Category: Exercise

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Explaining Your Resting and Target Heart Rate

Your heart rate is a window into your well-being, and maintaining a steady rhythm is crucial. A balanced heart rate indicates good overall health, while irregularities may signify underlying issues. By understanding your resting heart rate (RHR) and target heart rate (THR), you can take charge of your cardiovascular health and improve vitality.

Resting Heart Rate (RHR)

Your RHR reflects the number of times your heart beats per minute when you’re completely at rest. Monitoring your RHR provides valuable insights into your fitness level and can serve as an early warning system for potential health concerns. Regularly checking your RHR helps track the impact of your exercise routine and guides you toward areas of improvement or necessary adjustments.

Interpreting your RHR can be challenging since it tends to decrease as your heart becomes stronger through aerobic exercise. Individuals who exercise regularly often enjoy a lower RHR, indicating a healthier, more robust, and more efficient heart. Conversely, individuals who don’t engage in regular physical activity may experience bradycardia, which can cause concern. A normal RHR for adults falls between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm), with higher values potentially signaling health issues. It’s important to consider that RHR may differ based on gender, as women generally have lower blood volume, leading to a slightly higher RHR.

Target Heart Rate (THR)

While RHR is an objective measurement, your THR represents the ideal heart rate range you aim to achieve during exercise or intense physical activity. You can effectively monitor and optimize your workout sessions by setting a target rate.

Typically expressed as a percentage (between 50-85%) of your maximum heart rate, determining your target heart rate is relatively straightforward. Start by calculating your maximum heart rate, estimated by subtracting your age from 220. For instance, a 40-year-old male would have a maximum heart rate of 180 bpm. At an exertion level of 50%, their target heart rate would be 90 bpm, while at 85%, it would be 153 bpm. Fitness trackers can conveniently provide real-time target heart rate data to simplify the process.

Embrace the power of your heart rate and embark on a journey toward better health and fitness. With this knowledge, you can fine-tune your exercise routine to unlock your full potential. Let your heart rate be your guide to a vibrant and fulfilling life!

Dr. Barbara Edwards, a Princeton MD, is the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, providing quality care to uninsured and under-insured New Jersey residents in Mercer and Middlesex counties.

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Benefits of Bodyweight Workouts

Exercising is critical to maintaining our health. Both physically and mentally, there are many benefits to going to the gym or out for a jog. However, a type of training called bodyweight exercise differs from the rest as it requires no special tools or machines. This type of strength training is unique because it uses one’s body weight against gravity. Here are some benefits of bodyweight workouts:

Full Body Workout

Rather than isolating one or two parts of the body at a time, bodyweight workouts like squats, planks, and push-ups are highly beneficial to strength training because they work out the entire body. All muscle groups are being utilized and actively fighting against gravity from the core to arms, legs, and back.

Versatility

Since bodyweight workouts don’t require machines or equipment, they can be performed virtually anywhere. These workouts can be done quickly and at any time of the day, which is great for anyone with a busy schedule.

Balance and Flexibility Improvements

Making bodyweight exercises part of one’s workout can help with everyday activities. During a bodyweight workout, the body has to stabilize itself actively by fighting against gravity and stretching many body parts simultaneously. Those who do bodyweight exercises will have their balance and flexibility increase noticeably.

Dr. Barbara R. Edwards, Princeton Internist, practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center. She is also the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health.

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Mental Health Benefits of Exercise

It’s a commonly known fact that exercise has a plethora of health benefits, both physical and mental. You can probably rattle off any dozen from the list right now: maintained or reduced body weight, reduced blood pressure, prevention of cancers and heart disease, longer stamina, and so on. Let’s look at a few of the most important mental health benefits that come from exercising.

Improved self-esteem

Continued exercise with slowly increasing intensity can also cause you to lose body fat, making you feel even better about yourself when you look in the mirror. Exercise not only improves how you see yourself in the mirror.  It also stimulates the part of the brain that makes you feel satisfied.

Reduction of stress and anxiety

Suffering from anxiety can cause impairment of cognitive functioning. In studies, exercise has been shown to reduce anxiety and sensitivity to stress. Coupled with therapy or another form of mental health help, exercise is one of the leading remedies to curing anxiety disorder naturally.

