Fitness Education
“How hard should I be working out?” I am sure that you have wrestled with this question before. Measuring intensity is a critical part of your cardio workouts because you may unknowingly select an intensity that is too low to make progress or produce fitness improvements. You don’t see progress, become disappointed, and then quit. Or you may pick an intensity that is too difficult. You don’t enjoy it, you stop, and then quit. Picking the right intensity will help you efficiently make progress without burning out.
You first have to remember that everyone is unique, so your body may respond differently than someone else’s during the same workout. Your target intensity is dependent on your age, fitness level, and health conditions. There are a few indicators you can use to determine intensity of a workout. These indicators include heart rate, rate of perceived exertion, and the talk test.
Measuring Heart Rate
Measuring your heart rate is the most effective and accurate way to determine intensity especially for a cardio workout. Heart rate can easily be measured by a heart rate monitoring device or by the lost art of palpitation. Fitness trackers, running watches, chest straps, and treadmill sensors are all examples of devices used to measure heart rate. Of the devices, chest straps are the most accurate, but that doesn’t mean you should completely disregard the other devices.
If you don’t own or have access a heart rate monitoring device, that is ok! During your workout you can count your pulse for 15 seconds and then multiply it by 4 to get your current heart rate. For example, if you count 25 beats in 15 seconds, multiply 25 x 4 to get your heart rate of 100 beats per minute. This is a less convenient way of measuring your heart rate, but it is fairly accurate and free! If you are on heart rate altering medication or have a heart condition, then measuring heart rate may not be your preferred method of measuring intensity.
What Heart Rate Should I Work At?
Your target heart rate is dependent on your age, your fitness level, and your goals. The most basic formula for calculating heart rate is (220 – age) multiplied by the % of max heart. The percentage of your max heart rate that you should use is dependent on your goals and fitness level. The lower the percentage the longer duration your body can last in that zone. Below are ranges you can use based on your goals.
50-60% of max heart rate - recovery zone
Used for easy recovery days or between intervals
61-70% of max heart rate - warm up zone
Used for warm-up, cool down, or for beginners who want to establish aerobic fitness
71-83% of max heart rate - fat burn zone
Used for longer durations of exercise for those trying to lose weight or maintain aerobic fitness
84%-100% of max heart rate - performance zone
Used for athletes or those who want to improve aerobic fitness
Beginners and Intermediates should not exceed 95% of their max HR
Example: 55 year old women trying to lose weight (intermediate level)
220 – 55 (age) = 165 x 0.75 & 0.85 (75-80% of heart rate max) = 123 - 140 bpm
Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
Rate of perceived exertion is another way to measure the intensity of your workout. The RPE scale ranges from 1-10 and is used to measure how hard you think you are working. This is a great method to use for those who don’t have access to heart rate monitors or those who have heart conditions or heart rate altering medication.
RPE Scale:
1 – very light activity (hardly any exertion at all, but more than sleeping)
2-3 – light activity (can maintain for hours)
4-6 – moderate activity (somewhat hard)
7-8 – vigorous activity (hard)
9 – very hard activity (hard to maintain intensity)
10 – maximum effort activity (almost impossible to continue)
What RPE Should I Work At?
2-3 RPE – used for warm-up, cool-down, and recovery
4 RPE – used for beginners and establishing aerobic fitness
5-7 RPE – used for weight loss and maintaining aerobic fitness
8-10 RPE – used for athletes and improving aerobic fitness and performance
Example: 55 year old women trying to lose weight (intermediate level)
5-7 RPE – breathing heavily, somewhat hard to hard
Talk Test
The last method of measuring intensity is the talk test. The harder you work, the harder it is to speak while working out. This is also a viable option for those who don’t have access to heart rate monitors or those who have heart conditions or heart rate altering medication. This is the simplest method to use.
Talk Test During My Workout
Very light activity (hold a conversation very easily) – used for recovery
Light activity (easy to breathe and talk) – used for warm-up or cool-down
Moderate activity (breathing heavy, can hold short conversations) – used for weight loss or maintaining aerobic fitness
Vigorous activity (borderline uncomfortable, can speak in short sentences) – used for weight loss or maintaining aerobic fitness
Very hard activity (hard to maintain intensity, can barely breathe, and can only speak a few words) – used for athletes and improving aerobic fitness
Maximum effort activity (almost impossible to continue, unable to talk) – used for athletes and improving performance
Example: 55 year old women trying to lose weight (intermediate level)
Moderate activity – breathing heavily, can hold short conversations
I hope this helps you understand more about how hard you should be working to get the most out of your workout. Pay attention to how hard you are working the next time you do cardio!
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