How to Monitor Your Heart Rate During Aerobics

A primary goal in performing aerobics is to improve your cardiovascular fitness. When you take your heart rate during physical exercise you can see how hard your heart is working. Using this technique, you can increase your well-being and effectively monitor your physical fitness routines. Finding your heart rate will also help determine if you are over-exerting yourself during aerobics.

Things You'll Need

• Heart rate chart
• Stop watch

Instructions

1. Learn how to monitor your resting heart rate. This is the rate your heart is pumping when you are sleeping or sitting. It indicates your cardiovascular fitness level. Learn more about fitness levels and how to take your heart rate at TopEndSports.com (see Resources below).

2. Know the normal resting heart rate. This is 15 to 20 beats per minute slower than your typical heart rate. Someone who can function in prime aerobic activity usually has a lower resting heart rate.

3. Find your working heart rate. Elevate your heart rate at an aerobic level. Keep monitoring your heart rate throughout the aerobic session. Gradually increase your working heart rate into a range that is maintained for the 20 to 30 minutes required to assure an aerobic level and an adequate workout.

4. Monitor your working heart rate for 6 seconds after the intense part of the workout in the aerobics class. Multiply this number by 10 to determine the number of beats per minute.

5. Establish the recovery heart rate. The recovery heart rate is taken for 15 seconds, 5 to 6 minutes after the last aerobic activity. Multiply this number by 4 to determine the number of beats per minute. If your recovery heart rate is above 120 beats per minute, you should lower your workout level for the next class.

Tips & Warnings

• Take your pulse by gently pressing on one side of the neck (at the carotid artery) with your index and middle finger until you feel the pulse. Count each beat to determine your heart rate. In class, your instructor will tell you when to start and stop counting.

• If your heart rate is too high, lower the level of aerobics by exercising less rapidly and minimizing some of your upper body movement.