I have a question that maybe some of my fellow fat-force might be able to help me with (I'm looking at you, gech). I've noticed on a few of the cardio machines at my gym have heartrate monitors, and graphs indicating where your heartrate should be for your preferred workout. IE: on an elliptical machine, my target 'fat burning' HR was 127, while my target cardio HR was 140 (or something like that).
My question is... Does it do anything for you if it goes above that target. I was working pretty hard at one point, getting my HR up to 180 or so, and the machine kept blinking 'above' on the target heart rate graph. Does that mean it's not doing a thing for me besides making me breath harder and my legs sore?
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Found this explanation at about.com.
Quote:
Getting in the Zone
Sally Edwards, author of "The Heart Rate Monitor Guidebook" (Compare Prices) discusses the value of heart zone training. It works for 20-year-old athletes as well as 70 year olds with heart trouble. The goal is to get into a particular zone. She identifies 5 zones:
The Healthy Heart Zone: 50% to 60% of your individual maximum heart rate. This is a safe, comfortable zone reached by and easy walk. This is the best zone for people who are just starting to exercise. This zone has been shown to help decrease body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol.
The Temperate Zone: 60% to 70% of your individual maximum heart rate. This zone provides the same benefits as the healthy heart zone, but is more intense and burns more total calories. Achieved through a faster walking speed or a slow jog.
The Aerobic Zone: 70% to 80% of your individual maximum heart rate. This zone will improve your cardiovascular and respiratory system and increase the size and strength of your heart. Achieved through a steady jog.
The Anaerobic Threshold Zone: 80% to 90% of your individual maximum heart rate. This is a high intensity zone is achieved through a "burning" run.
The Redline Zone: 90% to 100% of your individual maximum heart rate. This zone is the equivalent of running full out, and is often used in "interval" training. This zone should be approached with caution and can lead to injuries when sustained for a long period.
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Every summer I help coach a softball team, so that always helps me get a little more exercise. Realistically I drink enough warm Tecate to overcompensate for any calories I may be burning playing first base. I've been trying to get back into racquetball since I think it's a lot of fun, but I see a lot of really old fat dudes playing (and they're good), so that makes me wonder about how good of a workout it actually is. My biggest problem is I hate running since it's always made my knees and ankles hurt really bad. Also, anything on a stationary machine just bores me to death. Any other ideas on ways to make exercising a little more interesting?
Jam it back in, in the dark.