what is heart rate?
Heart rate (HR) is an indicator of heart's work most commonly expressed as number of heart beats per minute (bpm).

what is an average heart rate?
The heart rate (bpm) that represents the average value of heart rates measured during e.g. an exercise period.

what is recovery heart rate?
The decreased heart rate (bpm) for instance at one minute after an exercise period.

What is resting heart rate?
Resting heart rate (HRrest) is the number of heart beats in one minute when you are at complete rest. The HRrest of a well-conditioned person is usually lower than that of an unfit person.

how to measure resting heart rate?
Immediately after awakening, measure your heart rate using your heart rate monitor by putting it on after visiting toilet. Take the measurements on five consecutive days and find the average HRrest. HRrest depends on your living habits and is affected by several factors such as fitness, recovery from the previous exercise, the quality of sleep, mental stress level, and eating habits.

what is maximum heart rate?
Maximum heart rate (HRmax) is the highest number of heart beats of a person in one minute. HRmax is a useful tool in determining training intensities.

how to determine maximum heart rate?
You can define your HRmax by:
Having it measured in a maximal exercise stress test
Calculating it by age-predicted HRmax formulas.

Measured HRmax
The most accurate way of determining your individual maximum heart rate is to have it clinically tested (by treadmill or bicycle stress test) by a cardiologist or exercise physiologist. You can also measure it in the field conditions supervised by an experienced coach. If you are over the age of 35, overweight, have been sedentary for several years, or have a history of heart disease in your family, clinical testing is recommended.

Predicted HRmax
There is a mathematical formula that allows you to predict your HRmax. It is called the "age-adjusted formula". The age-adjusted HRmax formula can come in very handy when you cannot take the physician-supervised stress test.

220 - your age = age-adjusted HRmax
For example a 35-year-old person's HRmax would be: 220 - 35 = 185 beats per minute (bpm)

This formula applies only to adults. The generally accepted error in the age-predicted formula is ± 10-12 bpm, which is due to different inherited characteristics and exercise training. If you want to exercise at your most individual and effective levels, your HRmax should be measured.

what is heart rate reserve?
Heart rate reserve (HRR) is the difference between your maximum heart rate and your resting heart rate. If your HRmax is 196 beats per minute (bpm) and your HRrest 63 bpm, your heart rate reserve is 196 bpm - 63 bpm = 133 bpm. The greater the difference, the larger your heart rate reserve and the greater your range of potential training heart rate intensities. For HRR determination both the HRmax and the HRrest should be measured. It is not suitable to use the predicted values.

what is safety heart rate?
This is the heart rate that is prescribed for beginning exercisers or used in cardiac rehabilitation programs to avoid risks. This is e.g. 60 - 70 % of the maximum heart rate and represents the highest intensity you can place on your cardiovascular system and still receive a beneficial exercise effect."

what is an electrocardiogram (ECG)?
Electrical impulses registered from the heart in graphical format.

what is cardiovascular fitness, aerobic fitness?
It is the part of fitness that describes the body´s ability to sustain low-intensity exercise for long periods of time.

what is anaerobic threshold?
The physiological point during exercise at which muscles start using more oxygen than the body can transport. As a consequence, muscle work produces more lactic acid than the body can process.

what is the aerobic training area?
It includes the three lowest training zones, i.e. Light Intensity zone, Light to Moderate Intensity zone and Moderate Intensity zone.

what is target zone?
Usually four different target zones are presented. Each target zone has its lower and upper target heart rate limits. The most common target HR zones are: Light Intensity zone, Light to Moderate Intensity zone, Moderate Intensity zone and Heavy Intensity zone.

what is a target zone chart?
It is a chart presenting target heart rate zones according to a person's age. The chart helps to find individual heart rate values for each zone.

what is the light intensity zone?
This represents 50-60 % HRmax. Exercising in this zone is recommended for enhanced well-being and stress reduction. E.g. overall daily activities belong to this zone.

what is the light to moderate intensity zone?
This represents 60-70 % HRmax. Exercising in this zone is recommended for health improvement and e.g. weight management purposes.

what is the moderate intensity zone?
This represents 70-85 % HRmax. Exercising in this zone is effective in particular for improving cardiovascular fitness and for people exercising more regularly.

what is the heavy intensity zone?
This represents 85-100 % HRmax. Training in this zone is effective in particular for athletes in increasing maximum performance capacity.