Heart Rate Monitoring for Cardiovascular Training

Introduction

Cardiovascular training is a key component of a balance exercise routine. For the older adult the benefits are many;

1. Lowering of the resting heart rate.
2. Decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.
3. Keep resting blood pressure normal
4. Improve heart efficiency during physical exertion.
5. Weight control
6. Help maintain agility, balance and coordination to reduce the risk of falls.
7. Increase your energy and stamina
8. Stress management

For the older adult it is important that cardiovascular training be done safely and that you don’t over exert yourself. When you cardiovascular train under the supervision of a personal trainer you will often do different cardiovascular training workouts that require you to exercise at different intensities.

There are a number of ways to monitor the intensity that you are working at. The talk test (can you talk in complete sentences) and rating your perceived effort on a scale of 6 to 20 are two common and easy ways that you can monitor the intensity of your effort. These are described in another blog article titled “Cardiovascular Training @ 50+”.

Monitoring your heart rate, however, is the most accurate way to monitor your exercise intensity and to ensure that you are not overdoing it. Taking your pulse at your wrist (radial pulse on the thumb side of the wrist) or at the side of your neck (carotid artery pulse) for 15 sec and then multiplying by 4 are the two most common methods of measuring your heart rate while exercising. However, using a heart rate monitor is the most accurate way of knowing how hard your heart is working.

Outside influences that can Have an Effect your Heart Rate

All of the following can have a profound effect on a persons heart rate while exercising;

1. Fatigue
2. Illness
3. Over training
4. Environment (hot and humid)

 

Advantages of Monitoring your Heart rate

You don’t want to become obsessed with monitoring your heart rate however there are significant advantages to knowing how hard your heart is working;

1. You can make immediate adjustments in your exercise intensity to safely meet your training goals for that particular workout.

(Example- your exercise intensity goal is between 125 & 130 bpm and after 10-15 minutes you notice that you are only at 120 you know you need to be working harder. Conversely if your heart rate is 135 you know you are working too hard and need to slow down).

2. Excellent way of monitoring improvements in your fitness level.

Lowering of your resting heart rate is one of the first physiological signs of improved fitness. As your fitness level improves you will be able to exercise at a greater intensity (walk or run or bicycle faster) at a lower heart rate. Your heart has become more efficient and therefore does not have to work as hard to do the same amount of work.

This is great feedback that your training is working and gives you confidence and incentive to continue your training.

General Cardiovascular Training

To receive the most benefit from cardiovascular exercise the American College of Sports Medicine recommends the following;

1.  Intensity (Target Heart Rate Zone) – 60-80% of your maximum heart rate
2.  Duration – At least 20 – 60 minutes per workout.
3.  Frequency – 3-5 x’s /week
4.  Type of Exercise – Anything that will elevate your heart rate for a sustained period of time.(Examples – walking, running, swimming, biking)

 

Specific Cardiovascular Training

To receive effective cardiovascular training you you need to know  your Maximum Heart Rate, which is affected by your age, and your Target Heart Rate Training Zone.

1. Maximum Heart Rate Calculation

 

HR_Max = the maximum attainable heart rate your body can reach before total exhaustion

How to Measure;

1. Stress test   – Done in a lab (Most accurate).

 2. Estimation Formulas (variability range of 10 bpm);

a)

Males-220-age

Females- 226-age

Reference– Running:The Complete Guide to Building Your Running program. Pg- 148

                        By: John Stanton

b)

207- (age x .7)

Reference– Advanced Marathoning, pg.-18

                                By: Peter Pfitzinger & Scott Douglas

       2. Target Heart Rate Zone

Staying within your “target zone” or the “intensity” with which you want to exercise at is critical to meeting your cardiovascular exercise goals.

Formulas: 

– HR_Max  x Lower % Heart Rate Training Zone

– HR_Max x Upper % Heart Rate Training Zone

Three Common Heart Rate Training Zones (Intensities)

Training Zone	% of Maximum Heart Rate	Purpose
Beginner & Intermediate:Base Training (Endurance) Eg.-Active Walking	60 – 70 %	Conditioning of muscles, ligaments and heart for more intense exercise
Advanced:Strength & Endurance TrainingEg.-Hill Training/Tempo (fast)	70 -80 %	Work on proper form, strength and endurance
Advanced:Speed TrainingEg.-speed (interval)training at the track	> 80 %	Improve fitness, technique

 

Example Calculation:

Male- age 55

1. Max heart rate:

– 220-55 =165

-207-(55 x.7) = 168

1. Heart Rate Training Zone:
   1. Base Training

  – 171 x .6 =103 bpm

   -171 x .7 – 120 bpm

     2. Strength Training (Hills)

-171 x .7 = 120 bpm

– 171 x .8 = 137 bpm

                             3.    Speed Training (Track)

– 171 x >.8 = >137 bpm

 Summary– For this 55 year old male, to maximize the effectiveness of his cardiovascular training he should worked within the following intensities;

General Base Training – 103 -120 bpm

Advanced Training for Strength & Endurance – 120 – 137 bpm

Advanced Training for Speed – >137 bpm

Note – To continually train at a higher intensity than what your Target Heart Rate Zone indicates for a particular workout would lead you vulnerable to over training and injury.

