How Hard Are You Working?

February 4, 2020 – When we are working out there are certain measures we should be at. These include what our heart rate is at and for how long, how we feel on rep 1 versus rep 10, and how long we do certain activities. For aerobic activities we can look at two measures, RPE and Target Heart Rate.

RPE stands for Rate of Perceived Exertion. It is measured on a scale of 0-10 and is used as a subjective measure to determine how hard you are working while doing certain activities. For exercise the ideal number is between a 4 and 6. A 0 is equal to sitting on the couch and a 10 equates to pushing a car up a hill.

Target Heart Rate is the heart rate you should be at when working out to achieve proper aerobic stress. It is calculated by figuring out your maximum heart rate. Take 220 minus your age and that is your maximum heart rate. Ideally you should be at 50% for a beginner and up to 85% for an experienced aerobic trainer. For example, a 36-year-old man who works out 3 days per week would have a maximum heart rate of 184. Therefore, his target heart rate should be about 70% of his maximum heart rate or 129 bpm.

Following these simple guidelines will help make sure that every minute that you put into your workout is maximizing your potential to reach your ideal aerobic and cardiac health levels. By doing this you are decreasing your risk of heart disease which is a leading cause of complicated health conditions and death in the United States. Please contact us at 402-234-3333 in Louisville or 402-298-4747 in Plattsmouth if you have any further questions.

Your Witte Physical Therapy Team #homegrown #backtolife