Celebrate American Heart Month by getting in your zone

SCHILLER PARK, Ill. – Feb. 1, 2005 – Sweethearts, chocolates and candy hearts. With the arrival of February comes thoughts of Valentine’s Day. But February also is American Heart Month, the perfect time to focus on your body’s most important muscle – your heart.

Having a healthy heart reduces your risk for developing heart and lung disease, and one of the most beneficial things you can do to keep your heart in good shape is regular cardiovascular exercise, such as walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, in-line skating or cross-county skiing. When it comes to heart-healthy cardio exercise, getting in your target heart rate zone is important, according to the experts at Life Fitness, a leading manufacturer of a full line of cardiovascular and strength-training equipment.

“Exercising at the correct intensity level is necessary to have an effective workout,” said Christine “CC” Cunningham, M.S., ATC/L, CSCS, fitness education manager, Life Fitness Academy, the training and education department of Life Fitness. “Exercising too lightly may not produce the results you want, while exercising too hard can lead to injury or exhaustion – you may burn out and stop exercising altogether. For the best results, exercise regularly, and when you do, get in your target heart rate zone and stay there.”

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, determining your target heart rate zone requires just a few quick calculations. First determine your predicted maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. Then take 65 percent and 90 percent of that number, and that’s your target heart rate zone. For example, a healthy 32-year-old’s maximum heart rate is 188 beats per minute (220 minus 32). So his or her target heart rate zone is between 122 beats per minute (65 percent of 188) and 169 beats per minute (90 percent of 188). That means he or she should perform cardio exercise hard enough that his or her heart rate reaches at least 122 beats per minute, but not so hard that it exceeds 169 beats per minute.

People who are beginning exercise programs generally should keep their heart rates at the lower end of the target zone until their bodies become accustomed to regular exercise. Of course, anyone who is just starting to work out should consult a physician first. Exercisers who already work out regularly should maintain a heart rate near the upper limit of their zone for the duration of their workouts. The ACSM recommends doing cardiovascular exercise, staying in your target heart rate zone, for 20 minutes to 60 minutes a day, three to five times a week.

How do you monitor your heart rate? You can use the first two fingers of one hand to apply light pressure at the carotid artery, on the neck, or the radial artery, in the wrist, to check your pulse. Count the number of beats for 10 seconds and multiply the number by six. Another way is to use a heart rate monitor, such as a pulse monitor, a telemetry chest strap or hand sensors. When you know your heart rate, you can adjust your workout to keep it in your target zone for maximum effectiveness.

Some exercise equipment takes the guesswork out of heart rate zone training. Life Fitness, for example, has treadmills, Lifecycle exercise bikes, elliptical cross-trainers and stairclimbers that will calculate your target heart rate and automatically adjust incline or resistance to keep you within your target heart rate zone. Check with your local fitness facility to see if it has cardio equipment with heart rate monitoring technology, and for home equipment, visit your local specialty fitness equipment store.

A better-conditioned heart works more efficiently and adjusts more easily to exercise, so as you become more physically fit you will have to work harder to elevate your heart rate within the target zone. For example, if jogging on a treadmill at a 10-minutes-per-mile pace elevates your heart to your target rate now, you might find that in a few months, getting to your ideal range requires a pace of 9.5 minutes per mile or faster.

Regular cardiovascular exercise makes your heart stronger and more efficient and is an important part of any consistent exercise routine. So be heart-smart when you exercise and get in your zone – your heart rate zone, that is.

For information about heart health and American Heart Month, contact the American Heart Association at 800-AHA-USA1 or go to www.americanheart.org. For more information about ACSM, go to www.acsm.org. For more information about Life Fitness products, visit www.lifefitness.com.

 

About Life Fitness

Life Fitness, a division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), is the global leader in designing and manufacturing a full line of reliable, high-quality fitness equipment for commercial and consumer use. It is the largest commercial fitness equipment provider in the world and the only fitness equipment manufacturer that has been providing premium equipment for more than 27 years. Its cardiovascular and strength-training products, including the renowned Lifecycle exercise bike, are used in health, fitness and wellness facilities, as well as in homes, worldwide. The company is headquartered near Chicago and distributes its equipment in more than 120 countries.

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Life Fitness and Lifecycle are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Brunswick Corporation.

 

Life Fitness, 5100 River Road, Schiller Park, Ill. 60176 Phone: 847.288.3300, www.lifefitness.com

 

 

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