Calculating Your Heart Rate Training Zone

Male
Age	Max Heart Rate	Base Training		Strength Training (Hills)		Speed Training (Track)
	(220-age)	60%	70%	70%	80%	> 80%
30	190	114	133	133	152	> 152
31	189	113	132	132	151	> 152
32	188	113	132	132	150	> 150
33	187	112	131	131	150	> 150
34	186	112	130	130	149	> 149
35	185	111	130	130	148	> 148
36	184	110	129	129	147	> 147
37	183	110	128	128	146	> 146
38	182	109	127	127	146	> 146
39	181	109	127	127	145	> 145
40	180	108	126	126	144	> 144
41	179	107	125	125	143	> 143
42	178	107	125	125	142	> 142
43	177	106	124	124	142	> 142
44	176	106	123	123	141	> 141
45	175	105	123	123	140	> 140
46	174	104	122	122	139	> 139
47	173	104	121	121	138	> 138
48	172	103	120	120	138	> 138
49	171	103	120	120	137	> 137
50	170	102	119	119	136	> 136
51	169	101	118	118	135	> 135
52	168	101	118	118	134	> 134
53	167	100	117	117	134	> 134
54	166	100	116	116	133	> 133
55	165	99	116	116	132	> 132
56	164	98	115	115	131	> 131
57	163	98	114	114	130	> 130
58	162	97	113	113	130	> 130
59	161	97	113	113	129	> 129
60	160	96	112	112	128	> 128
61	159	95	111	111	127	> 127
62	158	95	111	111	126	> 126
63	157	94	110	110	126	> 126
64	156	94	109	109	125	> 125
65	155	93	109	109	124	> 124
66	154	92	108	108	123	> 123
67	153	92	107	107	122	> 122
68	152	91	106	106	122	> 122
69	151	91	106	106	121	> 121
70	150	90	105	105	120	> 120
71	149	89	104	104	119	> 119
72	148	89	104	104	118	> 118
73	147	88	103	103	118	> 118
74	146	88	102	102	117	> 117
75	145	87	102	102	116	> 116
76	144	86	101	101	115	> 115
77	143	86	100	100	114	> 114
78	142	85	99	99	114	> 114
79	141	85	99	99	113	> 113
80	140	84	98	98	112	> 112

 

Females
Age	Max Heart Rate	Base Training		Strength Training (Hills)		Speed Training (Track)
	(226-age)	60%	70%	70%	80%	> 80%
30	196	118	137	137	157	> 157
31	195	117	137	137	156	> 156
32	194	116	136	136	155	> 155
33	193	116	135	135	154	> 154
34	192	115	134	134	154	> 154
35	191	115	134	134	153	> 153
36	190	114	133	133	152	> 152
37	189	113	132	132	151	> 151
38	188	113	132	132	150	> 150
39	187	112	131	131	150	> 150
40	186	112	130	130	149	> 149
41	185	111	130	130	148	> 148
42	184	110	129	129	147	> 147
43	183	110	128	128	146	> 146
44	182	109	127	127	146	> 146
45	181	109	127	127	145	> 145
46	180	108	126	126	144	> 144
47	179	107	125	125	143	> 143
48	178	107	125	125	142	> 142
49	177	106	124	124	142	> 142
50	176	106	123	123	141	> 141
51	175	105	123	123	140	> 140
52	174	104	122	122	139	> 139
53	173	104	121	121	138	> 138
54	172	103	120	120	138	> 138
55	171	103	120	120	137	> 137
56	170	102	119	119	136	> 136
57	169	101	118	118	135	> 135
58	168	101	118	118	134	> 134
59	167	100	117	117	134	> 134
60	166	100	116	116	133	> 133
61	165	99	116	116	132	> 132
62	164	98	115	115	131	> 131
63	163	98	114	114	130	> 130
64	162	97	113	113	130	> 130
65	161	97	113	113	129	> 129
66	160	96	112	112	128	> 128
67	159	95	111	111	127	> 127
68	158	95	111	111	126	> 126
69	157	94	110	110	126	> 126
70	156	94	109	109	125	> 125
71	155	93	109	109	124	> 124
72	154	92	108	108	123	> 123
73	153	92	107	107	122	> 122
74	152	91	106	106	122	> 122
75	151	91	106	106	121	> 121
76	150	90	105	105	120	> 120
77	149	89	104	104	119	> 119
78	148	89	104	104	118	> 118
79	147	88	103	103	118	> 118
80	146	88	102	102	117	> 117

Summary

Heart rate monitoring is the best way to monitor your exercise intensity when you are cardiovascular training. Purchasing a heart rate monitor is a good investment to ensure safety and effectiveness of your training. As you become more fit and the intensity of your cardiovascular training increases the need for accurate monitoring of your heart becomes even more important.

If you’d like more info please contact Mike.