Source

Target Heart Rates

AHA Recommendation

Health professionals know the importance of proper pacing during exercise. To receive the benefits of physical activity, it's important not to tire too quickly. Pacing yourself is especially important if you've been inactive.

Target heart rates let you measure your initial fitness level and monitor your progress in a fitness program. This approach requires measuring your pulse periodically as you exercise and staying within 50 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate. This range is called your target heart rate.

What is an alternative to target heart rates?

Some people can't measure their pulse or don't want to take their pulse when exercising. If this is true for you, try using a "conversational pace" to monitor your efforts during moderate activities like walking. If you can talk and walk at the same time, you aren't working too hard. If you can sing and maintain your level of effort, you're probably not working hard enough. If you get out of breath quickly, you're probably working too hard -- especially if you have to stop and catch your breath.

When should I use the target heart rate?

If you participate in more-vigorous activities like brisk walking and jogging, the "conversational pace" approach may not work. Then try using the target heart rate. It works for many people, and it's a good way for health professionals to monitor your progress.

The table below shows estimated target heart rates for different ages. Look for the age category closest to yours, then read across to find your target heart rate.

Age	Target HR Zone 50-75 %	Average Maximum Heart Rate 100 %
20 years	100-150 beats per minute	200 beats per minute
25 years	98-146 beats per minute	195 beats per minute
30 years	95-142 beats per minute	190 beats per minute
35 years	93-138 beats per minute	185 beats per minute
40 years	90-135 beats per minute	180 beats per minute
45 years	88-131 beats per minute	175 beats per minute
50 years	85-127 beats per minute	170 beats per minute
55 years	83-123 beats per minute	165 beats per minute
60 years	80-120 beats per minute	160 beats per minute
65 years	78-116 beats per minute	155 beats per minute
70 years	75-113 beats per minute	150 beats per minute

Your maximum heart rate is about 220 minus your age. The figures above are averages, so use them as general guidelines.

[Karl Loren Note: At age 75 my maximum heart rate would be 220 minus 75, or 145, and the "target rate" would be about 50% to 75% when I start and 85% when I am in good shape.

In fact I use a Polar Heart Rate Chest Strap Monitor to keep accurate track of my heart rate while exercising and when you learn how to breathe properly, in Kung Fu, and become able to exercise while breathing slowly ONLY through your nose, you find that it is almost impossible to achieve the higher heart rates even when you do vigorous exercise which, for another, would shoot his heart rate far above the target rate.

Click here for more information on breathing and how to measure your improvement in breathing.

Click for a very technical, but incomplete, description on what limits exercise.

Click here for the story of a 96 year old woman and her exercise level.

Even when I first started Kung Fu exercise I was able to reach a heart rate of 150 while only breathing through my nose, never getting out of breath, and able to sustain that level of physical activity for long periods of time without getting tired.

Now, even that same level of vigorous activity doesn't get me up past 140 beats -- still, of course, breathing through the nose only -- and slowly.

It makes sense that when you know HOW to exercise you improve the efficiency of your lungs and oxygen usage so that the "normal" rules for other people begin to not apply to you.

I am not giving a medical opinion here -- and not suggesting that you improperly try to exercise beyond the heart rate recommended by your professional health advisor, but I am saying that with proper training you can do far, far better than the cautions put out by many medical people.]

Note: A few high blood pressure medications lower the maximum heart rate and thus the target zone rate. If you're taking such medicine, call your physician to find out if you need to use a lower target heart rate.

How should I pace myself?

When starting an exercise program, aim at the lowest part of your target zone (50 percent) during the first few weeks. Gradually build up to the higher part of your target zone (75 percent). After six months or more of regular exercise, you may be able to exercise comfortably at up to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. However, you don't have to exercise that hard to stay in shape.