The right heart rate during sport

What role does your heart rate actually play during your workout and where exactly is your ideal training heart rate? There are five different heart rate zones during training, which we explain below. We will also show you how to determine your resting heart rate and calculate your maximum heart rate.

Your heart rate determines how often your heart beats per minute - in other words, how often it pumps blood into your circulation. The pulse indicates how often the pressure wave of the blood in the arteries can be felt per minute. In most cases, these two indicators go hand in hand, which is why they are often used as synonyms. However, there may be a difference if some of your heartbeats are so weak that they do not generate a pressure wave in the arteries. Then the pulse is lower than the heart rate.

In a healthy adult, the heart rate at rest is around 60-80 beats per minute. An ambitious athlete has a heart rate of around 50-60 beats per minute. This value can be used to determine how fit you are: The lower your resting heart rate, the fitter you are. This means that your heart muscle is better trained, as fewer contractions of the heart are needed to pump blood into your circulation. You are in good physical condition if you quickly return to your resting heart rate after your workout. This lowering of the heart rate back to the resting heart rate is also called recovery heart rate.

If your own resting heart rate is elevated, this is often an indication that you should take a day off, for example because you are getting sick or your body has not yet fully recovered from your last training session.

Ideally, you should measure your resting heart rate in the morning immediately after waking up, preferably before getting out of bed. To do this, place your left middle and index finger on your right wrist. The palm of your hand should be facing upwards. Alternatively, you can place both fingers on your carotid artery. Now count the pulse beats for 15 seconds and multiply them by 4 to determine your resting pulse rate, i.e. the beats per minute at rest.

The maximum rate of your heartbeat is your maximum heart rate. This is the fastest heart rate you can achieve under extreme stress. However, your training heart rate should be below your maximum heart rate.

To get a rough guide to your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220. If you are 30, this would be around 190, although a lot of factors - such as your own fitness and weight - play a major role here. It is therefore advisable to have your maximum heart rate professionally determined by a sports physician.

Being able to measure your pulse during training is now part of the workout for many athletes. In addition to fitness watches, many fitness devices also have pulse sensors. Another option is measurement using a chest strap.

But why is it so important to measure your heart rate during a workout? With the appropriate heart rate, you increase the training effect of your workout. Basically, this overview gives you a healthier and more effective workout, as you train in the appropriate load zone for you. This will help you achieve your training goals faster. You will also strengthen your heart and improve your endurance in general with optimal training.

However, there are a few things you need to know about your heart rate if you want to really push yourself. A heart rate that is too high can cause lasting damage to your heart as your heart is overstretched. It also affects your life in general - your sleep can be worse, you are more prone to muscle irritation and the good, positive feeling after training is lost. It is therefore important that you train in the right heart rate range for you. This will protect your body from overloading.

However, your heart rate can also be too low. In this case, your body is not being supplied with enough blood and oxygen. Such a cardiac arrhythmia can therefore lead to a lack of supply to your body - you should have this checked by a doctor. Consequences could include headaches, dizziness or nausea.

Your heart rate increases when you get your body moving, as your heart now has to work faster and more efficiently to supply your body with enough oxygen. There are five heart rate zones and their respective training goals. To calculate the ideal heart rate, multiply your maximum heart rate by the respective percentage.

This zone is ideal for beginners, as your cardiovascular system is strengthened at this heart rate. This heart rate zone is called the health zone. You can also train easily in this heart rate zone during the regeneration phase or as a warm up.

You should train in this area if you want to boost your fat burning. In this way, your body uses fat as an energy supplier, which burns it - you train in the fat-burning zone. In addition, your cardiovascular system continues to be trained.

At 70-80 % of your maximum heart rate, this is known as aerobic training. The training will be much more intense for you, but still within the feasible range. Aerobic means that your body is still absorbing enough oxygen to generate energy. In addition to increased fat consumption, your metabolism and lungs are stimulated and your cardiovascular system works at full speed. This significantly increases your condition. Overall, training in the aerobic zone is the most efficient training zone for your general fitness and endurance.

If you train at a heart rate of 80-90% of your maximum heart rate, you are in the anaerobic zone. In contrast to aerobic training, you have an oxygen deficit during anaerobic training, as your body needs more oxygen than it can absorb. Interval training** is particularly suitable, as you work out much harder. Endurance training** will increase your performance and strength training will build up your muscles.

However, keep in mind that you should do a maximum of 20% of your training in the anaerobic zone** - anything more than this will lead to overexertion.

You should avoid training at a heart rate of up to 100 %. Even the anaerobic range pushes your limits. This is referred to as the danger zone. Training in such a high heart rate range should only be carried out by competitive athletes under strict supervision. They often use this range before competitions to push themselves even further. This is why this area is called the competition-specific endurance zone.

Once you have determined your resting heart rate and maximum heart rate, the next step is to find the right heart rate for your training goal. Keep a close eye on your heart rate during training and lower the intensity if your heart rate is too high. You can easily determine this with a chest strap, heart rate monitors or heart rate sensors. The right heart rate is important for your fitness and well-being - and that goes beyond your daily workout. With regular training, you can also lower your resting heart rate and intensify your training.