Exercise Heart Rate Zone Chart

Phew, you just finished your exercise routine for the day. But are you working your body too hard, or not hard enough? Are you getting the best fitness or weight loss results by exercising within your heart rate training zones? If you aren’t sure, then my simple Exercise Heart Rate Zone Chart will help. You’ll then hit the bullseye for maximum benefit and quickly achieve the body that you always dreamed off!

Exercise Heart Rate Age

Exercise provides many health benefits! It helps you to become fitter and slimmer, and it helps you to look good and feel great. But are you getting the best results from your exercise routine? To get the best results from your workout, you should exercise within your heart rate training zones.

In order to calculate heart rate training zones, you first need to know your maximum exercise heart rate age. Your maximum exercise heart rate, is age dependent. This means that the younger you are, the higher your heart rate should be when exercising within your heart rate training zones.

It doesn’t matter if you exercise to lose weight, or if you exercise to improve your fitness levels, you need to know what your maximum heart rate is. To find out what your maximum heart rate is, use the maximum heart rate calculator below.

Maximum Heart Rate Calculator

To determine your maximum heart beats per minute (bpm), subtract your age from 220. For example, if you are 30 years old, subtract 30 from 220 to get 190 bpm. If you are 40 years old, your maximum heart rate is 180 bpm. Use the maximum heart rate calculator below to check what your maximum heart rate should be.

Find your age in the left-hand column of the maximum heart rate calculator. The corresponding number in the right-hand column is your maximum heart rate exercise training zone. This number is the maximum that your heart should beat when exercising.

You can potentially exceed you maximum heart rate for short periods of time. However, doing this puts unnecessary stress on your muscles and joints. This could lead to a serious injury which might prevent you from exercising for several weeks.

Exercising above your maximum heart beats per minute is physically difficult. It isn’t recommended as it puts extreme stress on your heart. This could be a problem if you have cardiac issues, are at risk of a heart attack, or if you suffer from respiratory problems.

Exercise Heart Rate Zone Chart

When exercising for weight loss or fitness, it’s best to exercise within 50% to 85% of your maximum heart rate.

• Moderate Intensity Exercise Zones: These heart rate training zones are 50% to 70% of your maximum heart rate for your age. If you want to lose weight, ensure you stay within these heart rate training zones.

• High Intensity Exercise Zones: These heart rate training zones are 70% to 85% of your maximum heart rate for your age. If you want to increase your fitness you should exercise within these zones.

• Peak Intensity Exercise Zones: These heart rate training zones are 85% to 100% of your maximum heart rate for your age. Unless you are very fit, it’s not recommended for you to exercise in these zones. Exercising in these zones puts pressure on your heart, lungs, muscles and joints.

• Max Heart Rate: This is the average maximum number of times your heart should beat per minute during exercise. Exercising in these zones isn’t recommended. You’ll be working your body too hard and could cause yourself an injury.

Training within Moderate Intensity Exercise Zones and High Intensity Exercise Zones helps you exercise your body for the most benefits. Your body and heart become conditioned, but not under worked or overworked.

Calculate Heart Rate

To ensure that you get the most benefits for your exercise routine, exercise within your heart rate training zones. These zones are between 50 percent and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate.

To be sure you’re getting the most from your workout there are four ways you can calculate your heart rate.

1. Manually check your pulse at your wrist. Place your index and third fingers over your radial artery. This artery is located just below the base of your thumb. When you feel your pulse, use a watch with a second hand and count the number of heart beats for 15 seconds. Multiply this number by 4 to calculate your heart rate bpm. Then refer to the Exercise Heart Rate Chart to see which heart rate training zones your exercising in.

• Manually check your pulse at your neck by placing your index and third fingers over your carotid artery. This artery is located on the side of your windpipe. While using a stopwatch, count the number of beats for 15 seconds. Multiply this number by 4. Refer to the Exercise Heart Rate Chart to determine which zone you are exercising in.

