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Exercise Intensity
To obtain maximum cardiovascular benefit from your workouts,
you will need to work out within a defined window. You’ll need
to monitor your exercise intensity to assure you are exercising
within this desired window. There are 3 methods that can be used
to calculate your exercise intensity:
1.Target Heart Rate
2. Perceived Exertion
3. Talk Test
Target Heart Rate
:
Target heart rate (T.H.R.) is by far the most accurate, but also the
most “involved” method used to measure exercise intensity.
T.H.R. is a measure of exertion based on a percent of maximum heart
rate for a given age and level of desired conditioning.
50%-60% Target audience: Beginner exerciser, poor physical
condition, or other health concerns.
Exercise goal: Getting started.
60%-75% Target audience: Intermediate exerciser, average
physical condition, no health concerns.
Exercise goal: General overall fitness, weight loss.
75%-90% Target audience: Advanced athletes, excellent cardio
condition.
Exercise goal: Increase cardiac capacity, an athlete in
serious training.
Age 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70
Advance 75%-90%
180-
150
175-
146
171-
142
166-
138
162-
135
157-
131
153-
127
148-
123
144-
120
140-
116
135-
113
Intermediate 60%-
75%
150-
120
146-
117
142-
114
138-
111
135-
108
131-
105
127-
102
123-
99
120-
96
116-
93
113-
90
Beginner 50%-60%
120-
100
117-
97
114-
95
111-
92
108-
90
105-
87
102-
85
99-
82
96-
50
93-
77
90-
75
** Percentage of Maximum Heart Rate
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