How To Determine Your Maximum Heart Rate

How To Determine Your Maximum Heart Rate

How do you know if you are training too intensely or not intensely enough for what you want to achieve? This is where Heart Zone Training comes in. You see everyone has a "Maximum Heart Rate," which is 100% of your heart rate (the fastest your heart will beat). This is different for everyone. To utalize Heart Zone Training you must first determine your maximum heart rate (max HR).

There are different ways to determine your heart rate. The most convenient is using THE "AGE FORMULA" , whereby you subtract your age from 220. So, if you are 40 years old, your predicted max HR would be 180 bpm.

Once you have determined your max HR, you will need to decide what zone you want to train at. There are five different training zones separated by 10% increments, each having different characteristics and benefits. THe next articles in this
section will discuss the different heart training zones and their benefits.