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"Aerobic" exercise¾the kind that improves your cardiovascular conditioning and is thought to promote longevity¾is any steady, moderately taxing activity that boosts your heart rate to between 60 percent and 85 percent of its maximum for at least 20 minutes at a stretch. Besides speeding your pulse, an aerobic workout will raise a sweat and increase your breathing rate.
A man's maximum heart rate is generally 220 minus his age, while a woman's is 226 minus her age. (Because a woman's heart is smaller, it must beat faster.) The following chart will help you find your "aerobic zone."
Male |
Female |
||||
Age |
Maximum Heart Rate |
Aerobic Zone |
Age |
Maximum Heart Rate |
Aerobic Zone |
15 |
205 |
123 to 174 |
15 |
211 |
129 to 180 |
20 |
200 |
120 to 170 |
20 |
206 |
126 to 176 |
25 |
195 |
117 to 166 |
25 |
201 |
123 to 172 |
30 |
190 |
114 to 162 |
30 |
196 |
120 to 168 |
35 |
185 |
111 to 157 |
35 |
191 |
117 to 163 |
40 |
180 |
108 to 153 |
40 |
186 |
114 to 159 |
45 |
175 |
105 to 149 |
45 |
181 |
111 to 155 |
50 |
170 |
102 to 145 |
50 |
176 |
108 to 151 |
55 |
165 |
99 to 140 |
55 |
171 |
105 to 146 |
60 |
160 |
96 to 136 |
60 |
166 |
102 to 142 |
65 |
155 |
93 to 132 |
65 |
161 |
98 to 138 |
70 |
150 |
90 to 128 |
70 |
156 |
96 to 134 |
75 |
145 |
87 to 123 |
75 |
151 |
93 to 129 |
80 |
140 |
84 to 119 |
80 |
146 |
90 to 125 |
85 |
135 |
81 to 115 |
85 |
141 |
87 to 121 |
90 |
130 |
78 to 111 |
90 |
136 |
84 to 117 |
95 |
125 |
75 to 106 |
95 |
131 |
81 to 112 |
Which Exercises Are Aerobic?
There's only one sure way to tell if an activity is aerobic: perform the activity long enough to reach a steady heart rate, and take your pulse.
You can get an idea whether an activity is aerobic, however, by looking it up in the Exercise Dictionary. Read "To See if an Exercise Is Aerobic," in Exercise Dictionary.
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Last Modified: 6/30/07