Target Heart Rate zones

Have you heard about target heart rate zones in the gym before? Exercise and a good fitness program can play an important part of overall weight loss and fat reduction and knowing your Target Heart Rate, or THR, is a common way of judging how hard you should exercise during endurance activities.

In essence, Target Heart Rate tells you how fast the average person should try to make his or her heart beat during endurance sessions.

While exercising it is essential that the exercise being undertaken is done correctly, not just to avoid injury but also to ensure that maximum results are achieved in the shortest time possible.

If an individual is exercising too hard their heart rate will be outside the target heart rate zone and they will be at risk of injury or burn out. It is unnecessary to be working at this rate and will not result in weight loss or overall fitness occurring more quickly. Easing off a little will result in the heart rate being in the correct zone and be the most affective.

Heart rate at the lower end of the zone means that an individual is not working hard enough, and as a result the heart rate will be below the ideal zone. The further from the ideal zone the more ineffective the exercise will be. Exercise in this range may end in frustration in the long term as the desired increases in fitness and reduction in weight and body fat will not be seen.

Heart rate should be monitored regularly throughout exercise to ensure that the rate is in the ideal range.

Use the Target Heart Rate calculator to find your ideal heart rate.

Have a look at some Heart Rate Monitor information.

How do I monitor heart rate?

If you are exercising in the gym most modern exercise machines will automatically take your heart rate and display it constantly, making it easy to monitor your heart rate. To take your own pulse, press the tips of your index and middle fingers against the inside of the opposite wrist, just below the mound at the base of your thumb, and count how many pulses you feel in a 15-second period. Multiply this number by 4, giving you your heart rate. You can also purchase heart rate monitors that you can wear on your wrist during exercise.

Use the Target Heart Rate calculator to find your ideal heart rate.