Target Heart Rate and Staying in the Zone: Is it Necessary?

Posted February 24, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Denise Musumeci

Section: In The News, His Fitness, Cardio Training, His Health, Physical Health

Many people are concerned about their overall health and begin working out on machines. Along with calorie counting, some exercisers have started calculating their target heart rates. People believe that if they go beyond their target heart rate and start working harder, they will get a better workout. Is this true? MSNBC investigated this and other questions about exercise to clear up the concerns of exercisers.

To answer the above question, there are many ways to track your target heart rate. The traditional way to follow the formula 220 minus- your age, but that formula is not accurate for most people because numbers are generally too low. Regardless of age, everyone’s heart rate is generally going to be different.

To get a better idea of where your heart rate should be, take the traditional heart rate (formula above) minus you resting heart rate (heart rate when you first wake up) to get a better range. Although it is best to track your heart rate if you are training for a sporting event or just beginning to train, crunching numbers is not THAT important in staying fit.

Michael Bracko, a spokesperson for the American College of Sports Medicine, says that generally, people shouldn’t worry about the math during a workout, since exertion is more important than numbers.

One way to find your exertion level is the talk test. If you can sing during your workout, than you’re not working hard enough, but if you cannot talk, you’re working too hard and over exerting yourself. Therefore, don’t worry about the numbers too much, since exertion is more important.

What is the difference between cardio and fat burning workouts? Most people have the misconception that if you work out at a lower intensity, or the fat burning zone, you will lose more weight.

The fat burning zone is about 50 to 60 percent of your maximum heart rate. Cardio workouts are more intense and are meant to train the heart. Using both can help you lose weight, but Dr. Jeffrey Tanji, associate medical director of sports medicine at the University of California, says that the fat burning zone is a myth, since all movement burns a combination of fats and carbohydrates.

What matters the most, however, is how many calories are burned, since more carbs are generally burned off than fats. A higher intensity will burn off more calories/minute than a lower intensity, but the important thing is to find an intensity that works best for you and stick with it.

Does it matter if I stay in the zone and monitor heart rate? As mentioned before, it does not matter if you stay in the zone of go outside of it. By staying in the zone, it will take longer to finish the workout. The most important thing is to find a zone you are comfortable with and stick with it.

Research sources and for more information: [MSNBC]; [picture]