February - Happy heart month!

It is not just on Valentine’s Day that we need to pay attention to our hearts. Getting to know the frequency and rate that your heart beats during exercise and at rest is beneficial for several reasons.

resting heart rate (HR)

Get in the routine of checking your resting Heart Rate (HR) first thing when you wake up to help determine whether you should work out or take a day off from training. To get a resting HR, place your index and middle fingers on the under side of your wrist, called your radial HR. Then once you feel the beating of your heart, count the number of beats for 15 sec and multiply by 4. The total will give you a fairly accurate resting HR.

​Keep track of your resting HR and if ever you notice it is 4-5 beats higher than normal, it may be an indicator of being over trained, getting sick or just fatigued. Simply by taking a few days off you could avoid an injury or a cold as your body fights off being run down.

Your Maximum HR (MHR) can be easily calculated: 220-your age. This is important for determining your desired target HR for your training session.​ During Interval Training, for example, you may want to get HR in Zone 4 or Anaerobic Zone which is 80-90% of your Maximum HR (MHR). For more Aerobic Zone training, Zone 3, you would want to stay between 70-80%. Your HR can fluctuate, so buying a device that keeps track of your HR while training, sleeping, etc can be a benefit to you, your trainer or coach, and your doctor.

​Be smart, take care of your heart!

Remember, you are the best judge of your body and health.

See a doctor if you have any concerns with your heart.

Freestyle Fitness would love to chat with you how we can be a part of your health journey, call today to chat with one of us! 
​
​Jim Winter (604-318-8924) or 
​Chris Hughes (604-376-4041)