There are some new fitness gyms that base their fitness routines on heart rate zones by having clients wear heart rate monitors while working out. The idea is that doing a certain amount of your workout at high intensity can boost fitness, metabolism and fat burning. But you don’t need a heart rate monitor to guide you: you can easily learn measure your heart rate and then go by feel. Using a watch with a second hand, measure your heart rate for 6 seconds and add a zero. Do this before your workout (at rest), then after your warm up (15-20 minutes of easy exercise). This is your “comfortable zone.” Then do a 30 second “sprint” and measure it again, noting how it feels. This should feel slightly “uncomfortable.” For great cardiovascular benefits, keep about 90% of your workout in the comfortable zone and 10% in your “uncomfortable” zone.
