If you engage in aerobic exercise, then you know about it.  If you have seen people exercising in the gym or on the road, then you have undoubtedly seen people taking it.  We are talking about your exercise pulse rate.  The question is: at what rate should you be working out?

Our heart beats more than 100,000 times per day. By simply putting your fingers on your radial artery in your wrist, or carotid artery next to the Adam’s apple in your neck, you can feel your heart beating. Taking your pulse for 15 seconds and multiplying that number by 4 will tell you what your pulse rate is per minute.  A normal pulse should read from 60-100 beats per minute; it should be steady with no abnormal rhythms, premature or skipped beats. Someone who is in excellent physical shape may have a pulse lower than this range, and someone who is in poor physical condition may exceed this range. By taking your pulse during exercise, you will know whether or not your aerobic exercise program is truly doing its job. 

In order to be in the aerobic range, you need to be using oxygen as your main source of energy – meaning, your pulse needs to be between 60% and 90% of your maximum heart rate.  How do we determine our maximum heart rate?  For many years, the standard formula for calculating maximum heart rate was to take the number 220 and subtract your age from it.  So if you are 40 years old and your maximum heart rate is 180, that means your aerobic range is from 108 beats per minute (bpm) up to 162 bpm.  However, more recent research has shown that this formula can be highly inaccurate. 

A more accurate, but more complicated formula  is the Karvonen formula.  This formula takes into account your resting pulse as well as your exercise pulse.  But since this formula is more difficult to calculate, I don’t advise using it during exercise, where quick calculations are required.

Runner’s World Magazine developed an easier and apparently more accurate formula.  This formula was considered more accurate for people over 40.  Using the number 205, subtract half of your age.  That is probably your maximum heart rate.  So if you are 40, you take 205 minus 20 and arrive at 185.  That puts your aerobic range between 111 and 167.

Take your pulse at the very end of the workout, before the cool-down.  You can use either the radial pulse or the carotid artery, as mentioned above.  In either case, do not use your thumb to get the pulse and do not push hard in either location. Take your pulse for 15 seconds and multiply it by 4.  This is your one-minute exercise pulse.  Keep a chart to see your progress.  When you need to work harder to get your pulse higher, this is a sign of cardiovascular fitness.  Ultimately, by raising your pulse during exercise, your resting pulse will become slower, which means that your heart is working more efficiently. 

Keeping track of your pulse rate and know your aerobic range is another way you can “add hours to your day, days to your year and years to your life.” 

Alan Freishtat is an A.C.E. CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER and a LIFESTYLE FITNESS COACH with over 12 years of professional experience. He is the co-director of the Jerusalem-based weight loss and stress reduction center Lose It! along with Linda Holtz M.Sc. and is available for private consultations, assessments and personalized workout programs. Alan also lectures and gives seminars and workshops. He can be reached at 02-651-8502 or 050-555-7175, or by email at [email protected] 

See our website www.loseit.co.il

(Alan Freishtat – YWN)