Heart rate: The ideal training pulse
Heart rate With ideal training pulse you train even more effectively
If you want to optimize your training, you should pay attention to the right heart rate. How to determine your perfect training heart rate and improve it
Everyone always talks about training pulse, but what is it actually?? Of course you have a pulse when you train, and when you exercise you actually get your cardiovascular system going, including puffing and sweating. And further?
Quite simply, to avoid overstressing your heart during exercise and to ensure that your body gets the most out of your workout, it's important to exercise in the right stress zone, i.e., in the right range of your heart rate. This also ensures that you reach training goals sooner. We explain you how it works.
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What is heart rate?
Heart rate is how many times your heart beats per minute. For a healthy adult, the resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. This means: the heart is pumping steadily. steady blood flow to the circulatory system.
In infants, the value is significantly higher and is well over 100 beats per minute, but it levels off with increasing age. The heart rate can be measured at the wrist as well as at the neck.
By the way, heart rate is not the same as your pulse rate. Although it is one aspect of the same, the professionally measured pulse can provide information on other aspects, such as the regularity of heartbeats, absolute prere, filling volume and how fast your blood prere rises.
How to measure my heart rate?
There are two simple ways to measure heart rate. This can be done, for example, with a chest strap (89.95 €) or a fitness watch (229 €). How useful the use of such devices is, has already been established in studies. How to measure correctly with both tools and which tools are recommended, you will learn in the following paragraphs.
How to measure heart rate with a chest strap?
Some athletes measure their pulse and thus also their heart rate via a chest strap. This is put on before training. Measures the impulses emitted by the heart via electrodes. Information is recorded and stored in the belt and can even be transferred to other compatible devices.
This way you can read your heart rate already during the activity, for example on a heart rate monitor. The strap must be worn very close to the skin to ensure accurate readings. To improve the performance of the strap, it helps to moisten it with a little water before putting it on. Women wear the strap below the chest.
How to measure heart rate with a sports watch?
If you feel constricted by a chest strap, it's best to use a smartwatch or fitness watch to monitor your pulse and heart rate. These intelligent sports watches have special LED lights on their underside that shine a few millimeters under the skin. The light is reflected by the blood, so the watch can measure the blood volume and also determine the pulse from it.
What are the best devices for heart rate measurement?
HRM Pro chest strap from Garmin
Garmin's HRM Pro measures heart rate below the chest, connects via Bluetooth, is waterproof and has a battery life of 12 hours.
Polar H10 chest strap
The Polar H10 is Polar's top product in the field of heart rate chest straps. It is H10 up to 30 meters waterproof and thus transmits the heart rate even when swimming. The button cell is expected to last around 400 hours of exercise.
Heart rate monitor Vivoactive 4S from Garmin
Garmin's Vivoactive 4S measures heart rate at the wrist and can even track stress levels and menstrual cycles.
Buy here: Vivoactive 4S from Garmin (299,95€)
Pulse watch Ignite 2 from Polar
The watch is a good fit for anyone who wants smart coaching and analysis features, as well as guidance and motivation for their daily athletic routine.
Optical pulse sensor
The Verity Sense sensor from Polar is an optical pulse sensor. For workout, cycling and running it can be worn with the wristband. For swimming you can detach the sensor from the wristband. Attach it to the swimming goggles directly at the temple.
Buy here: Verity Sense from Polar (89,95€)
At what level is heart rate dangerous?
Heart rate becomes dangerous when it gets too low or too high. Of course, this varies somewhat from person to person, but a healthy adult's heart rate is considered too low when it is below 50 beats per minute. The body is then not sufficiently supplied with blood and oxygen, the heart is not strong enough.
There are also limits to how high you can go: A healthy adult heart should not exceed 180 beats per minute, even during exercise. Anyone who exceeds this limit is putting too much strain on their heart and constantly overloading it. This is not only bad for your heart, but also for your training success. In this state, the body cannot improve its performance and you are more likely to harm your health than to improve your physical condition.
Which heart rate corresponds to which power range?
Gerrit Keferstein, sports physician from Hennef, works with athletes to improve their performance in and out of training. He explains: "When you exercise, the body needs more oxygen to remain functional. This means that the heart has to pump more frequently to maintain the supply. The heart rate is a reaction to the body's oxygen demand, so it also provides information about how much oxygen the muscles currently need."This information can be used for training planning.
Depending on your training goal, your heart rate should be in a different range. For example, if you want to burn fat and stay fit, training at 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate is sufficient. In this range, your body uses fat as an energy source, and the cardiovascular system is trained. The following table shows in which power range you should train to achieve your desired result:
What is the ideal heart rate for sports?
"When running or jogging, a heart rate between 110 and 140 beats per minute is perfect. This frequency is ideal for making the heart stronger and is therefore particularly beneficial for heart health," says sports physician Keferstein. What are 8 good reasons to start running, you can find out here.
What is the resting heart rate?
The resting heart rate is the number of heartbeats at rest. The ideal time to measure your resting heart rate is in the morning after you get up, when your body is rested and refreshed.
You can measure your resting heart rate by turning your wrist upwards and placing your index and middle fingers on the artery that runs upwards towards your thumb. Now count the heartbeats within 15 seconds. Multiply this number by a factor of 4 to get the number of heartbeats per minute.
Why is the resting heart rate important?
The resting heart rate is enormously important in optimizing training. The faster you return to your resting heart rate after strenuous exercise, the better shape your body is in.
The more often you exercise, the faster you should return to your resting heart rate and be able to breathe relaxed again. "A low resting pulse is proof of a good, healthy athlete," says Keferstein. Attention: According to studies, an increased resting pulse can be an indication of cardiac or vascular diseases.
How can I lower my resting heart rate?
Quite simply, by training at a heart rate between 110 and 140 beats per minute. "Because this type of endurance is good for your health, promotes your ability to regenerate and optimizes the supply of oxygen throughout your body, it is called "basic endurance". On this basis, you can then also do high-intensity training such as HIIT or CrossFit," explains the expert.
What is the training pulse?
Training pulse, like heart rate, is expressed in beats per minute and refers to the number of beats your heart should deliver during athletic performance. This ensures that the heart is not overtaxed or even endangered, but at the same time also ensures that you actually reach your performance limit during training. This is the only way you can increase your performance over time in a healthy way. (Like this: How to increase your endurance.)
For many professional athletes, effective training is no longer conceivable without determining the training pulse. Because heart rate during exercise not only tells you something about your performance, but also gives you the opportunity to optimize your workout to maximize results
Of course, not only heart rate plays a role in optimizing training, but also your age, weight, and fitness level should be taken into account.
How to determine the maximum heart rate?
There is a rule of thumb for this: 220 minus the age of the athlete. But: "This rule is not applicable for everyone, because there are massive fluctuations. The only way to find out your real individual maximum heart rate is to run for 4 minutes – until nothing works anymore," says Keferstein. The highest frequency reached in the 4 minutes is the maximum heart rate.
But: For the beginning you don't need your maximum heart rate at all. Just start and increase slowly. With each training session one should make a maximum of 10 percent more. First stay at a rate of 110 to 140. Only when you have reached 4 sessions per week of at least 45 minutes each, it makes sense to think about more individual heart rates and training control."
With the right training pulse you can train even more effectively. If you keep an eye on your heart rate while exercising, you can use it as an indicator of your performance and adjust the intensity of your training in a targeted manner.