Making your heart work HARDER will make it STRONGER!
The best way to keep your heart healthy and strong is with EXERCISE!
Exercise that raises your heart-rate will build a stronger heart which can pump more blood to the muscles and tissues that need it all throughout your body.
Exercise that raises your heart-rate will build a stronger heart which can pump more blood to the muscles and tissues that need it all throughout your body.
Let's watch this video which shows what an important job the heart has within our body ==>>
Wow! The heart is pretty impressive, isn't it? Let's learn how to keep your heart strong and healthy! |
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Get that heart rate UP!
Exercise that raises your heart-rate is called aerobic exercise. Although that word may be new to you, in PE class we do many aerobic activities. What activities that we do in PE that get your heart rate up?
This week I want you to choose exercises that get your heart rate UP!
See if you can do 2-3 activities this week. How long can you do them for? Write it down on your Activity Journal!
Here are just a few aerobic exercises which will get your heart rate up:
This week I want you to choose exercises that get your heart rate UP!
See if you can do 2-3 activities this week. How long can you do them for? Write it down on your Activity Journal!
Here are just a few aerobic exercises which will get your heart rate up:
- Running (sprinting or distance run; tag games and sports)
- Dancing or Gymnastics
- Walking/Hiking/Bike Riding/Swimming
- Fitness (Push-ups, curl-ups, lunges, squats, lifting weights, kettlebell swing)
- Jump Rope/Agility Ladder/ DOT Training/ Box Jumps (see 5th grade Movement & Fitness Exercises)
4th and 5th Graders read on...Let's take our aerobic exercise to the next level.
Your aerobic exercise needs to be at least moderate intensity to have benefits for your heart.
So what is moderate intensity? Well...it means that when you exercise you need to be tracking your heart-rate as well as know what intensity level you must reach.
Your intensity level is how many beats per minute (BPM) your heart is pumping.
To figure out what a moderate intensity level is we must go through a math process that uses subtraction and division.
First we must find our Maximum Heart Rate (MHR).
Your MHR is the maximum number of times your heart could ever beat in 1 minute.
To find your MHR take the number 220 and subtract your age.
So if you are 10 years old it would look like this: 220-10= 210.
210 would be your maximum heart rate during any exercise you do.
But we are not done. Next we need to find out what a moderate intensity would be based off of your MHR.
To do this we take your Maximum Heart Rate (210) and then divide it by 2.
So for our example: 210/2= 105. This would give you your moderate level of intensity, which is 105 Beats Per Minute.
So, when you are exercising and your heart-rate is 105 beats per minute (or more), you have reached a moderate intensity level. Good job!
Knowing what your moderate intensity number is will help you gauge whether you are working hard enough to get the benefits of a healthier heart from the exercise you are doing.
4th and 5th graders- Do you now know what your moderate intensity number is? Can you reach it next time you exercise?
Your intensity level is how many beats per minute (BPM) your heart is pumping.
To figure out what a moderate intensity level is we must go through a math process that uses subtraction and division.
First we must find our Maximum Heart Rate (MHR).
Your MHR is the maximum number of times your heart could ever beat in 1 minute.
To find your MHR take the number 220 and subtract your age.
So if you are 10 years old it would look like this: 220-10= 210.
210 would be your maximum heart rate during any exercise you do.
But we are not done. Next we need to find out what a moderate intensity would be based off of your MHR.
To do this we take your Maximum Heart Rate (210) and then divide it by 2.
So for our example: 210/2= 105. This would give you your moderate level of intensity, which is 105 Beats Per Minute.
So, when you are exercising and your heart-rate is 105 beats per minute (or more), you have reached a moderate intensity level. Good job!
Knowing what your moderate intensity number is will help you gauge whether you are working hard enough to get the benefits of a healthier heart from the exercise you are doing.
4th and 5th graders- Do you now know what your moderate intensity number is? Can you reach it next time you exercise?
Finding your heart rate DURING exercise
These days many people who work out wear electronic devices (FitBits or Garmin/Apple watches) that will track their heart rate. This allows you to quickly and easily see if you are working out at the intensity level at you wish to.
As long as you know your intensity level number you can push yourself to reach that limit.
As long as you know your intensity level number you can push yourself to reach that limit.
What happened before FitBits?
Another place on your body to check your heart rate (also called pulse) is your carotid artery on the side of your neck- just like the guy above is doing. Can you find your pulse in your carotid artery? Gently press the side of your neck and you should be able to find it.
So...If you don't have a FitBit or other device, during your exercise you would have to STOP & CHECK your heart rate to see if you are in the moderate intensity zone. If you are not...push yourself a little harder to get that heart rate into your moderate zone!
So...If you don't have a FitBit or other device, during your exercise you would have to STOP & CHECK your heart rate to see if you are in the moderate intensity zone. If you are not...push yourself a little harder to get that heart rate into your moderate zone!