Calculation of Maximum Heart Rate - the most current research changes the equation

HI!

The calculation of Maximum Heart Rate is extremely important when developing exercise programs, especially those that are designed to be "fat burning" for weight loss.

I have always (last few years) calculated maximum heart rate using the most commonly accepted equation MHR = 220-Age.

During a scan of the most current research, I found that Tanaka, et al in 2001 did research that expanded and clarified this equation. While the other equation represents younger age groups, the research basis for that equation lacked statistically relevant representation from the older population. Tanaka's research added a number of older members of the population to the research database and came up with a new equation:

MHR = 208-(0.7*Age)

While it doesn't look like much of a difference, there are two important conclusions from this new equation:

1) I have been using too low a number for MHR, and therefore for Target Heart Rate for designed cardiovascular exercise routines, and 2) the equation is not gender specific - the equations for males and females is the same.

For me, at 66 years old, my well-used maximum heart rate was 155. Now my new calculated maximum heart rate is 162 ...... a difference of 7 beats per minute or almost 5%.

Cheers!

I've Decided to Exercise: How Much Exercise Should I Do

HI!

A little self-congratulation is in order here. I've decided to exercise regularly!

Now I'm faced with understanding a few things ......

What does "exercise" mean?
How much exercise should I get?
How intense should my exercise sessions be?

Good questions!

Now to answer (for myself) the questions above.

I've just made a choice to say that, for me, "exercise" means: 1) I've made a conscious choice to exercise, 2) I've put on my Polar heart monitor, and 3) I will be exercising for no less than 30 minutes. Anything that doesn't fit those three criteria is "NEAT." NEAT is "non-exercise activity thermogenesis" - stuff like shopping, lawn mowing, walking to the store, playing with the grandkids, etc. You are, of course, free to define exercise any way you want to. However, IMHO (in my humble opinion) it seems like this would be a worthwhile thing to define.

Sounds like too fine a point - I'm OCD perhaps. Well, my experience tells me that unless I go OCD and make definitions like this, as well as tracking my exercise sessions, I forget what I've done, what "personal best" means, whether or not I've exercised, and what works / what doesn't work. I'm too old to leave my health to chance and the vagaries of memory.

Recommendations from reputable sources recommend 2.5 hours per week of moderate exercise or 1.25 hours per week of vigorous exercise for adults, in addition to resistance exercises (weightlifting) twice a week. If an exercise session is minimum 30 minutes, then I'd have to do minimum of 5 moderate exercise sessions a week + 2 days of weight training.

I had to look up the definition of "moderate" exercise. By all accounts, it means exercising within the range of 50% to 75% of my maximum heart rate. There are a number of calculators online that I use to calculate my maximum heart rate, and I found that the numbers run between 154 and 166. Using the most common formula (220-age for males) puts my "moderate exercise range" between 77 and 116.

That doesn't work for me. I know from experience that HR = 77 is waaaaaaaaay too low for me to say I'm exercising - feels to me that a minimum HR of 105 would be more like it since that's my heart rate when I really walk fast. HR = 105 is 68% of maximum.

I found this table that relates average heart rate to the benefits of exercising at that rate.

I think what I'll do is design several different routines that will put me into each of the "zones" on the chart - well, maybe not the Redline Zone so much. Designing routines, and using them based on what I'm eating, how I feel, what I did the day before, which muscles are really sore, etc. makes good sense to me. 

Rather than specific target heart rate, I have a different goal in mind ......... at the end of one year, I will have completed 365 exercise sessions. That's not necessarily one per day, but could be more than one per day with a rest day thrown in for all those other NEAT things I want to do!

On the Road Again! - Exercises to do with no equipment and no gym

HI!

We're going to take a road trip and it's like all the others I've taken in the past - I make good resolutions to exercise while I'm on the road, but I find that I have trouble sticking to my commitment to exercise each day. 

One reason I find on-the-road-exercise difficult is that I'm used to exercising in a gym (equipment galore!) or at home (equipment galore!) or at home outside (plenty of time and good places to hike, bike or walk). On the road, I'm usually strapped for time and, most often, lack equipment. 

I'm lucky on this trip - one place I'll stay has a 24 Hour Fitness facility very close by, so I'll be able to exercise with my normal routine using familiar equipment. The other stops along the way, I'm not so lucky. 

So, if I want to fulfill my commitment to exercise on the road, I'll have to figure out another way to do that. 

I did a bit of searching, and found a set of bodyweight exercises that don't require any equipment. I could do these exercises outdoors or in the hotel room in the morning .....

1.         Squat: Stand with the arm of a chair behind you  and close to your buttocks. Start with your feet a little less than shoulder width apart. Lower your body until your buttocks touch the arm of the chair. Return to the standing position and repeat. To increase the intensity of this exercise, choose a lower stop point – a bench for example. VERY IMPORTANT: To protect your knees, keep your buttocks well back so your knees don't move out in front of your toes - that'll save your knees!

2.        Pushup: Start in the Plank position on hands and toes with body straight. Bend your elbows so your straight body lowers as far as it can - close to touching chest to floor. Straighten your elbows and return to starting position. That's one repetition. Make sure your shoulders line up with your wrists and you tuck your elbows towards your sides (and don’t flare out your elbows wide). Tip: To extend the number of pushups you do, start in hands / toes position and when you are exhausted, switch to hands / knees position and do as many more as you can. 

3.        Bridge: The Bridge (also called a hip raise or extension) will strengthen your glutes and hamstrings, while also working your abdominals, back and inner thighs. Start on your back on the floor. Pull your knees in with your feet still flat on the floor. Begin by raising your hips toward the ceiling and hold. To increase the intensity of this exercise, slowly extend one leg long into the sky. Return the foot to the floor, then raise your other leg to the sky - that's one repetition. 

