Peak Performance

Do you want to get fit?
How hard do you have to exercise to become fit?
To gain the most cardiovascular benefits from your workout, it is necessary to exercise within a recommended intensity range.

• A percentage of the predicted heart rate maximum can be used to prescribe exercise intensity.
  • The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends 55/65-90% of your age predicted maximum heart rate.
  • Age-predicted max HR = 220 - Age
• Lower intensities can result in improvements for beginning exercisers.
  • Exercise adherence may decrease if exercise intensity is too high, particularly the first 4-6 weeks.
• Intensity can be monitored using heart rate or rating of perceived exertion (RPE).
  • RPE is an individual’s evaluation of their feelings caused by exertion.
  • RPE is based on a scale from 6-20 or 0-10.
  • Regardless of fitness/training level, anyone can use RPE to effectively gauge exercise intensity.
• Why use RPE?
  • It is a double check on heart rate, especially since age predicted maximum is an estimate.
  • It can be performed without stopping exercise
  • No equipment needed.
• Increase the intensity as your muscles adapt to the exercise.
• Appropriate exercise intensity is safe, tolerable, and will result in the desired calorie burn depending on the length of the exercise session.
  
• Signs of Overtraining:
  • Getting sick/colds more often then normal.
  • Feeling tired all the time.
  • Muscle twitching.
  • No strength/cardiovascular gains for an extended period of time.
  • Experiencing any or all of these?  Take some time off from your exercise routine, your muscles need rest.