AMC Outdoors, April 2008
Train with your heart in mind Looking for a personal trainer? Look inside. Your heart might be the best one you could ask for. “A heart rate reading is a good marker of improvement in training for those just beginning to be active and those working toward a specific goal,” says Dr. Scott Crouter, an assistant professor of exercise and health sciences at the University of Massachusetts in Boston and an American College of Sports Medicine exercise specialist. A few pulse readings and a bit of math are all that’s needed to reap the benefits.
THE ZONE First, you need to calculate your target heart rate zone and stay within it. To do this, you must first determine your maximum heart rate, or the highest number of times your heart can contract in one minute (and the degree to which your body can work before exhaustion). The easiest way to calculate that number is to subtract your age from 220—a standard estimate that has a margin of error of plus/minus 20 beats.
The American Council on Exercise recommends individuals stay between 50 and 80 percent of their maximum heart rate during exercise. Multiply your maximum rate by both 0.5 and 0.8; the range between those two numbers makes up your target zone. For example, if you are 30 years old, multiplying your maximum heart rate (190) by 0.5 and 0.8 gives you a target range of 95-152.
THE BULLS-EYE Take your pulse at the beginning of each activity and while you exercise to sustain your target rate, which will vary based upon what you are doing. If working out for an extended period, stay between 50 and 70 percent of your maximum rate. Pacing is also essential: “Whether going for a day hike or a two-week hike,” Crouter says, “it’s important not to go all out in the first minutes or days or your body will struggle to stay in a high zone and not recover or make it all the way through.”
Maximum intensity—in the 80-85 percent range—is harder to maintain long term and should occur only in spurts, when climbing steep hills or speed training, for example. Be sure to factor in outside influences that will increase normal heart rates. Dehydration will cause the body to work harder, as will warm or humid weather and any kind of backpack weight. Similarly, altitude above 3,000 feet can spike heart rates by up to 50 percent. To endure long hikes or runs in these conditions, Crouter suggests working closer to 60 percent of your maximum.
THE PAYOFF Heart rate readings measure your fitness over time. Go out and run or hike the same mile once every month and take your pulse at the end. As fitness improves, you should be able to perform each mile at the same time and pace with a lower heart rate. You can also monitor improvements by taking a resting heart rate when you wake up in the morning. The more fit you are, the less effort (and fewer beats per minute) it takes the heart to pump blood to your body at rest. A low resting heart rate indicates a very efficient heart and is a sign of overall good health. The National Institute of Health says normal resting rates for adults are 60-100 beats per minute and 40-60 beats for athletes (35 if you are superhuman like Lance Armstrong).
THE TOOLS To take a pulse manually, all you need is a watch. Simply place two fingers on your carotid artery on the side of your neck, under your jaw, and count the number of beats that occur within 30 seconds; then multiply by two. If you want to skip the math, heart rate monitors can be worthwhile. They are simple to use and provide instant feedback. The data collected can often be uploaded to a computer program to track your progression online. Most monitors work with a chest strap that takes readings and sends them to a watch, but new models now fit into sports bras or are even sewn into T-shirts.
—By Amy VanHaren
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