Heart Rates...Count!

Taking heart rates is part of every class, and you'll be taught to keep track of how hard you are working and to monitor your progress by checking your pulse after each aerobic routine.  The following information is a supplement to the information provided in class.  Your instructor will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Heart Rates to Track

Everyone has three important heart rates:  The Resting Heart Rate, the Working Heart Rate, and the Recovery Heart Rate.  All three indicate something about your level of physical fitness.

1. The Resting Heart Rate indicates your cardiovascular fitness level.  The average Resting Heart Rate for women is 78-84 beats per minute; for  men, 72-78.  A person in good aerobic condition usually has a lower Resting Heart Rate than a person in poor aerobic condition.  After a 12-week Aerobic Dance session, many find that their Resting Heart Rate decreases significantly, indicating that their hearts have become stronger.  The Resting Heart Rate should be taken for one minute before getting out of bed in the morning.  Take your Resting Heart Rate at the start of every session to track your progress.

   Once you know your Resting Heart Rate, find your Working Heart Rate in the Working Heart Rate Ranges chart by matching your Resting Heart Rate with your age.

2. The Working Heart Rate is the heart rate you measure during your aerobic activity.  It tells how hard you are working and indicates whether you are exercising at a safe but effective level.  As the Aerobic Dances become more vigorous and more oxygen is required, the heart increases its rate of beating to supply oxygen to the muscles.
   
   The Working Heart Rate is counted for 6 seconds immediately after each aerobic routine.  Adding a zero to this number (i.e., multiplying by 10) gives the beats per minute (bpm).  The Working Heart Rate drops off very quickly after an activity, so it is important to measure it right away.

   Now, take that number you just counted and added a zero to, and compare it to your Working Heart Rate range.

   • Is the number below the range?   If so, exercise more vigorously.  To receive a benefit from your workout, you must raise your heart rate into your Working Heart Rate range.

   • Does the number exceed the range?   Or, is the number near the top of your range?  In either case, exercise less vigorously.  When the number exceeds your Working Heart Rate range, your heart is telling you to slow down.  Also, there is little, if any, increased benefit to be derived from working in the upper half of the Working Heart Rate range as opposed to the lower half.  In fact, the greater stress placed upon the body in an effort to achieve that higher level could increase the chance of injury.  The bottom half of the Working Heart Rate range is recommended for a safe, effective workout.

   • If you're a new student, is the number over 140?  For safety, do not exceed 140 bpm during the first two weeks of your first-ever aerobic program.

3. The Recovery Heart Rate is taken at the end of class.  Like the Working Heart Rate, the Recovery Heart Rate tells you if you are working at a safe level.  It is taken for 15 seconds, and that number is multiplied by 4 to get your per minute rate.  When we take this heart rate, it has been 5 minutes after the cooldown segment has begun.  At this time, your heart rate should be 120 bpm or lower.  If not, it indicates that you have been working too intensely for your current fitness level, and you should work at a lower level during the next class.

Why take heart rates?

Your heart rate is a way to measure your cardiovascular fitness.  One of the goals of Aerobic Dancing is to lower the Resting Heart Rate, helping the heart to become a stronger pump, work less, and function more efficiently.

Here's why monitoring your heart rate is so important:

• Safety.  The heart rate is a gauge by which to assess the intensity of your workout, to make sure you're not overexerting or overextending yourself.  If you take your Working Heart Rate and discover that you're above your range, you're exercising too hard and you should slow down.

• Effectiveness.  Heart-rate monitoring measures the effectiveness of your workout and helps you pace yourself properly.  If you are not exercising hard enough (i.e., when your Working Heart Rate is below your indicated range in the chart below), then this serves as a built-in coach who's going to inspire you to move more vigorously to get more aerobic benefit from your workout.  To receive benefit from the aerobic workout, you must stay in your Working Heart Rate range for at least 20 to 30 minutes continuously.

• Progress.  By monitoring your Working Heart Rate from week to week as you participate in an aerobic activity, you'll discover that you will be able to exercise at a higher level of intensity, but at the same or lower Working Heart Rate.  You may also find that your Recovery Heart Rate and Resting Heart Rate become lower over time.  This is how your heart tells you it is becoming stronger and more efficient.

How do I take my Working Heart Rate pulse?

Locate your pulse as quickly as possible after each aerobic routine.   Use one of the following methods to do this:

• Gently place the right index and middle fingers to the right side of the neck.  This is often the easiest way for students to find their pulse.   But, be careful:  Too much pressure and/or touching both left and right sides of the neck simultaneously may stop the flow of blood.
• Place your index and middle fingers at the thumb side of the inner wrist.
• Place your index and middle fingers at the temple (again, only one side).

Walk slowly and count your heart rate for 6 seconds.  (Your instructor will tell you when to start and stop.)  Add a zero to the 6-second count to calculate your rate per minute.  This number should not exceed the maximum number in your Working Heart Rate range, and ideally should be in the lower half of the range.

You may find that counting your pulse is difficult at first, but with practice, it soon becomes second nature.

Working Heart Rate Ranges
Beats Per Minute (BPM)

This chart is based on the medically proven Karvonen Formula, which uses your age and Resting Heart Rate as a basis, then indicates what your Working Heart Rate range should be in order for you to actually receive aerobic benefit.  The lower number of each range is the minimum Working Heart Rate that you should maintain for an aerobic workout.  The higher number is the maximum Working Heart Rate and is used to caution you against overexertion.  Your goal is to work within the lower half of the range.  For safety, do not exceed 140 bpm during the first two weeks of your first-ever aerobic program.
Source:  Jacki Sorensen's Aerobic Lifestyle Book by Jacki Sorensen with Bill Bruns.

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