Submaximal Aerobic Type Activities

If you’ve been working out on a regular basis, you already know that the harder you work the more your heart rate goes up. You can use your heart rate as a guide to determine if you are working at a safe intensity level in any aerobic activity. It’s important to target your workout so that your heart is working at 55 percent to 85 percent of its maximum ability; this range is referred to as your submaximal range or target heart rate zone.

Submaximal Range

If you want a quick and easy method to determine the heart rate you should shoot for in your workout, subtract your age from 220. This gives you a rough estimate of your maximum allowed heart rate as beats per minute. This is the maximum heart rate your body is capable of achieving without going into cardiac distress. Next, multiply your calculated maximum heart rate by .55 and by .85 to obtain your submaximal range or target heart rate zone. Working out within this range will keep your heart happy.

Running and Walking

If you like to run, jog or walk, you can easily do these activities at a submaximal level. To stay within your target heart rate zone while running or jogging, keep a steady pace. If you've been inactive for a long while, start slowly and aim for 55 percent to 60 percent of your submaximal range and then slowly increase your pace and intensity as your become more fit. If you love to walk and want to work within your submaximal range, then you need to power walk. A slow stroll in the park with Fiddo will not get your heart rate up enough to count.

Aerobic classes

If you like water or dance aerobic classes, these are specifically structured to be submaximal exercise activities. You'll start out with a warm-up and then your instructor will lead you through exercises or dance moves that will elevate your heart rate and get you into your target heart rate zone. Certified instructors for these types of classes are trained to keep you in a safe intensity range.

Cycling

Cycling is another great submaximal exercise activity. Whether you’re a cycling indoors or outdoors, it’s important to know your target heart rate zone and stay within it to avoid over training. How fast you cycle, whether you are navigating hills and other outdoor elements will factor into your intensity level and your ability to consistently stay within your target heart rate zone.

Considerations

Regardless of whether you are running, jogging, walking, cycling or taking an aerobics class, you can monitor your intensity level using a couple of different methods. To stay within your target heart rate zone, periodically take your pulse to check and see if you are within 55 percent to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. If you don’t want to stop to take your heart rate, an easier way to monitor whether you are working at a submaximal level is to do a talk test. If you have a difficult time carrying on a conversation with your workout buddy or counting out loud to yourself, you’ve reached a level of overexertion and are working beyond 85 percent of your maximal level. That’s a sign to back off and take it easy.

Billy Blanks - Tae Bo T3 Dedication

Categories: Aerobic, Health, Weight Loss