4.        Lunge: Start in a standing position with your feet together and arms resting comfortably by your sides. Step as forward as far as you can with your right foot. Lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the ground. Complete one repetition by pushing off of your right foot, coming back to the starting position. Continue with your left foot forward. 

5.        Plank: Start on hands and toes with elbows straight (in the pushup position). Maintain that position for as long as possible. Be sure to align your elbows and shoulders and keep your hips, heels and shoulders at the same height. If you are struggling to maintain the arms straight position try this exercise on your forearms. 

6.        Triceps Dip: Sit on the edge of a secured bench or chair. Position your hands wide apart next to you. Slide your buttocks off the front of the bench or chair with your legs fully extended in front of you, supporting yourself with your arms. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering yourself down until your elbows are at about a 90 degree angle, being sure to keep your back close to the bench or chair. When you reach the bottom of the movement, press down into the bench or chair to straighten your elbows, returning to the starting position. That's one repetition. If you find that you have wrist discomfort, try turning your hands slightly to the side or take breaks to roll out your wrists. 

7.        Single Leg Deadlift: This is one of the best hamstring, glute and core exercises, and it works the muscles on the backside of your body that are typically ignored. Stand on one leg with your knee slightly bent, and without changing the bend in your knee, bend at your hips and lower your torso until it’s parallel to the floor. Your non-supporting leg finishes almost parallel to the floor. Pause, then return to the start. Do all the repetitions for one leg, then switch legs and repeat. Tip: To increase the intensity of this exercise, place two dumbbells on the floor in front of you. As you bend forward at the waist, pick up the dumbbells. Return them to the floor the next time you bend forward. 

8.        Spinal Balance: Come into a table-top position on your palms and knees, making sure that your head and neck are a natural extension of the spine. Extend your right arm out directly in front of your shoulder. With your palm facing in, slowly extend your left leg back behind you with your heel lifted and leg in alignment with your hips, close to parallel to the floor. Complete the exercise by bringing your right elbow in to touch your left knee while rounding up through your spine and tucking your chin into your chest. Return to the starting straight-arm and leg position. Complete all repetitions on one side, then switch to the other. 

9.        Bicycles: Lie face up on the floor with your hands behind your head, but not supporting your head. Bring your knees to your chest. Rotate left bringing your right elbow towards your left knee as you straighten your other leg. Switch sides and continue the pedaling motion.  Tip: To increase the intensity of this exercise, lift your shoulders to the ceiling (not your head, your shoulders!) as you move your legs. 

10.    Kick Downs: This core exercise can help you build a stronger back and make you less prone to injury. Keep your low back pressing into the ground the entire time and lower your legs as close to the floor as possible without allowing them to touch. The first time you do this exercise, start lying on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Lift and replace one leg at a time, keeping your knee bent. As you get stronger, lift and replace both legs at one time (with knees bent) and eventually move to straightening your legs. 

11.    Side Lunge: Start with your feet more than shoulder width apart, and your arms hanging at your sides. Move your body laterally (to the side) to the right until you can reach down with your right hand and touch the side of your right foot. Push off with your right foot and return to the starting position. Switch directions and repeat. You feet don't move during this exercise. This lunge variation works your muscle fibers, tendons and ligaments in a different pattern. To make this exercise more challenging, after you touch the side of your foot, add a side leg lift. 

12.    Burpee: Start in a standing position. Drop down into a squat position with your hands on the floor. Kick your feet back (or step your feet back one at a time) until your legs are extended behind you. Kick your feet back to a squat position (or step them back one at a time). Return to standing position and repeat. To increase the intensity of this exercise, add a full standing jump before the squat.

13.    Jumping Jack: Sometimes jumping gets a bad rap, but when it comes to increasing bone density it is a great thing. A jumping jack is one of the best plyometric exercises out there and it is a fantastic cardiovascular drill. If you are looking for a way to improve your quickness, this is the exercise.

14.    Mountain Climbers: Come to plank position on the floor with your hands slightly in front of your shoulders and your hands pointing outward. Bring your left foot forward so that your left knee nearly touches your chin. Return your left foot to its starting place and bring the right foot forward and repeat, alternating legs. 

15.    Grand Plie Squat: Start with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart with your toes pointed outwards. Lower down into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Push back up to a standing position. To increase the intensity of this squat, hold a dumbbell with both hands hanging down in front of you while you squat.

I'm not sure I can remember the positions for some of these exercises, so I picked off some pictures to help remind me: 

Spinal Balance: 

Kick Downs:

Side Lunge

Grand Plie Squat 

Why this BLOG?

HI!

A while ago, I completed study for fitness trainer credentials through ISSA (International Sports Science Association). The credentials include the basics ..... Personal Trainer, Specialist in Senior Fitness and recently I started the curricula for Specialist in Sports Nutrition.

I find the study of food and fitness fascinating! The more I do, the more I want to do. So, I created this BLOG to capture learnings, interesting facts, tips, tricks, things to avoid, great recipes, etc.

Deb has just about completed her work at the Biggest Loser Ranch - Malibu, CA and she'e picked up a ton of new knowledge, reinforced a ton of stuff she already knew, started her exploration of body composition, rekindled her interest in hiking, cardio, weight lifting, swimming, and lots more.

So, it looks like, at least for a while, that we'll have some sort of focus on our health ..... a cooperative endeavor to be sure. This BLOG archives some of the things we've tried and liked, some of the things we've tried and hated, and some things we want to try in the future!

Cheers!