Running and heart rate

Heart rate is a very common indicator. Heart rate can ensure that the human body is at a normal level and will not have arrhythmia due to interference from the disease. If arrhythmia causes the patient to have difficulty breathing, feel stuffy in the chest, and have a sense of oppression, the heart rate will generally be faster when running, so running is not suitable for patients with arrhythmia.

1. Maximum heart rate percentage is the most common method to measure exercise intensity

The most common method for calculating the appropriate heart rate during exercise is to take the percentage of maximum heart rate (%HRmax)

How do you calculate 75% of a 35-year-old runner’s maximum heart rate?

1. First calculate the runner’s maximum heart rate = 220-35 = 185 beats/min

2. Next, calculate the runner’s target heart rate = 185 × 75% = 139 beats/min

75% of maximum heart rate is generally considered to be the best heart rate for burning fat, which means that the runner should control his heart rate at around 139 beats per minute when running. Of course, different heart rate ranges correspond to different training goals, as shown in the figure below.

Different maximum heart rate percentages correspond to different exercise goals

For runners, different heart rates actually correspond to running training at different paces. If you are a runner who is seriously preparing for a marathon and hopes to set a PB, it is strongly recommended that you train according to the heart rates corresponding to different paces, so that you can comprehensively improve your abilities.

Use heart rate to control the appropriate pace for different running methods

2. Is it necessary to consider the resting heart rate when calculating the appropriate heart rate during exercise?

If the appropriate heart rate during exercise is calculated as a percentage of the maximum heart rate, then for different individuals of the same age, the calculated target heart rate during exercise will be exactly the same. However, in fact, everyone's athletic ability and physical fitness are different.

For example, there are two people, A and B, of the same age. A has good athletic ability and may feel relaxed when his heart rate reaches 150 beats per minute. However, B seldom exercises and may feel out of breath and tired when his heart rate reaches 150 beats per minute. Therefore, there may be a certain error in calculating the target heart rate during exercise using only the percentage of maximum heart rate. Is there a better way to calculate heart rate that takes into account a person's actual ability? Yes, I have! This is the famous Karvonen calculation formula, which not only takes into account the maximum heart rate, but also the resting heart rate, which can often reflect athletic ability to some extent.

3. Use the Karvonen formula to calculate your target heart rate during exercise

Let's take a look at how the Karvonen formula calculates the appropriate heart rate during exercise.

Step 1: Calculate your maximum heart rate: Maximum heart rate = 220 - age

Step 2: Calculate your heart rate reserve: Heart rate reserve = maximum heart rate - resting heart rate

Step 3: Calculate your target heart rate during exercise: Target heart rate = reserve heart rate × a certain percentage + resting heart rate. The specific percentage is determined according to different exercise purposes.