Bicycling Articles of Interest

Target Your Heart

Exercise is the best medicine for reducing the risk of heart disease, helping control diabetes, and helping reach weight loss goals faster. In fact, research suggests that just 30 minutes aerobic exercise per day, five days a week, can help you reach your goals.

One traditional way of getting the most from your exercise is by using your heart rate to set and maintain a proper pace. By measuring your initial heart rate level and setting a target heart rate zone, you can keep from tiring too quickly, or conversely, putting yourself at risk of an injury.

Understanding your Target Heart Rate Zone allows you to burn off calories quickly and safely. The American Heart Association recommends working out at a Target Heart Rate Zone between 60% and 80% of your maximum heart rate. A beginner should stay in the 60% range while an intermediate exerciser should strive for 70% to 75% of his or her maximum. Advanced users can push for the 80% range. This range also works if you're doing a short workout.

One of the easiest ways to track your heart rate is by using a heart rate monitor. These monitors use a chest strap to monitor your heart beats and send this signal to a watch that provides you with real-time feedback so you can reach your exercise goals more consistently.

Note: Check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program. A few high blood pressure medications lower the maximum heart rate and thus the target zone rate. If you're taking such medicine, call your physician to find out if you need to use a lower target heart rate.

Translated into calories burned, here is a chart that estimates calories burned per hour while cycling.