Content

• To step
• Tips
• Warnings

Do you want to exercise as efficiently as possible? It is very easy to calculate your ideal heart rate. Usually the target zone of the ideal heart rate is 60-80% of your maximum heart rate. The Karvonen method is the most effective method to calculate your ideal heart rate because it also takes your resting heart rate into account. Here's how.

To step

1. Write down the heart rate you have when you wake up. Feel your wrist for 1 minute while you are still in bed. You can choose to do this for three mornings and take the average as resting heart rate. For example, you get: 62 + 65 + 63. Divide by three and you get 63 on average.
2. Determine your maximum heart rate and your heart rate reserve.
   • Subtract your age from the number 220. This is your maximum heart rate. Suppose you are 40: 220 - 40 = 180.
   • Subtract your resting heart rate from your maximum heart rate. Then you get your heart rate reserve. In our example, that is 180 - 63 = 117.
3. Calculate the lower limit of your ideal heart rate. Multiply your heart rate reserve by 0.6 and add your resting heart rate. (117 * 0.6) + 63 = 133.
4. Calculate the upper limit of your ideal heart rate. Multiply your heart rate reserve by 0.8 and add your resting heart rate. (117 * 0.8) + 63 = 157.
5. Add the values ​​from steps 3 and 4 together and divide by 2. That is your ideal heart rate. (133 + 157) / 2 = 145 (You get the same result if you multiply your heart rate reserve by 0.7 and add your resting heart rate).

Tips

• The most common way to measure your heart rate is to place your index and middle fingers on the vein on the thumb side of your wrist.
• Another way to feel your heartbeat is to press the index and middle fingers under your jaw against your windpipe.
• Buy a heart rate monitor if necessary.
• If you can still sing, you are not training hard enough. On the other hand, if you can no longer speak, you are training too hard.
• Determine the resting heart rate on a morning after a relaxed day. If you worked or trained hard the day before, you can get wrong results.
• When exercising, make sure your heart rate falls between the lower limit and the upper limit of your ideal heart rate.
• The faster your heart rate is after exercise, the more you should exercise.

Warnings

• The ideal heart rate is only an estimate! If you get exhausted, you train too hard, slow down.
• If you have no experience with sports and training, make sure your heart rate does not exceed the lower limit.
• Do not massage your wrist with your fingers while measuring your heart rate. Your blood pressure may drop and you may feel dizzy.
• Talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program. Especially if you have little sports experience.
• Use the formula of 220 minus age only to make an estimate. Research has shown that this method often does not correspond to the actual maximum heart rate measured.