If you are going to the gym, you need to be aware of the optimal heart rate. Your heart rate will determine how effective your workout will be.
The maximum human heart rate is 220 beats per minute, a high frequency is physiologically impossible. Going to the limit when playing sports is strongly discouraged, unless you are a professional athlete. Subtract your age in years from 220 to find your maximum heart rate.
You can monitor your heart rate either manually or using a heart rate monitor. Heart rate monitors are built into many exercise equipment, and are also sold as a standalone device
Of course, this method is not very accurate. If possible, it is better to check your maximum safe heart rate using special equipment. The equipment will take into account many factors, not just age.
In which heart rate zones can you practice
There are a total of five heart rate zones in which you can train. The first is called the heart health zone. The heart rate in this zone is 50-60% of the recommended value for you.
It is the easiest and most pleasant area to train in this area, therefore it is recommended for beginners and those with poor health. It is possible to achieve such a heart rate by walking on a treadmill, exercising on an ellipsoid, a stepper. In this zone, up to 85% of the energy will be derived from adipose tissue.
The heart health zone can be used as a rest during interval training
The disadvantage of such a workout is that it must be very long in order to bring a fast enough result. While pulse conditions are ideal for burning fat, this process will be slow due to the unhurried calorie consumption. From the pros - a decrease in blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
The next heart rate zone is the fitness zone, here the heart rate can reach 70% of the maximum. With this training, fat burning occurs more intensely than in the previous stage. Additional bonuses will be the strengthening of the heart muscle and the respiratory system.
A value of 70-80% of the maximum heart rate corresponds to the aerobic zone. Exercising in this area will help to increase the endurance of the heart muscle, increase the number of blood vessels. The vital capacity of the lungs increases, the strength of the heart contractions increases.
In the aerobic heart rate zone, energy is drawn half from carbohydrates and half from fat. Therefore, it is important to correctly organize food, otherwise there will simply be no strength left for training.
In the anaerobic zone, the pulse reaches 80-90% of the limit. Energy now comes primarily from carbohydrates. Strength training takes place in such a zone.
The latter zone is very unsafe, as the heart rate reaches physiological limits. Long-term training in this zone is not possible, therefore it is used only for interval loads. In this case, several minutes of moderate and 1-2 minutes of extreme loads alternate.
Which heart rate zone to choose in the gym?
The choice of your heart rate zone depends on your goals in the gym. If you want to lose weight, definitely work out in the heart health zone or in the fitness zone, depending on your health condition. Choose an aerobic zone if you are initially a fairly trained person.
If you come to the gym with the aim of increasing muscle mass, you should train in the anaerobic zone. It increases endurance and stimulates muscle growth.
