How do you know if you are working out hard enough?

It’s hard enough when you are in a group exercise class or fitness to get your heart rate up where it should be, but exercising at home makes it even more challenging. To work your heart and lungs, and get the ultimate results, you actually have to challenge your heart and lungs. So how do you know if you are working hard enough?

There are a couple of ways to figure that out. The easiest is to go with your perceived exertion. How hard do you feel you are working out? Let’s use the same scale the doctors use when asking for your pain level but instead how hard you feel you are working.

One would be you are not doing anything, 10 you are ready to pass out from working out too hard. You typically want to be between 6 and 8, maybe 9.

Or we can find your target heart rate zone using this calculation. Use a calculator or piece of paper.

Take 220 and deduct your age, which gives you your maximum heart rate (MHR). You don’t want to exercise on your MHR.

For example, 220 minus 58 (age) = 162 MHR. Target heart rate falls between 55/60 percent and 90 percent of your MHR. Shoot for 55 percent if you have never exercised before and have some health challenges (obesity, heart problems, etc.). So let’s find out the THR for this 58-year-old with no health problems.

Take 162 and multiply this number with .60, which is 97.2.

Now take 162 and multiply this with .90 which is 145.8. Typically your “max” for most people is about 80/85 percent. The THR for this 58-year-old is between 97 (60 percent) and 146 (90 percent) heart beats per minute (BPM). If this 58-year-old is below 97 BPM, I am not working hard enough. Above 146 BPM, I am working too hard.

Now, for very fit people, this calculation typically doesn’t work as well. For them (and myself), I like to use the Karvonen formula. It uses also the resting heart rate of the person. Still use 220 minus your age and minus your resting heart rate. Use that number and take 60 percent to 90 percent and your target heart rate zone is that number. Let’s use the 58- year-old again with a resting heart rate of 50 BPM. 220-58=162-50=112

Sixty percent is 67.2, then add back the resting heart rate which makes the low end 117.2.

Ninety percent using the same calculation is 150.8. You can see there is a difference from the “normal” target heart rate. Even with the “correct” heart rate, I like to combine the THR with perceived exertion (What and how do you feel when you exercise?). You don’t have to take your heart rate to know if you are working hard. Barely keeping up with your breath is working too hard. Be able to hold a full conversation is working too little. Especially those on medication that controls their heart rate — you have to follow your perceived exertion (as lots of medications lower the heart rate). Of course, you want to check with your doctor to make sure a new or more challenging exercise program is good for you and if they  recommend a certain percentage for your THR. I have never met a doctor who says “don’t exercise,” but you might have some important limitations.

So find your target heart for your age, be in tune with your body by feeling how hard you are working and keep active. Especially during this time exercising, is so important for a healthy spirit, mind and body.

Stay safe.

Ester H. Marsh is health and fitness director of the J.F. Hurley Family YMCA.