
The rate at which you burn calories depends on several factors, including: How many calories can you burn from brisk walking? Research has also shown that exercise can boost self-esteem, improve sleep, build brain power, and more. This means the cells in your muscles are better able to use insulin to draw in glucose for energy, both before and after you’ve exercised. Regular brisk walks can increase your insulin sensitivity. Research has found that regular cardio exercise may help lower your blood pressure. Regular cardio exercise may also help lower the levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol in your blood. According to a review of studies, walking 5 days a week can help lower your risk for heart disease. Walking can help you lose excess weight by burning more calories, increasing lean muscle mass, and boosting your mood so you’re more likely to keep on walking. Regular cardio exercise, like brisk walking, offers a wide range of physical and mental benefits.
If you can sing out loud, the pace is likely too slow to be considered a brisk walk. If you can’t talk easily because you’re out of breath, the pace is probably vigorous. If you can talk comfortably with some breathlessness, you’re probably walking at a moderate but brisk pace. Instead, to measure your pace, you start talking while you’re walking: 3 The talk testĪ third way of figuring out your walking pace doesn’t require any math. Using a fitness tracker can help you keep track of your steps and how fast you’re walking. To reach your target heart rate zone, aim for the following bpm ranges based on your age: Age in YearsĪnother way to measure your pace is to count your steps.Ī study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that if you can walk at least 100 steps per minute, you’re walking fast enough to reap substantial fitness benefits. So, for instance, if you counted 55 beats in 30 seconds, your heart rate would be 110 beats per minute (55 x 2). Once you have that number, multiply the number by 2 to get your bpm. Look at a clock or watch, and count the number of beats you feel with your fingertips for 30 seconds.
This could give you an inaccurate reading. Don’t use your thumb to measure your pulse, as your thumb has a pulse of its own. Place the tips of your index and middle fingers on the inside of your left wrist until you can feel a pulse.
#Brisk walk heart rate how to
If you’re not sure how to measure your heart rate, here’s how to do it:
For this person, their target heart rate while walking would be between 90 and 153 beats per minute. For example, for a 40-year-old it’d be 180 bpm x 0.85 = 153 bpm. For the high end of your target heart rate, multiply 220 bpm minus your age by 0.85 (85 percent). For example, for a 40-year-old it’d be 180 bpm x 0.50 = 90 bpm. For the low end of your target heart rate, multiply 220 bpm minus your age by 0.50 (50 percent). To figure out your target heart rate range, do the following: So, for a 40-year-old person, it’d be 220 – 40 = 180 bpm. Your maximum heart rate is 220 beats per minute (bpm) minus your age in years. So, what exactly is your maximum heart rate, and how do you know what it is? Your target heart rate during vigorous activity is about 70 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. Your target heart rate during moderate-intensity exercise is around 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. Exercising at your target heart rate means you’re getting the greatest benefit from your workout.Īccording to the American Heart Association: One way to determine if you’re walking fast enough is to measure your heart rate.Ī safe target heart rate while exercising, for most adults, is 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. Let’s take a closer look at three options for gauging whether you’re walking at the right pace.
To help firm up exactly what it means, there are several ways to measure your pace to make sure you’re in the “brisk” zone. Is it a little faster than your normal pace? Is it a lot faster? The term “brisk walking” is somewhat vague. Keep reading to find out how to boost your physical and mental well-being with brisk walking as well as the benefits you can reap from this form of exercise. The key to getting a great workout with brisk walking is to maintain a pace that gives your heart and lungs a challenging workout, but not so hard that you run out of steam too quickly. A good pair of sneakers is about all you need to start reaping the many rewards of a fast-paced walk. You can do a brisk, sweat-inducing walk indoors or outdoors and without any special equipment. And, best of all, you likely already have everything you need to get started. A brisk walk is one of the easiest and most effective cardio workouts.