Target heart rate is your training zone. It is a way to judge how hard you should be exercising during physical activity. Target heart rate is the range between 50 percent and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. Maximum heart rate is the upper limit of what your cardiovascular system is able to handle during physical activity. Maximum heart rate is calculated by subtracting your age from 220.
Taking your pulse and figuring out your heart rate while you exercise is one of the primary ways to determine the intensity level of your workout. Exercising within your target heart rate zone helps boost your fitness level and gives you the maximum health and fat-burning benefits from cardiovascular activity.
Taking Your Pulse
Take your pulse to determine your resting heart rate (before getting out of bed in the morning) or check your heart rate during exercise. Use your first two fingers to take your pulse on your wrist (radial pulse) or on the side of your neck (carotid pulse). Do not use the thumb.
- To take your pulse on your wrist, place your first two fingers lightly over the radial artery at the side of your wrist just below the base of your thumb.
- To take your pulse on your neck, place your first two fingers directly under your ear, slide your fingers down until they are directly under your jawbone, and press lightly. Be sure not to press too hard or you will get an inaccurate reading.
Count the number of heartbeats for 60 seconds, or count for 30 seconds and multiply by 2. Count the first beat as "zero."