Ok, you jumped on the fitness bandwagon and get to the gym when you can, eat healthier and even try to walk/run a few miles every week, along with throwing in a bike ride maybe once or twice a month. Sounds like your doing everything you need to, in order to be healthier right? Well, just how is your heart holding up to all of this?

Today, when your talking with someone about how you’re now exercising, someone in the group will probably lead the conversation to ask what your normal exercise routine heart rate is and if you're reaching your target zone. And you just stand there looking at him/her without knowing how to answer. Mainly because you just don’t know what your target zone or what your heart rate should be. So, what should they be?

The heart rate is one of the 'vital signs,' or the important indicators of health in the human body. It measures the number of times per minute that the heart contracts or beats.
The speed of the heartbeat varies as a result of physical activity, threats to safety, and emotional responses. The resting heart rate refers to the heart rate when a person is relaxed.

While a normal heart rate does not guarantee that a person is free of health problems, it is a useful benchmark for identifying a range of health issues. The heart is a muscular organ in the center of the chest. When it beats, the heart pumps blood containing oxygen and nutrients around the body and brings back waste products. A healthy heart supplies the body with just the right amount of blood at the right rate for whatever the body is doing at that time.

To get an idea of what your heart rate should be, it’s recommended that you exercise within 55 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate for at least 20 to 30 minutes to get the best results from aerobic exercise. The MHR (can be roughly calculated as using 220 minus your age) this is the upper limit of what your cardiovascular system can handle during physical activity.
For example, if you're 45 years old, subtract 45 from 220 to get a maximum heart rate of 175. This is the maximum number of times your heart should beat per minute during exercise.

When training for fitness, it is important not to put too much strain on the heart. However, an individual needs the heart rate to increase while exercising to provide more oxygen and energy for the rest of the body.

While the heart rate increases as a result of physical activity, an overall decrease in target heart rate is possible over time. This means that the heart is working less to get the necessary nutrients and oxygen to different parts of the body, making it more efficient.

Cardiovascular training aims to reduce the target heart rate. The ideal target heart rate reduces with age. It is also worth noting the maximum heart rate. This demonstrates the full capability of the heart, and it is normally reached through high-intensity exercise.

Exercise is a way to bring down the overall heart rate. The American Heart Association (AHA) states that the maximum heart rate during exercise should be roughly equal to 220 bpm minus the age of the person. As the body of each individual will react to exercise differently, the target heart rate is presented as a range known as the target heart rate zone.

A tool that is available to everyone today to track your heart rate and know where your at in regards to your target zone is to get a good, accurate heart rate monitor that can monitor your exercise activity and let you know just what your heart rate is, both by being active and when your at rest and how much time should elapse in between beginning a new exercise routine.
One such smartwatch is the Garmin Forerunner 735XT GPS Running Multisport Watch
This wrist-based heart rate monitor will track your beats per minutes, and the activity tracker will help you keep a close tab on your calories and sleep throughout the day. It's easy to view heart rate measuring function at the wrist, gives you an actual read on just how well you’re doing.
It also comes with advanced dynamics available for swimming, running, and cycling with stride length, vertical ratio, and more.  It can estimate your lactate threshold, offers a recovery advisor, and VO2 max estimate.

You can never be too careful when exercising not to overdo it! And having a tool like the Garmin Forerunner 735 strapped to your wrist can provide you with some necessary information that you can use to give you a heads up if you're moving into a danger zone. Remember, any type of fitness monitor is only another tool that’s available to you. We always recommend that you stay in contact with your physician on a regular basis for checkups to keep you both aware of any potential danger signals. A good smartwatch like the Garmin Forerunner 735 can give you a heads up about a potential problem that you can act on by getting to your doctor to get it checked out.

So, exercise, do it right and monitor your stats to make sure you and your heart are on the same wavelength!

Ok, anyone that is looking to get in better shape has probably heard all kind of fitness conversations about what to do, how to do it, and how you can get results faster. If you’re like most people now a days, you’re clicking around through the internet, searching on current fitness trends and what would work best for you and how to go about implementing it.

Well, here’s one more for you to contemplate. Work on building up your “Core” So do you really know what people mean when they’re talking about “Core”?
The “core” is a term used to describe just about everything on your body that isn't your legs and arms. This means you can think of your glutes, hips, abdominal muscles, inner abdominal muscles, pelvic floor, and scapula as your core. Your core is where your power is generated in order to carry out any movement. Your core muscles help strengthen and stabilize your spine and pelvis, which is why developing a powerful core is the first step to making your whole body stronger.

But you need to “Own” your commitment to building up your “Core” and it's not getting any easier to find the time to do this. Remember, those New Year resolutions you made about 8 weeks back? Well, if you’re like most Americans, about 41% made a New Year resolution after that ball dropped at midnight. Out of those 41%, 21% of them made the resolution to get fitter for 2018. But as in preceding years, at this time of year, by the end of February, only about 8% of those resolutions made are still being kept. Something we can probably all agree on: It's freakin' tough to stay fit when life's just this busy, and it only seems to get harder every year, especially when it means blocking off time to get in your exercises!

So, what is a beginner fitter, “Want-To-Be to do”?
So maybe you aren’t in good enough shape to get down and give us 50 crunches. But we know you’re not looking to ignore your core either. Well here’s no small truth: A strong midsection isn’t all about six-pack abs. Every time you lug in the groceries, shovel some heavy snow, or get out there (weather permitting) to do some landscaping around your home that involves digging, raking or picking up cut branches, to some extent your relying on your core as a foundation of strength to be able to accomplish these tasks.

