Heart rate during workouts

To get the most out of exercise, you should monitor your intensity throughout your workout. This will insure that you are working within your heart rate zone, thus getting an effective workout without killing yourself. Working too hard could lead to injury and burnout while not working hard enough can lead to frustration when you don't see results. Below are some simple ways to monitor your heart rate during the workouts.
Pulse rate (in beats per minute) that allows you to exercise safely while getting the maximum benefits from your workout is usually between 70% to 90% of your maximum heart rate.

How to calculate the maximum heart rate:

There is a simple formula to predict your maximum heart rate that is used in the fitness industry:

Take 220 and subtract your age.

This will give you a predicted maximum heart rate.

For example, if you are 42 years old, subtract 42 from 220 (220 - 42 = 178). This means that your maximum physiological limit as to how fast your heart should beat is 178 beats per minute.

Most exercise programs suggest that when someone is just getting started that their heart rate during exercise should not exceed 60 - 70% of their maximum heart rate. Therefore, given the example above, 60% of 178 = 107 beats per minute. As you progress in your exercise, the percentage of your maximum heart rate to be set as a goal can be gradually increased.