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Find your target heart rate

by Terry King

question
I have just joined a gym and discovered it is a lot more work than I thought. I am only able to do about 20 minutes on the cardio machines, and then I get extremely flushed (I have very fair skin) and look as if I am going to pass out. Will this stop happening if I work out more often?

answer
This is a common problem for people with thin, fair skin and blood vessels very close to the surface of their skin. As long as you feel OK, you are probably fine, but you may need to slow down your pace. Plus, you want to extend your aerobic exercise session to 45 minutes so you can get maximum calorie and fat burn.

If you can only do 20 minutes on a cardio machine after several weeks of visiting the gym three or more times per week, you're probably working too hard. If you haven't already done so, ask a member of staff to calculate your target heart rate range or do it yourself.

Here’s how: Subtract your age from 220. The number you get represents your theoretical maximum heart rate. Multiply that figure by .60, and .85, (60%-85%) to determine your training heart rate zone. For a 35-year-old person, for instance, the training range is 111 beats per minute (bpm) to 157 bpm. [220-35 =185; 185 x .60 =111; 185 x .85 =157]

To extend the time you do aerobic exercise, work out in the lower to middle percentage of your target zone (60%-75%) by reducing the intensity of your exercise and lowering your pulse. To determine your heart rate while exercising, you can take your pulse.

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