Mayo Clinic Target Zone Analysis

Ever wonder why the elliptical or the treadmill has those shiny silver plates on the handles? It seems natural to assume that the plated sensors are there to gauge how hard a person's working out in relation to how fast their heart is beating. Truthfully though, I never really understood what they did. On the wall of my local gym, there's this big chart that denotes what someone's "target zone" is. Again, this was foreign to me, so I always ignored it- but after learning what it means, I've begun to pay a little more attention to it and you should too!
The Mayo Clinic separates the idea of "target zone," into two categories: moderate or vigorous. A person engages in the moderate target zone when they've begun to sweat after ten minutes, but are able to carry on a conversation and breathe semi-regularly. Vigorous on the other hand, is just like what it sounds. A person will be out of breath, sweating within minutes, and incapable of forming full sentences without taking deep breaths. (Sounds like the best time ever, right?)
So, uh, why does your heart rate matter? Well, aside from pumping the blood throughout your body to keep you alive (minor responsibility, eh), heart rate is an essential part of losing weight and exercising safely. According to Watchfit.com, "working out at about …show more content…
I wouldn't recommend spending countless hours calculating your heart rate during your workouts. Instead, just be mindful and aware of these heart rate zones. For those looking to stick to a rigorous routine, then by all means use this knowledge to your advantage, but don't lose sleep over it if you're not hitting the target range every time you go on a run or go to the gym. There are plenty of low-intensity routines that don't require heart rate monitoring. Ultimately, just consider heart rate monitoring as another tool in your workout toolbox to occasionally