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Abdominals - Part 1
Abdominals - Part 2
Abdominals - Part 3
Fitness Mistakes
Getting In Shape
Exercise Intensity
Top 10 Health Tips
20 Ways to Lose Weight
Weight Training Benefits
Why Work Out?
Tone Up Flabby Arms
Free Fitness Tips
Workout Plateaus
Interval Training
Workout At Home
How to Get Sexy Abs
Water Workouts
Weight Loss Lifestyle
Is It Safe To Run While Sick?
Tips for Healthy
Eating Habits
Wedding Fitness Questions
Wedding Day Tips
Workouts That Travel
Top Fitness Questions
Common Fitness Pitfalls
Play Ball To Get Fit
Working out Through Menopause
Women's Strength Program
Getting In Shape With The Internet
10 Steps To Fitness Motivation
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HOW TO DETERMINE THE RIGHT EXERCISE INTENSITY
We've all heard the exercise guidelines that recommend we participate in 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity 3-5 times per week. That seems easy enough to implement. Duration and frequency guidelines are very straight-forward and easily defined. But, "moderate" intensity is often left to interpretation. So, how do we define "moderate"?
Moderate intensity can be completely different from one individual to another. For example, a well-trained athlete may be in the moderate zone when running 5 miles in 30 minutes. Yet, for a novice, moderate means walking one mile in 30 minutes.
While intensity level is very critical in the overall guideline, it's also easily identified. The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) defines moderate as an intensity of 40 percent to 60 percent VO2 maximum. But, since most of us don't know our VO2 maximum, there are easier definitions to use.
VO2 is loosely on your maximum target heart rate. A VO2 maximum of 40-60% is equal to 50-70% of maximum heart rate (MHR). Determining your MHR percentage zones is relatively simple. Here is an easy calculation for determining your specific MHR and what 50-70% equates to.
Target Heart Rate
- Take 220 and subtract your age. This equals your MHR. (Example: For a 30 year old your MHR is 190)
- Determine your low range of 50%, take 190 and multiply it times 50 percent. (Example: For a 30 year old this would equal 95).
- Determine your high range of 70%, take 190 and multiply it times 70 percent. (Example: For a 30 year old this would equal 133).
In this example the 30 year-old should workout in the target heart rate of 95 - 133 BPM. Remember, this calculation is age-related only. It doesn't consider your fitness level. It's not completely accurate, still a good basic guideline.
There are some other ways to measure intensity as well. Two other options are the Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) method and the Talk Test.
RPE
The RPE scale is based on the participants perception of their exerted effort. The RPE scale starts with 0 and ends with 10. A rating of 0 equates to doing nothing, being at rest. A rating of 10 is equal to maximum effort. For moderate intensity, an exerciser should strive for somewhere between a 4-6 in intensity.
Talk Test
Another way of measuring exercise intensity is the Talk Test. Like the RPE, the talk test is subjective. A participant should be able to carry on a comfortable conversation and should be able to breathe comfortably during exercise. If the participant can't manage a conversation, the activity is too hard.
Keep in mind that ACSM guidelines are minimum recommendations. Everyone should start with the minimum, and then gradually increase their intensity over time. This will allow you to gauge where your own 'low'-'moderate' and 'intense' levels are for yourself, and you'll be able to adjust them accordingly and fine tune your fitness program just for YOU.
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