Exercise

How to Figure Out How Much Intensity You Need in Your Workout

November 19, 2009
By Greg Cook

You want to lose weight or maybe your doctor has mentioned that taking better care of your cardiovascular system would be a wise choice for you to make. The easiest way to get started is with fitness walking. It is cheap, simple and easy to do when and where you have time.

The biggest question that comes up with fitness walking is determining the intensity of your walking workout. The more the intensity the greater the benefit of calorie burn and work on your cardio system. It is important however, to monitor and track your program. This means tracking heart rate, blood pressure, distance and time of your walk. You want to walk at a fast enough pace to break a sweat but not one that makes you struggle to breathe.

Why Measure Your How Fast Your Heart Is Beating

One of the greatest benefits of a walking exercise program is the helpful benefits to your heart’s health. To measure the impact of your routine is to establish a base heart rate and a moving target heart rate. First take your resting heart rate by placing your finger on your wrist or on the main artery on the side of your neck. It is located right under you’re the edge of your jaw bone. If you can’t find it try using your index and middle finger together. The easiest way to get your heart rate is to count the number of beats for 15 seconds and then multiply this number by four.

Figuring Your Target Heart Beat Rate

Now you need to calculate your target pulse rate for your heart. To do this you first need to calculate your individual maximum rate your heart can beat. This is simply the fastest rate that your heart can possibly beat. Grab a simple calculator to get this number. Here is how to figure your maximum heart rate:

1. Subtract your current age from 220

2. Multiply this answer by 0.6 and also by 0.75

These two numbers are your fitness walking target range. The first number is your initial target and the second calculated number is your top-end target heart rate. You do not want to get your heart beat rate above the second calculated number.

For a 50 year old person the fitness walking target range would be; 220 – 50 = 170.

This person’s fitness walking target beats of the heart is 102 beats per minute. (170 x 0.6 = 102)

This is the heart rate that needs to be reached for the walking routine to burn calories and give your heart and lungs a good workout.

This person’s peak exercise intensity should not exceed 128 heart beats per minute. (170 x 0.75 = 127.5) With periodic checking throughout your walking workout you will begin to gauge the level of intensity required to meet these range limits. You should reach the peak intensity, or in this example 128 heart beats per minute at about the half-way point of your workout. It is up to you how long you go continue at the peak range.

The Cool Down

The true measure of what shape your heat is in is based on the time it takes for your heart to recover to its base line rate after you begin to cool down. Take your heart rate at the beginning of your cool down and then every couple of minutes.

Every time you exercise take your heart’s pulse rate at the same time and frequency during your cool down. As your walking exercise routine continues over the weeks and months track how this heart rate beat declines. The lesser the time it takes to get back to normal the healthier is your heart.

Greg has spent his career helping people uncover the truth. Visit Greg’s latest website that explores stop snoring devices and various stop snoring aids and products that will make even the loudest snorer let others get a peaceful full night’s sleep.

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