Cardiovascular Fitness Guidelines

Print this as a reminder to engage in aerobic exercise every day.

 

Aerobic activity will give you great benefits simply by following these criteria:

 

  • Frequency: 3 - 5 times per week
  • Intensity: strenuous enough to raise your heart rate to the “target zone”
  • Time: 20 – 60 minutes per session

 

If you are just starting an exercise program, please remember, these are goals to target. It’s better to do a little bit each day or every other day than to do nothing at all.

Finding Your Target Heart Rate

 

Your target heart rate is the zone in which aerobic exercise gives you the most benefits.

 

Detail

Example

Calculate Yours

Step One

Determine your maximum heart rate (MHR) by subtracting your age from 220. This is the number you do not want your heart rate to go over.

If you are 30 years old, your maximum heart rate (MHR) is:

 (220 – 30) = 190.

               220

            - 

Step Two

Multiply your MHR by .60 (60%) to determine the minimum aerobic training rate.

190 x .60 = 114 would be the minimum aerobic training rate for our sample 30 year old.

 

                        

             X .60

             =

 

Step Three

Multiply your MHR by .8 (80%) for your maximum aerobic training rate.

 

The numbers in between the maximum aerobic training rate and minimum aerobic training rate are your target rate in heartbeats per minute.

190 X .80 = 152 is the maximum aerobic training rate for our sample 30 year old.

 

So, when our sample person exercises, his heart rate should stay between 114 and 152 beats per minute.

 

 

              X .80

             =