"Aerobic" exercise¾the kind that improves your cardiovascular conditioning and is thought to promote longevity¾is any steady, moderately taxing activity that boosts your heart rate to between 60 percent and 85 percent of its maximum for at least 20 minutes at a stretch. Besides speeding your pulse, an aerobic workout will raise a sweat and increase your breathing rate.
A man's maximum heart rate is generally 220 minus his age, while a woman's is 226 minus her age. (Because a woman's heart is smaller, it must beat faster.) The following charts will help you find your "aerobic zone."
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MALE Maximum Aerobic Age Heart Rate Zone
15 ............ 205 .......... 123 to 174 20 ............ 200 .......... 120 to 170 25 ............ 195 .......... 117 to 166 30 ............ 190 .......... 114 to 162 35 ............ 185 .......... 111 to 157 40 ............ 180 .......... 108 to 153 45 ............ 175 .......... 105 to 149 50 ............ 170 .......... 102 to 145 55 ............ 165 ............ 99 to 140 60 ............ 160 ............ 96 to 136 65 ............ 155 ............ 93 to 132 70 ............ 150 ............ 90 to 128 75 ............ 145 ............ 87 to 123 80 ............ 140 ............ 84 to 119 85 ............ 135 ............ 81 to 115 90 ............ 130 ............ 78 to 111 95 ............ 125 ............ 75 to 106 |
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FEMALE
Maximum Aerobic Age Heart Rate Zone
15 ............ 211 .......... 129 to 180 20 ............ 206 .......... 126 to 176 25 ............ 201 .......... 123 to 172 30 ............ 198 .......... 120 to 168 35 ............ 191 .......... 117 to 163 40 ............ 186 .......... 114 to 159 45 ............ 181 .......... 111 to 155 50 ............ 176 .......... 108 to 151 55 ............ 171 .......... 105 to 146 60 ............ 166 .......... 102 to 142 65 ............ 161 ............ 98 to 138 70 ............ 156 ............ 96 to 134 75 ............ 151 ............ 93 to 129 80 ............ 146 ............ 90 to 125 85 ............ 141 ............ 87 to 121 90 ............ 136 ............ 84 to 117 95 ............ 131 ............ 81 to 112 |
Which Exercises Are Aerobic?
There's only one sure way to tell if an activity is aerobic: perform the activity long enough to reach a steady heart rate, and take your pulse. (Tip: Use one of the electronic heart monitors sold in Diet Power's Health Shop at www.dietpower.com/healthshop.htm. It can make your workouts more efficient by keeping you in your aerobic zone at all times.)
You can get an idea whether an activity is aerobic, however, by looking it up in the Exercise Dictionary. Read "To See if an Exercise Is Aerobic," in Exercise Dictionary.