Lots of beginners have upper back tension or lower back issues. Your core is located in your posterior chain and strengthening it will help keep your chest up and your spine strong, which can correlate to some back pain relief.

Whether you’re getting back into fitness after a lapse or you’re an exercise newbie, developing a solid core will increase your stability and balance. Translation: You’ll be able to perform more advanced moves with confidence as you regain your strength.

Below are a few exercises you can do, without the need to get to a gym and use their equipment. But to keep you honest and to track your exercise routines to make sure you're accomplishing your goals of working your “Core” and getting the maximum out of your workout routines, you should use an activity tracker. This way it automatically records your activity levels and provides that data to you so you can track just how well you're doing against what you need to attain your weekly or monthly fitness goals. One such tracker is the Garmin Vivofit 3 ) You can actually set daily goals for yourself in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Vívofit 3 acquires information about your current activity levels and accordingly assigns daily goals. It keeps on refreshing your daily goals as you achieve the previous ones and helps you march towards a better and healthier life. And if you happen to be sitting a little too much throughout the day, it’s going to remind you that its time you moved so that you maintain the proper movement within your daily lifestyle. So, take advantage of what technology has to offer you in helping you to achieve that “Core” that will carry you through any kind of life obstacle!

Bird-Dog Crunch
Targets: Abs, hamstrings, glutes, and shoulders
Stronger abs don’t develop overnight — you’ll have to first learn how to activate your core. For this essential True Beginner core exercise, start on the floor on all fours, hands placed directly underneath your shoulders, hips in line with your knees. This is your starting position. Lift your right hand and extend your arm straight out in on you, keeping it shoulder height, while simultaneously lifting your left leg and extending it straight back (a). Your whole body should be in a straight line from right fingertips to left toes. Bring your left leg to touch your right elbow under your stomach. Extend your leg and arm out again. Return to starting position (b). Repeat on the other side (c). Do five reps on each side.

Modification: If you’re unable to maintain form, simplify this movement by forgoing the crunch. Instead, extend your arm and opposite leg out and hold for three seconds, then switch sides.

Standing Bicycle Crunches
Targets: Oblique’s, rotational muscles
Do traditional crunches cause discomfort? Rubin suggests this True Beginner variation instead. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hands placed behind your head. With a tight core, straight back and relaxed shoulders lift your right leg and simultaneously raise your right knee and lower your left elbow towards each other (a). Return to the starting position (b). Repeat on the opposite side. Do five reps on each side.

Modification: If rotating your upper body downwards is too difficult, simply lift your knee to your chest while keeping your upper body still, alternating legs.

Seated Leg Lifts
Targets: Abs, hamstrings
Don’t be fooled by this basic-looking leg lift: Beginners to even more advanced folks will start feeling the burn after a few reps. Sit on the floor, legs extended straight out in front of you. Keeping your core engaged, lean back slightly, so you’re able to place your hands on either side of your glutes. Take a deep breath and lift one leg six inches off the ground (a). Hold for five seconds, and then put it down. Repeat with the other leg (b). Continue alternating for one-minute straight, then take a 20-second break. Repeat for five rounds.

Modification: To make this exercise easier, lift one leg at a time without stopping to hold each one extended for five seconds. Need more of a challenge? After lifting a heel, bring your knee into your chest, then extend your heel back out and lower down. Repeat on the opposite side.

Sit-Ups
Targets: Abs, possibly hip flexors depending on range of motion
If performed incorrectly, sit-ups can cause more pain than they’re worth. Rubin breaks down how to safely and effectively perform the move. To start, sit on the floor with your knees bent, heels touching the floor, hands on either side of your head, shoulders dropped and relaxed to avoid tension in the neck. Keeping your feet on the ground, lay back until your back is flat on the floor, or as far as you’re able (a). Rise back up (b). Continue for one minute straight, then take a 20-second break. Repeat for five rounds.

Modification: Having trouble keeping your core and back engaged? Slowly lower yourself as far as you can, and work up to lowering completely down to the floor. There’s no need to go all the way back until you can maintain perfect form.

Modified Bicycle Crunch
Targets: Oblique’s, rotational muscles
Start in the same neutral position as the set-up, sitting with knees bent, heels flat on the floor, hands on either side of your head (a). Bring the right knee and left elbow towards one another, with a simple and gentle twist (b). Return to the start position (c). Complete the movement with the left knee and right elbow. Continue for one minute straight, then take a 20-second break. Repeat for five rounds.

Modification: This is a major progression from the sit-up, so if this movement is tough for you, keep practicing sit-ups

Spider Plank Crunch
Targets: Lower abs, glutes
Still, have fuel left in the tank? Rubin challenges True Beginners to tap into their Spidey sense. Start in a push-up position, hands on the ground directly underneath your shoulders, legs extended backward with your toes on the ground, so your body is in a straight line. Lift your right leg and bring your knee towards the outside of your right elbow (a). Return to plank position (b). Repeat the movement with the other leg. Do five reps with each leg.

Modification: If this is too challenging, simply hold a plank on your elbows or hands for 30 seconds at a time, for three rounds. (If you have a wrist issue, try doing this movement on your elbows.)

Now, remember, these exercises are geared to help you increase the strength to your overall “Core” if one or two of them seem a little hard when you first try them. Lay back a bit but continue to work your way up to the recommended reps associated with each and in time you’re going to be cranking them out on a consistent basis.