| How to Pace Your Workout |
 The most important consideration when exercising is how hard to push yourself. If you exercise at too low an intensity, you will not achieve a training effect. If you push too vigorously you will become fatigued. Fortunately you need only one tool to guide you – your heart rate.; Researchers have determined that most people can exercise safely and effectively when their heart rate increases to between 65 and 85% of their maximum heart rate (the upper limit of your hearts pumping ability). This 65 to 85% rate is your target heart rate. Exercising below this range may make your progress slow, while exceeding it can quickly cause exhaustion and possibly lead to an injury.Maximum heart rate decreases with age, hence you need to take your age into consideration when determining your target heart rate. You can use the chart given below to compute it. Physiologists have also devised a formula: a. Subtract your age from your maximum heart rate b. Multiply that figure by 0.65, and also by 0.85 while exercising, your heart rate per minute should remain between these two figures. Let’s assuming your age is 35 and your maximum heart rate is 220. a. 220 - 35 = 185 b. 0.65 X 185 = 120.2, 0.85 X 185 = 157.2 c. You heart rate should remain in the range of 120 to 157 while exercising. To determine the target heart rate, find your age along the bottom of the chart below. Trace the line straight up to the lower edge of the shaded area, that pulse rate is the lower limit of your target heart rate. Continue the line to the top and that is the upper limit of your heart rate.  Studies indicate that exercising at the upper limit of your target heart rate is most effective. But exercising at the lower limit, which lessens the chance of strain or injury, is certainly intense enough to produce a training effect. At this lower heart rate you should be able to carry on conversation during a workout. Check your heart rate when you exercise, there are many heart rate monitors available in the market from the basic model to the high end HRM with bells and whistles. If the heart rate monitor or HRM shows that you are exercising below your target heart rate and are feeling no discomfort, you should gradually increase the intensity of your workout. In case you don’t have a heart rate monitor you can check your heart rate by taking your pulse from the radial artery in your wrist. Count it for 10 seconds and multiply this figure by six. The workout should consist of three phases, -The Warm-up -The Training Phase & - The Cool-down Phase The warm up and cool down phases are crucial for easing your heart into and out of the training phase, you must increase your pace to lift your heart into its target zone and keep it there for at least 20 minutes. How long and how often you should exercise depends on your physical condition and your goals. In general, though, when you begin an exercise program, you should stay towards the lower end of your target heart rate zone during the training phase of your workout. Once you can exercise comfortably at that level, you can gradually increase your intensity to the 75 to 85% range. As you become fit, you will need to exercise more vigorously to raise your heart rate. Yet the added exertion will not feel any more strenuous. This energy dividend is the most basic reward of aerobic conditioning. It is the result and proof of having strengthened your heart and muscle you have been using to exercise it. |
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