A secret that measures your heart's fitness: Let's learn about Heart Rate Reserve.

A secret that measures your heart's fitness: Let's learn about Heart Rate Reserve.

You've probably heard of 'heart rate' or heart rate, right? Maybe if you're interested in fitness, or if you're someone who cares a little about heart health, 'Heart Rate Reserve' or as it's called in English (Heart Rate Reserve - HRR) is a familiar term to you. But if you don't have a clear idea about what it is exactly and what we can learn from it, no problem. Today, let's talk about this very important (Heart Rate Reserve) in simple terms.

What is Heart Rate Reserve? Let's understand it simply!

Simply put, your Heart Rate Reserve is the difference between your Maximum Heart Rate and your Resting Heart Rate . Okay, let's explain these two terms a little bit, shall we?

  • Maximum Heart Rate: This is the maximum number of times your heart can beat per minute when you are exercising vigorously, that is, when you are working at your maximum effort. Imagine you are running, running, running as fast as you can... This is the maximum speed at which your heart beats at that time.
  • Resting heart rate : This is the opposite of that. It is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you are calm and at rest, not doing any exercise. The best time to measure this is when you first wake up in the morning, like when you are in bed.

So, the value we get when we subtract this maximum heart rate from the resting heart rate is what we call the heart rate reserve . This gives us a good idea of ​​the fitness of your cardiovascular system, that is, how healthy and efficient your heart is.

Our heart is an amazing organ, isn't it? All day long, day and night, even when we're sleeping or running, it works nonstop to supply every cell in our body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs through blood. The time it takes for the heart to contract and pump blood is called a heartbeat. The number of times the heart beats per minute is called the heart rate. This rate varies throughout the day depending on various factors.

What things affect our heart rate?

Your heart rate depends on a number of things. Let's take a look at the main factors that affect it:

  • Your activity level and oxygen intake: When you exercise , run, or jump, your body needs more oxygen. Your heart needs to beat faster to supply that oxygen.
  • Use of tobacco products: When you use tobacco products, such as smoking cigarettes, your resting heart rate can simply increase.
  • Amount of alcohol consumed: Drinking alcohol can temporarily increase your heart rate.
  • Your age: As you get older, your heart rate usually slows down a bit. Also, your heart rate doesn't increase as much when you exercise as it did when you were younger .
  • Your medical conditions: Heart disease, such as cardiomyopathy, can cause your heart rate to increase. Conditions such as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland) and some infections can also cause your heart rate to decrease.
  • The emotions you feel at that moment: When you feel angry or scared, your heart rate increases, right? Likewise, when you are calm and relaxed, your heart rate decreases.
  • Medications you take: Some medications, such as beta-blockers , antidepressants, and painkillers, can slow down your heart rate. Also, some medications for colds and asthma can increase your heart rate.

How is this heart rate reserve calculated?

This is not as difficult as you might think. The formula for finding Heart Rate Reserve (HRR) is:

HRR = Maximum Heart Rate - Resting Heart Rate

This method has another name, which is (Ka RVO nen method) .

Okay, now let's see how to find this maximum heart rate and resting heart rate.

How to find your maximum heart rate:

There is a simple method that is commonly used for this:

  • Subtract your age from 220. For example, if you are 30 years old, your maximum heart rate (Max HR) is 220 - 30 = 190 (beats per minute).

But since this method can sometimes deviate by as much as 10-12 beats per minute, researchers have proposed another alternative method:

  • Multiply your age by 0.7 and subtract the answer from 207.

For example, if you are 30 years old:

30 * 0.7 = 21

207 - 21 = 186 (beats per minute). This is your maximum heart rate (Max HR).

How to find your resting heart rate:

This is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you are at rest, without any exertion. The best time to measure this is first thing in the morning, before you get out of bed. You can measure this when you have not had coffee, are not stressed, and are not moving around.

  • Most people's resting heart rate (RHR) is between 60 and 100 beats per minute.
  • For people who exercise a lot, such as athletes, this value can be as low as 40 beats per minute. This is due to the high fitness of their hearts.

