Question:
Target heart rate?

I know there is a way to calculate your 'target' heart rate (besides 220 - your age x %) that takes into account your fitness level - or your resting heart rate...or something. Does anyone know how to do this? I have a heart rate monitor and am regularly working in the 85-90% of my 'supposed' maximum heart rate and wondering if I need to make some adjustments to my monitor. At an 85-90% heart rate that puts me at 160-170 beats per minute and I feel like I'm just barely getting warmed up! For example, if I try to walk outside, I have to jog/walk/jog, just to keep my heart rate up in the 120-130 range range. I also have a resting heart rate of 52-56...if that matters any. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks.    — eaamc (posted on October 7, 2003)

October 7, 2003
www.health.yahoo.com/health/centers/fitness has a calculator for target heart rate under "interactive tools". I work at Curves and we advice all our clients that you do not want to get your heart rate up to 85% or higher (unless you are very young or incredibly physically fit) because it is at that point that you start to burn lean muscle tissue instead of body fat. That means (in my case, I am 28 and at a good fitness level, resting heart rate is 76) that I should keep my heart rate between 135-146 beats per minute which falls near the 70% that we recommend.
   — Kristen S.