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Sunday, April 20, 2008

Determining Your Training Heart Rate Range

When performing different fitness activities you will find that your heart rate will be at different zones depending on your intensity. Did you know that where your heart rate is will actually determine what results you will achieve? There are four different training heart rate zones and each are different.

General Health Zone:

In order to reduce the chance of developing chronic diseases it is recommended to perform some type of fitness activity at 50 to 60 percent of your maximum heart rate for 30 minutes. You need to be trying to achieve this at least 3-4 times a week. Later we will determine how to calculate your maximum heart rate and the zone heart rate calculations. Activities to put you in this range include: walking, gardening, or easy cycling for example. Any low intensity activities can get your heart rate where it needs to be for general health.

Weight Management:

If you are looking to reduce your body fat and achieve weight loss than you need to get your heart rate in the 60 to 70 percent zone of your maximum heart rate. Once again you need to keep your body exercising for at least 30 minutes, and perform a decent pace jog for example in this zone. There is no need to do fast running or any sprinting as your heart rate is only still at 60 to 70 percent.

Aerobic Conditioning:

If your goal is to improve your cardio-vascular conditioning for better stamina and endurance, you should put your heart rate in the 70 to 80 percent training heart rate range. If you are fairly fit already than most likely you will need to be in this range to achieve weight loss. You need to remember if you are new to training then you wont need to get your heart rate as high to achieve weight loss. This zone will probably require you to start running and keep the pace for at least 30 minutes.

Advanced Conditioning:

Are you training to get your body in top shape for maybe some type of sporting event such as a triathlon? Then you need to be pushing your body over the 80 percent maximum heart rate training zone. This workout zone is definitely for the extremely fit people as its hard to keep your heart rate in this zone for an extended period of time as it can become quite physically and mentally demanding.

How do you work out your maximum heart rate zone? Well just use the formula below and you then could be determining your training heart rate range.

Maximum Heart Rate = 220 - Your Age

So lets say you are 24 years old than your maximum heart rate will be 220 24 = 196 beats per minute (bpm)

Lets say you wanted to achieve weight management then you need to keep your body in the 60 to 70 percent zone of 196 beats per minute. This can be found as follows:

(60% - 70%) * (196) bpm

Minimum heart rate range = 60% * 196 bpm = 117.6 bpm

Maximum heart rate range = 70% * 196 bpm = 137.2 bpm

Therefore for an average 24 year old who wants to perform weight management they should keep their heart rate between 118 to 137 beats per minute (bpm rounded).

The final thing you must think about is how to measure your heart rate. If you are using a piece of fitness equipment sometimes they may have hand held pulse sensors or a heart rate chest strap included. Hand held pulse sensors are only around 80 percent accurate where a heart rate chest strap provides about 99 percent accuracy. This is very important as if you want to measure your heart rate accurately then you are going to need a chest strap to get you the best results possible. One of the best heart rate monitoring companies is Polar who make the heart rate watches you wear which use the chest strap to transmit your heart rate. You will need a portable watch if you decide to exercise without equipment that caters for your heart rate. start measuring your heart rate today and getter better results instantly!

Michael Ward is the business owner of Australias leading fitness equipment store called Unbeatablefitness.com.au If you visit http://www.unbeatablefitness.com.au you will find one of Australias largest fitness product range and all at the best prices money can buy. http://www.unbeatablefitness.com.au aims to provide fitness equipment for everybody no matter on their budget at hand. Not only do we provide equipment but also fitness advice as the team at http://www.unbeatablefitness.com.au all have long term experience in the fitness sector ranging from weightlifting, cardiovcascular training to the martial arts! Check out our prices and you wont be disappointed. For more information contact us at admin@unbeatablefitness.com.au

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Reiki Treatment Classified As Complementary or Energy Medicine

Reiki treatment is considered a type of complementary medicine. The national center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is currently sponsoring Reiki research in the areas of fibromyalgia, advanced AIDS, anxiety, prostate cancer and diabetes.

Conducting Reiki research can be difficult. Normally when scientists are conducting clinical research, they use two groups; one to receive active treatment and one to receive an inactive treatment or placebo. They use methods to insure that neither the patient nor the practitioner knows which group is receiving the active substance and which is receiving the placebo.

The reasoning behind this is simple. The power of suggestion is strong in people. about 35% of patients will respond to any form of treatment, whether active or inactive. This is known as the placebo effect.

In order to scientifically study Reiki treatment, all of the practitioners would need to believe that they were using Reiki. Some practitioners would somehow need to be taught to use Reiki incorrectly.

Some of us believe that simply teaching someone about the existence of Reiki, which is the universal life force or energy that lies within us all, allows them to use the energy positively in their own lives and the lives of others. In other words, no matter how the practitioners were taught to use Reiki, the treatment could still be effective. And also, a Reiki therapist can feel the flow of energy in their hands. Keeping practitioners blinded seems somewhat impossible to me.

But, despite the problems, NCCAM sponsored Reiki research is going forward. Researchers are investigating how Reiki treatment might work. This may be difficult, because it might require proving that the life force energy exists and our current technology does not allow us to see it or detect it in other ways.

Other Reiki research may be easier to conduct. Blood sugar levels, heart function and disease progression can be easily measured, so the research concerning diabetes and prostate cancer should be reasonably conclusive. But, there will still be the placebo effect to consider.

Reiki research regarding AIDS, fibromyalgia and anxiety will require more patient input and the results may not be considered scientifically conclusive. Reiki treatment should be very effective for anxiety, because one of the most commonly reported effects is a sense of relaxation. In addition, if patients with anxiety and those who are dealing with advanced AIDS are taught the Reiki way, they should experience a greater sense of well-being, a deep feeling of comfort and relaxation.

In fact, anyone can benefit from Reiki treatment or learning the Reiki way.

To learn more about bringing the power of Reiki into your own life please visit http://understanding-reiki.com.

Patsy Hamilton was a health care professional for over twenty years before becoming a health writer. Currently she is writing a series of articles about Reiki. Read more at http://understanding-reiki.com

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