Everyone’s maximum heart rate is different. In order to work in the aerobic zone and experience cardiac benefits as well as weight loss your heart rate needs to be between 65 percent and 85 percent of your Heart Rate Reserve (HRR).
Follow these simple steps to determine your HRR and your Target Heart Rate (THR).
- Maximum HR = 220-age
- Example: For a 25-year-old 220 – 25 = 195
- You may use two different methods to determine your resting heart rate: radial pulse or carotid pulse.
- Radial pulse: place your index and middle fingers over the outside of your opposite wrist, just below the base of your thumb.
- Carotid pulse: place your index and middle fingers directly under your ear, the slide your fingers down until they are directly under your jawbone, pressing lightly.
Once you have found your pulse determine your beats per minute. For example if your heart beats 65 times in one minute your resting heart rate would be 65.
- HRR = Max HR – resting HR
- Example: 195 – 63 = 130
- Low end of THR range = (HRR x .65) + resting HR
- Example: (130 x .65) +65 = 149.5
- High end of THR range = (HRR x .85) + resting HR
- Example: (130 x .85) + 65 = 175
Using these simple steps we now know that a 25-year-old should keep their heart rate between 150 and 175 beats per minute (bpm).
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