• Use the heart monitor on a cardio machine at the gym. This option is great if you regularly exercise on a cardio machine such as a treadmill, rowing machine, cycling bike, etc.

• Use a fitness tracker such as a Fitbit tracker or Fitbit smart watch. This is my preferred option as my Fitbit tells me which exercise zones I’m exercising in. Another advantage is that my Fitbit device is always on my wrist no matter where I am or what form of exercise I’m doing.

Track Your Heart Rate

The easiest way to track your exercise intensity zone is with a fitness tracker such as a Fitbit tracker or smartwatch. A Fitbit device will give you a heart rate reading for whatever you are doing throughout the day.

Fitbit will show you 4 different heart rate zones.

Fitbit allows you to hit the bullseye every time you exercise as you can instantly see which zone you are exercising in. It is best to exercise in the fat burn if you want to lose weight. For maximum effect, exercise in the cardio zone if you want to improve your fitness.

If you’re not fit or you’re just beginning an exercise program, aim to exercise in the fat burn zone. Exercise for at least 40 minutes per day, 6 days a week. As your fitness increases, gradually build up the intensity. If you’re fit and healthy you can choose to exercise at the higher end of your cardio zone.

Exercising in the peak zone can result in injury to joints and muscles. So, unless you are already fit it’s best to avoid working out in this zone.

How To Exercise For Weight Loss Or Fitness

For improved weight loss, experts claim that you should exercise at a moderate intensity (fat burn) level. Exercise for 40 minutes per day, 6 days a week. If combining diet and exercise to lose weight, engage in 40 minutes of moderate intensity exercise 4 to 6 days per week.

If you haven’t exercised in a long time, it’s best to start around the lower end of your fat burn exercise zone. Pay attention to your body for indications that you are working your body too hard. If your breathing is labored, or you are sweating profusely, then reduce your intensity. Gradually increase the speed and duration of your workouts as you become fitter.

To make your workout more effective, include 3 minutes of interval high intensity exercise (cardio) into your routine. High Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T), requires you to increase your exercise intensity level for a total of 3 minutes.

Studies have found that introducing 3 minutes of H.I.I.T. bursts of speed or power burns more belly fat than exercising at a constant pace. Good exercises for H.I.I.T. include running, cycling, swimming, dancing, rope jumping, rowing, etc.

Instead of exercising at a constant moderate intensity level, include 3-minutes of high intensity level exercise. For example, if your favored exercise is a brisk walk, insert a 3 minute high intensity run. Then return back to your normal walking speed for the remainder of the time.

Or you could choose to do your H.I.I.T bursts in 1 minute time slots, times 3 repeats (1 minute x 3 repeats). For example, you can walk briskly for 12 minutes, run for 1-minute, then repeat this routine two more times during your workout.

Note: Check with your doctor before embarking on any High Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T) exercises.

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Summing Up: Exercise Heart Rate Zone Chart

If you exercise regularly but don’t monitor your heart rate, you won’t know whether you are working your body in the most effective way. That’s why it’s important to refer to an exercise heart rate zone chart. That way you’ll know exactly which zone you are exercising in.

A Fitbit fitness tracker makes it easy to know how to exercise for weight loss or for fitness. Because with a Fitbit devise your always aware of which zone you are exercising in. It makes it super easy to hit the bullseye and get the most benefits from your workout routine.

A glance at your Fitbit device will tell you if your heart rate is too low. If you don’t feel any exertion, then pick up your pace. On the other hand, if your heart rate is too high, you’re pushing yourself too hard, so slow down. Overdoing exercises can increase your risk of sore muscles and joints. It can result in an injury or burnout.

For the best weight loss results concentrate most of your workout on moderate intensity, fat burn exercise. Combine these with 3 minutes of high intensity cardio activity to burn more calories. When you exercise within the correct heart rate training zones, you’ll soon have the body that you always dreamed of!