Improved learning

Certain research has shown that there is a link between learning and memory, and exercise. As we know, exercise improves cognitive function, which can lead to an improved rate of learning. On this same token, exercise is known to increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a protein imperative to memory forming.

Increased creativity

For those who love to create, whether it’s the painters of the world, songwriters, designers, or anyone else with a passionate creative itch, exercise has been known to improve creativity levels in people.

Dr. Barbara Edwards, a Princeton MD is the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, providing quality care to uninsured and under-insured New Jersey residents in Mercer and Middlesex counties.

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Working Out with a Bad Back

Sometimes when you are on your feet for too long or sleep on an old uncomfortable bed, you may wake up with some minor back pain. As we age, it’s not uncommon to consider yourself someone who has a “bad back”. Between spasms, slipped discs, muscle soreness, or “throwing out” your back, back pain is one of the most common complaints of ageing. If you feel back pain frequently, do not allow it to get in the way of your daily workout—movement and resistance are essential to maintaining resilient muscles and bones. Here are some workouts that you can do even with a bad back.

Swimming

Working out with back pain may be nerve wracking especially when you are worried you might make the pain worse. That is why you need to change up your exercise routine with something that puts less strain on your back. Swimming on days when your back is bothering you can help because this is a low-impact workout. High impact workouts that people are familiar with like running will exacerbate the pain. If your back pain is the result of an overuse injury, it is especially important to change your routine and consider swimming instead.

Yoga

Yoga is quite a flexible exercise to do—no pun intended. Since you know your limitations, you are able to work around your back pain. If you are working with an instructor, they will be able to adapt the session for you to be able to participate safely. Another way you can help your back is by using an exercise ball in your yoga session. This equipment is softer on your back which could reduce the pain.

Stretch

It is always important to stretch before and after a workout and on your active rest days from your workouts. Stretching often can help alleviate your back pain as well as strengthen your back muscles to keep it from occurring (not including back muscles being sore). If you skip the stretching part of your workout routine, this can lead to injury and excessive back pain.

When you are suffering from back pain, don’t let it determine your whole day or stop you from being active. There are plenty of alternative ways you can be active without having to worry about injuring your back further. Try some of these even if you don’t have back pain for something different!

Dr. Barbara R. Edwards, Princeton Internist, practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center. She is also the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health.

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Benefits of Pilates

There are plenty of different kinds of classes you can find at your local gym. Between yoga, zumba, aerobics and more, you are bound to find one you like. Recently, Pilates has become a popular exercise methodology for folks working out both at the gym and at home. If you have hesitations about taking a pilates class, read on for some benefits that could give you some motivation. 

Tension Release

Facing back pain day in and day out can become distracting and uncomfortable. There are many reasons why people may experience this excruciating pain, but by taking part in a pilates class, you may find relief. Pilates builds and works on your core strength which has many positives as it serves as your body’s stabilizer. With a stronger core you will develop better posture which helps against the stress cumulative towards your lower back. It will also help you move your body more freely. 

Low Impact Exercise

Taking part in a low impact exercise means that it is great for everyone. Low impact exercise is defined by how easy it is on muscles and joints. With a workout like this you will not be running or jumping, but still working on your muscles and strengthening them, while working up a sweat. So, you can do a pilates workout at home, or in an apartment without having to worry about bothering others.

Decreases Stress

Working out in general is a great way to release some stress you may be feeling. Pilates takes it a step further by making sure you are in tune with your breathing. Regulating your breathing is essential for mindful exercise for methods such as yoga, barre and pilates. It centers your body and mind and brings you to the present while working out the stress you may be feeling. Take notice of your mood before and after you finish because pilates can also help improve your overall mood. 

Pilates is becoming a trend that a lot of people are starting to take part in. Whether you want to take an in-person pilates class or follow a routine online there is minimal equipment needed so you will be able to get started right away. Overall your body will thank you in ways you may not even realize. 

Dr. Barbara R. Edwards, Princeton Internist, practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center. She is also the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health.