just like any other muscle the heart needs to work out too-you know-cardio. but to get the most benefit for your heart* you need to work out at a particular heart rate-your target heart rate or THR. this is usually a percentage of your maximum heart rate-MHR- depending on how fit-or not- that you are.
let's not get too complicated here. the easiest way to figure your MHR is to subtract your age from 220. but this is based on averages so many people fall at either end. a better formula is 208-(.7 x age). for instance a 50 year old would have a MHR of 173. if that person wants to work at between 50% to 60% of their MHR their THR would be from 86 to 103.
so here again you have choices on how to know whether are not you are in your THR zone. you can just stop and count your heart beats for one minute with the first beat being zero. or there are all kinds of tech and apps available. the most accurate heart rate monitors are the types that you actually wear around your chest and that transmit the info into another device such as a watch.
the point is not to get too complex but to understand what your heart needs to get the most benefits. once you figure this out and work out at your THR you will know how it feels and can just judge future workouts by that feeling. but remember, as you get more fit you need to progress and work at a higher percentage of your MHR.
*heart disease is the #1 cause of death in women
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