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Comparison of training target heart rate determined by percent maximal heart rate reserve and ventilatory threshold in adults

Exercising at an appropriate training intensity for individuals is important for improvement of cardiorespiratory fitness. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has recommended that healthy adults exercise at an intensity of 60-80% maximal heart rate reserve (MHRR). The ventilatory threshold (VT) has also been recommended for use to determine intensity for exercise prescription. The purpose of this study was to compare the heart rate at the VT (VTHR) and at 60-80% MHRR. A secondary purpose was to determine the relationship, if any, between age, gender, height, weight, body mass index, percent body fat, resting heart rate, physical activity status (PAS), smoking history, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) at 60 and 80% Hrmax and the difference between the VTHR and 60% MHRR. Subjects were 373 apparently healthy or high risk (as defined by ACSM, 2) individuals (209 men, 164 women), ages 19-77 (46.1+12.8 yr.), from the Ball State University Adult Physical Fitness Program who performed a maximal treadmill test between 1992-1994. VT was selected using a computerized V-slope method by the SensorMedics 2900TI Metabolic Measurement Cart. The VTHR (125.2+16.9) was significantly lower than the 60-80% MHRR (133.1+10.8 to 154.5+12.7) (p<0.05). Two hundred and sixty two subjects (70.1%) were below 60% MHRR and 3 subjects (0.8%) were above 80% MHRR at the VTHR. Multiple regression analysis explained 11.2% of the variance in the difference between the VTHR and 60% MHRR using RPE at 60% HR,,,, PAS, and smoking history. For the majority (70.2%) of the adults in this study, the VTHR falls below the traditional THR of 60-80% MHRR. The 60-80% MHRR would appear to be an appropriate exercise training intensity for cardiorespiratory benefit and therefore the %MHRR range alone would seem to be an adequate training intensity. Further study related to the VTHR is warranted to determine its application, if any, to exercise prescription intensity. / School of Physical Education

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/185354
Date January 1995
CreatorsLeslie, Deborah R.
ContributorsBall State University. School of Physical Education., Dwyer, Gregory B.
Source SetsBall State University
Detected LanguageEnglish
Formatiii, 52 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.
SourceVirtual Press

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