How do you measure your heart rate?

There are several ways to measure this:

1. A wearable fitness tracker: If you have a smart watch or fitness band, it will show your current heart rate.

2. You can measure yourself:

  • Place two fingers (middle and index finger) of your other hand on the wrist area, on the palm side. (You can also look at the side of the neck).
  • Count the number of times you feel your pulse beat for one minute.
  • Otherwise, count for 30 seconds and multiply that number by two. That will give you the number of beats per minute.

What does Heart Rate Reserve tell us?

Heart Rate Reserve (HRR) is a way to measure your fitness. Remember, it's calculated by subtracting your maximum heart rate (Max HR) from your resting heart rate (RHR).

As your physical fitness increases, your resting heart rate (RHR) decreases.

So, when your resting heart rate (RHR) goes down, your heart rate reserve (HRR) goes up. Simply put, the higher your HRR, the better your heart fitness.

Who thinks the most about this heart rate reserve?

There are times when this HRR value is especially important:

  • Cardiac Rehab Programs: In rehabilitation programs for people recovering from a heart attack, this HRR is used to determine the appropriate exercise intensity for them. In one study, people undergoing cardiac rehabilitation exercised at a target heart rate of between 60% and 80% of their HRR (plus resting heart rate).
  • In your workout plans: You can also use this method to find your target heart rate during your workouts. For example, when starting your workout (warm-up), you can start with a target of 50% - 60% of your HRR and gradually move to a higher intensity. This will vary depending on the sport you are doing and your goals.

Some people target a certain percentage of their maximum heart rate (Max HR) when exercising. This method using HRR can be said to be more accurate than that method.

  • If exercising at moderate intensity: Aim for between 64% and 76% of your maximum heart rate (Max HR).
  • If exercising at a high intensity (Vigorous intensity): Aim for a maximum heart rate (Max HR) of between 77% and 93%.

Why is Heart Rate Reserve important?

This is not just a number. It says a lot about your health.

One study of men found that, over a 30-year period, those with low heart rate reserve (HRR) during exercise had the highest risk of sudden cardiac death . In that study, men with an HRR between 17 and 85 beats per minute had a significantly higher risk of sudden cardiac death than those with an HRR above 85 beats per minute. This shows how important HRR is, doesn't it?

What is a good heart rate reserve?

It's hard to say one "good" value for this that works for everyone, because it varies from person to person. But the most important thing to remember is that the higher the HRR value, the better.

Another good news is that no matter your age, regular exercise can improve your heart rate reserve (HRR).

Heart rate reserve (HRR) is a great way to gauge your fitness level and help you find the right target heart rate zone for your workouts. But if you're too lazy to do all the math, there's another easy way to gauge the intensity of your workout. It's called the "talk test."

  • If you can talk while exercising (even a sentence or two), you are at moderate intensity.
  • If you have difficulty speaking while exercising, or can't say more than a few words, you are at vigorous intensity.

Both of these levels are within your target heart rate zone.

Take home message: Remember to be brief!

Okay, so from what we've discussed, I hope you've got a good idea about Heart Rate Reserve. Finally, remember this:

  • Heart rate reserve (HRR) is the difference between your maximum heart rate (Max HR) and your resting heart rate (RHR).
  • The higher your HRR value, the better your cardiovascular fitness.
  • Many things affect your heart rate, including age, activity level, medications you take, and emotions.
  • You can calculate your HRR and find the right target heart rate for exercise.
  • Having a high HRR value can also help reduce the risk of sudden cardiac arrest.
  • Exercise can improve your HRR.
  • If you have difficulty calculating, use the "talk test" to determine your exercise intensity.

So, we hope this information will help you take care of your heart health. A healthy heart is a great strength for a healthy life!


` Heart Rate Reserve, Heart Rate Reserve, Heart Rate, Exercise, Heart Health, Maximum Heart Rate, Resting Heart Rate

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