Target Heart Rate on Machines

I have a question about exercise machine's target heartrates. Whenever I work out on a machine and do the cardio option, it asks for my age (19) and my weight (188) and tells me that my target HR is somewhere in the 160s. I used to exercise a lot and I know that what I'm doing is not giving me a real workout nor burning the calories that those notoriously inaccurate machine counters are telling me.

At the moment, I'm happy to stick to what the machine is telling me because I'm focusing more on getting back into the habit of exercise than looking for results, but obviously, my focus will eventually shift.

Do I just have a naturally higher heartrate? Should I ignore what the machine is telling me? How can I figure out what my target HR is?

Wed. Apr 9, 2:03am

Try this link...

I found it using Google and it gives you a range to shoot for.

Link

Wednesday, April 9, 2008, 7:36 AM

I know that Covert Bailey discusses the issue of variance from the "normal" exercise heart rate range. You may be able to find an article about it on his website. Or look up his book about exercise - the name escapes me now - but it will be on the site too, and is commonly available at used bookstores around here.

Friday, April 18, 2008, 7:42 PM

When I was growing up (back in the stone age) we were told that heart rate was not as important as a measure of fitness as was the rate at which heart rate dropped when you stopped exercising. The faster it drops, the healthier you are; at least that's what I learned.

Honestly, I can't break a sweat at 162 bpm or whatever ridiculous point the top of my theoretical range is at, either. I just exercise where I'm comfortable -- I lie about my age to the machine to keep it from beeping at me -- and feel like I'm getting a real workout, and then I watch it drop like a stone in the "cool down" phase.

Friday, April 18, 2008, 10:36 PM

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