Exercise Intensity

The Best and Worst Ways to Measure a Workout

Sore muscles, target heart rate, calorie burn, and more. Our expert sounds off on the legitimate and not-so-legitimate ways we assess a workout well done
By Emily G. W. Chau fitbie
 

How Fast Your Heart Is Racing

Next to the Talk Test, strapping on a heart rate monitor is one of the most accurate ways to track your exercise intensity, and can inform you if you are over- or under-training. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy adults strive to exercise in a range between 50 to 75% of their maximum heart rate, or your target heart rate. At this intensity, you can make the most of your workout and over time increase your aerobic endurance without overstraining your heart. There are several ways to calculate your target heart rate, but the simplest one is: 220 minus your age.

Although many marathoners and triatheletes rely on heart rate monitors to guide their training, Matthews prefers using the talk test to target heart rate for the average gym-goer. She cautions that just like calorie counts, these estimations for target heart rate can be off by 10 to 20 beats per minute.

Your Target Heart Rate, Decoded
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