Kay Mamo is a Level 3 Certified Heart Zones Trainer and is impacting many lives through heart rate training. Meet Raymond Kropp, one of Kay’s clients and friends. Raymond is 68 and has found threshold heart rate training at a time in his life when he needed it. This is his story, in his words.
From Raymond on Threshold Training:
Prior to learning my threshold heart rate, I would work out for extended periods of time on the tread mill or elliptical -believing that the greater number of minutes meant a good workout.
I felt as though I was not getting enough out of my workout time.
Frustrated, I enrolled in a health club class aimed at determining your ideal workout heart rate. A threshold heart rate is a unique number for each of us. As a result of supervised cardio-exercise and the instructor’s guidance and research related to my medications we were able to identify my upper threshold heart rate. Once this number was determined, we were able to determine what heart rate zones to target during my exercise program. In subsequent classes we tested our findings through supervised sessions recording our heart rates and length of exercise at different levels of exertion. My exercise program has become far more beneficial.
Spin cycling is my favorite 45 to 60 minute workout. During a spin cycle session I am able to set my pace and tension to achieve the desired heart rate levels –I am able to progress from fat burn through aerobic cardio level to my heart rate peak threshold and above.
It is very important that I know my peak heart rate since I had heart bypass surgery 16 years ago at the age of 52. A hard workout is great but it is also very critical for individuals like myself not to overdo the stress on your heart. My cardiologist reviews my exercise program at every appointment and she gives my workout program an A+. Regular cardio exercise along with awareness of heart rate levels earns her professional endorsement.
My weekly program averages ten to twelve hours a week at the Health Center concentrating on cardio, weightlifting, core and a little yoga. By targeting my heart rate levels I have lost some pounds and gained muscle. More importantly I have cut my metoprolol dosage in half and eliminated Niaspan – a cholesterol related medication from my morning pills because of improved blood and heart numbers.
So far I have been blessed with six grandchildren and hope to be here for them when they need a helping hand with their college tuitions.
Thanks to my Health Club trainer and cycling instructor – Kay Mamo!
To learn more about heart rate training or finding a certified Heart Zones Trainer near you call today.