Download HRF Focus #3: The Heart, Heart Work, and “The Zone”

HRF Focus #3: The Heart, Heart Work, and “The Zone”
Heart disease is the #1 killer in adults in the United States. Early stages of heart disease can
begin as early as the teenage years. Knowledge and a little “heart work can help change this
statistic.
The heart is a muscular organ that helps deliver oxygen and nutrients. Arteries (carry blood
away from the heart) and veins (return blood to the heart) are the blood vessels connected to
the heart that make this possible throughout your entire body.
Regular exercise is recommended to improve or maintain the efficiency of the heart and
prevent heart disease. Regular exercise follows the FIT guidelines: Frequency- minimum 3
days/week; Intensity- in you THR zone; Time- (20-30 minutes). “Heart work” would include such
cardiovascular/aerobic activities as walking, hiking, jogging, biking, swimming, and dancing.
Sports such as basketball, soccer, tennis, and hockey can be cardiovascular if the proper
intensity is maintained.
Monitoring your heart rate (HR) during this kind of activity can maximize the benefits and
minimize under or over training. The “Zone” can be established based on your age. It provides
safe and productive exercise intensity for your heart. The “Zone” can be exceeded with the
proper training. A pulse is easily found at the wrist joint (radial artery) or on the side of the
neck (carotid artery). Try to stay in the target heart rate (THR) zone during the entire exercise.
This is the formula for calculation on THR Zone:
220-Age=Maximum Heart Rate (MHR)
220-________=_________ (MHR)
Age
65% of MHR=low end of the zone
MHR
.65x________=__________low end of zone
MHR THR
85% of MHR=high end of the zone
.85x________=__________high end of zone
MHR THR
Resting HR (most accurate early in the morning lying down) is just one indicator of the
condition of the heart. Normal resting heart rates for teenagers and adults is between 70-85
bpm. Well-conditioned hearts are between 40 and 60 bpm. The lower the resting heart rate,
the more efficient the heart is working. A greater volume of blood is pushed throughout the
body with fewer beats.
Lesson Review:
1. What is the leading cause of death in the US among adults?
2. How early can the disease (in question #1) begin to show?
3. What is “regular exercise”?
4. What is your THR Zone? Write the answer from above
formula:_________=__________BPM
5. Calculate your own resting HR by taking your pulse for 1 minute and writing down the
total # of beats during the minute. Be sure you have not been exercising prior to taking
your pulse. My resting heart rate is ____________bpm.
6. So, for a Cardio Workout, you must work out at least _______ days per week. The
intensity level of your workout must be that your heart beats between _______bpm and
_______bpm for at least ____________ continuous minutes.