Heart Rate Question

[slenamond]

How accurate is this formula for determining heart rate:

220-age x .65% (or 75%, 85% etc)

Thanks

 

[Aquajock]

Not very.

What you have listed is the simple age-adjusted heart rate, which does not take into account an individual's cardiovascular fitness level. A deconditioned or otherwise unhealthy person will usually have a much different heart rate than a well-conditioned, cardiovascularly fit individual.

If you're interested in a more accurate measurement of heart rate so that you can determine your own best aerobic training zone, you need to know your strict resting heart rate (RHR) and then conduct the following computations (this is The Karvonen Formula):

220
(minus age)
(minus RHR)

Equals Percent of Heart Rate Reserve

Multiply Percent of Heart Rate reserve by 70%;

Take this multiple, and ADD BACK IN your RHR;

This sum will give you the lower end of your aerobic training zone.

Then multiply Percent of Heart Rate Reserve by 85%;

Take this multiple, and ADD BACK IN your RHR;

This sum will give you the upper end of your aerobic training zone.

Note these lower and upper ends are expressed in beats per minute.

Hope this helps -

A-Jock