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All about your heart rate

Control of Heart Rate

Like skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle is striated but has the unique ability to rhythmically contract on its own, in the absence of nerve stimulation. Under normal conditions, heart rate is controlled both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and by certain hormones. In resting conditions, the parasympathetic nervous system predominates. Normal resting heart rate varies between 60 and 85 beats per minute. Extended periods of endurance training (months to years) can decrease resting heart rate to 35 beats per minute or lower. It is postulated that this lower resting heart rate is the result of increased parasympathetic stimulation through the vagus nerve, with the reduction in sympathetic activity serving a lesser role.

Don’t Count your Heart Rate

In the past, you have learned to stop during any activity every so often to check your heart rate for ten or fifteen seconds and look at the chart, or multiply your heart rate by 4. This method is called "palpitation" with your finger palpitating an artery in your wrist or neck. This method can be somewhat inefficient. Today’s technology offers us the heart monitor device. This makes a lot more sense and makes it easy for the athlete to check without stopping the activity and obtain better results. Due to various physiological problems in our society like stress, caffeine, low self-esteem, lack of knowledge, and weather, the heart monitor device can be a great tool for anybody interested in fitness activities of the body.

The link between the mind and the body, long studied by sports physiologists, consciously and unconsciously, can affect the body’s mental ability and improve its performance. Techniques that you may be familiar with include positive self esteem, visualization, and emotional stability. The heart monitor can provide constant feedback and change the way you have been training. In order to be successful, you have to be mentally focused in every aspect of mind and body.

Finding your Maximum Heart Rate Percentage

Step 1: Maximum heart rate (MHR) is determined by subtracting your age from 220.

Example: a thirty-two year old individual would subtract 32 from 220.

220 - 32 = 188

Step 2: Calculate the target heart rate by multiplying the remaining number by the MHR percentage of the high and low cardiorespiratory level.

Example 1: 65% of the maximum heart rate (lower activity level):

188 x .65 = 122.2

Example 2: 85% of the maximum heart rate (higher activity level)

188 x .85 = 159.8

Step 3: Multiply by 1.10.

122.2 x 1.10 = 134
159.8 x 1.10 = 175

10% is added to the target heart rate to indicate the percentage of functional aerobic strength more efficiently.

Complete formula for a 32 year old working out at 65% strength is:

220 - 32 = 188
188 x .65 = 122.2
122.2 x 1.10 = 134

Complete formula for a 32 year old working out at 85% strength is:

220 - 32 = 188
188 x .85 = 159.8
159.8 x 1.10 = 175

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