulse, is the number of times your heart beats per minute (bpm). Normal heart rate varies from person to person. Normal heart rate also varies within each us all day long depending on the level of activity we engage in. Knowing what is normal for you can be an important fitness gauge to understand how hard your body is working and to set goals based on actual (rather than perceived) exertion. If you are just starting to exercise, don’t worry about tracking your heart rate. However, once you’ve been moving for a while, knowing how hard your body is working may help you reach the moderate intensity level recommended by physicians and fitness guidelines.
So how do I measure it, you ask? Where do I find it? Do I need a fancy fitness tracker? Is there math involved?
The best places to find your pulse are the:
Doing this when you are relaxed and chilling and feeling pretty good will give you what is known as your resting heart rate. The resting heart rate represents the heart pumping the lowest amount of blood you need. For most people this is normally between 60 (beats per minute) and 100 (beats per minute).
If you engage in a low amount of physical activity, the resting pulse rate probably will not change much. However, when you start pumping some muscles, the demand for oxygen increases and your heart beats faster to get oxygen-filled blood through your body and your heart rate increases. Keeping track of your heart rate will help you determine if you are reaching what’s considered a moderate level of exercise.
So, what is a moderate level of exercise and how do I know when I reach it?
Aerobic (or “cardio”) activity gets your heart rate up and benefits your heart by improving cardiorespiratory fitness. When done at moderate intensity, your heart will beat faster, you might sweat a little, and you’ll breathe harder than normal, but you’ll still be able to talk. Speaking will take a little more effort than usual, but you should be able to carry on a conversation. Getting beyond this level gets you into the vigorous intensity level which may or may not be too much depending on your health and age.
If you prefer something more scientific, you can also use your heart rate to measure and adjust your exercise intensity. To figure out what level of exertion counts as moderate, you can perform a calculation based on what’s known as the heart rate reserve. And yes, there is a little math involved, but you only need to do it once and then update on your birthday every year if you wish.
You can find your heart rate reserve in 4 steps:
Her estimated maximum heart rate would be 165. (220 minus 55)
Her heart rate reserve would be 95 (165 minus 70)
She would be exercising at a moderate level once her heart rate reads between 108 ((40 percent of 95) plus 70) and 126 ((59 percent of 95) plus 70).
Any heart rate readings at or above 127 ((60 percent of 95) plus 70) up to a heart rate of 156 ((90 percent of 95) plus 70) would be considered vigorous intensity.
By being aware of your breathing and heart rate or doing little mathematical calculation to find your numbers, you can find what a normal range of moderate exercise is for you and where you are on the intensity scale. Check with your doctor or physical trainer to see how many minutes of moderate intensity exercise is right for you. We all got the beat.
Heart rate. We all have one. Even the Grinch. But what is it? What does it mean? And what can it tell me?
Most simply, heart rate, aka pulse, is the number of times your heart beats per minute (bpm). Normal heart rate varies from person to person. Normal heart rate also varies within each us all day long depending on the level of activity we engage in. Knowing what is normal for you can be an important fitness gauge to understand how hard your body is working and to set goals based on actual (rather than perceived) exertion. If you are just starting to exercise, don’t worry about tracking your heart rate. However, once you’ve been moving for a while, knowing how hard your body is working may help you reach the moderate intensity level recommended by physicians and fitness guidelines.
So how do I measure it, you ask? Where do I find it? Do I need a fancy fitness tracker? Is there math involved?
The best places to find your pulse are the:
- wrists
- inside of your elbow
- side of your neck
- top of the foot
Doing this when you are relaxed and chilling and feeling pretty good will give you what is known as your resting heart rate. The resting heart rate represents the heart pumping the lowest amount of blood you need. For most people this is normally between 60 (beats per minute) and 100 (beats per minute).
If you engage in a low amount of physical activity, the resting pulse rate probably will not change much. However, when you start pumping some muscles, the demand for oxygen increases and your heart beats faster to get oxygen-filled blood through your body and your heart rate increases. Keeping track of your heart rate will help you determine if you are reaching what’s considered a moderate level of exercise.
So, what is a moderate level of exercise and how do I know when I reach it?
Aerobic (or “cardio”) activity gets your heart rate up and benefits your heart by improving cardiorespiratory fitness. When done at moderate intensity, your heart will beat faster, you might sweat a little, and you’ll breathe harder than normal, but you’ll still be able to talk. Speaking will take a little more effort than usual, but you should be able to carry on a conversation. Getting beyond this level gets you into the vigorous intensity level which may or may not be too much depending on your health and age.
If you prefer something more scientific, you can also use your heart rate to measure and adjust your exercise intensity. To figure out what level of exertion counts as moderate, you can perform a calculation based on what’s known as the heart rate reserve. And yes, there is a little math involved, but you only need to do it once and then update on your birthday every year if you wish.
You can find your heart rate reserve in 4 steps:
- Subtract your age from 220. This is your estimated maximum heart.
- Count your pulse manually or electronically (using a fitness tracker or blood pressure reader) when at rest (not exercising). This is your resting heart rate.
- Subtract your resting heart rate from your estimated maximum heart rate. This is your heart rate reserve.
- Find your range for moderate exertion. Your heart rate range for moderate intensity is 40 to 59% of your heart rate reserve added to your resting heart rate.
Her estimated maximum heart rate would be 165. (220 minus 55)
Her heart rate reserve would be 95 (165 minus 70)
She would be exercising at a moderate level once her heart rate reads between 108 ((40 percent of 95) plus 70) and 126 ((59 percent of 95) plus 70).
Any heart rate readings at or above 127 ((60 percent of 95) plus 70) up to a heart rate of 156 ((90 percent of 95) plus 70) would be considered vigorous intensity.
By being aware of your breathing and heart rate or doing little mathematical calculation to find your numbers, you can find what a normal range of moderate exercise is for you and where you are on the intensity scale. Check with your doctor or physical trainer to see how many minutes of moderate intensity exercise is right for you. We all got the beat.