Varied training in all three of these zones will add to increased levels of
fitness and improved performance and add more energy to your life. "Most
training programs use a combination of training intensities to increase
performance capacity," according to J. T. Kearney, Ph.D., Senior Exercise
Physiologist at the U. S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Kearney
suggests that it is important for individuals to monitor intensity. "There are
many different ways to monitor training but monitoring heart rate response is
the simplest, most convenient and least expensive physiological method for
monitoring training," Kearney says.
■ Predicted Target Heart Rate Zones for Different Ages
Age Maximum Predicted Aerobic Target
Heart Rate Zone: 60-85 %
20 200 120-170
25 195 117-166
30 190 114-162
35 185 111-157
40 180 108-153
45 175 105-149
50 170 102-145
55 165 99-140
60 160 96-136
After several weeks of "aerobic conditioning," certain changes become
apparent. What was a barely attainable level of exercise before, now becomes
quite easy. Whereas cycling or running at a certain pace or speed may have
previously caused your heart rate to go up to 135 beats per minute, that pace
can now be achieved at a lower heart rate. In short, your heart is becoming
stronger, larger and more efficient, and your body is able to do the same work
with less strain.
Regardless of your maximum average heart rate or your target heart rate,
you should consult with your physician or with a sports medical expert to
establish, with precision, the rates that are right for you, your age and your
medical and physical condition. This is especially important if you are over the
age of 35, been sedentary for several years, overweight or have a history of
heart disease in your family.
■ Beating The Dropout Odds: Jump Start Your Fitness Program
You already know you need to exercise. And you're probably trying –
at least a little. But let's get serious: If you don't add regular exercise to your
life, you're missing out on a sure bet. This is one area where medical research
all points in the same direction.
"Starting to exercise is comparable, from a health benefit standpoint, to
quitting smoking," says the recently released Surgeon's General Report on
Physical Activity and Health.
■ Summary of Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity
and Health:
• Regular physical activity offers substantial improvements in health and well-
being for the majority of Americans.
• If you exercise regularly, the reports show, you'll reduce your risk of heart
attack, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and even the
common cold.
• Regular exercise, regardless of the intensity, can help you
control stress, sleep problems, and depression.
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