What percentage of maximum heart rate should be maintained during the aerobic segment of a class?

The optimal percentage of maximum heart rate to maintain during the aerobic segment of a class is typically recommended to be within the range of 60-90%. This range is considered effective for improving cardiovascular fitness and endurance. When exercising at this intensity, participants can experience significant benefits such as enhanced stamina, improved heart health, and better overall fitness levels. Training at this level encourages adaptations in the cardiac and musculoskeletal systems, contributing to increased aerobic capacity and better performance in activities of daily living and sports.

Training within the 60-90% maximum heart rate range also ensures that participants are working hard enough to elevate their heart rate into the aerobic zone, where fat oxidation and energy production are optimized, leading to effective fat burning and fitness gains. This is especially crucial in group fitness settings where motivating participants to reach appropriate intensity levels is beneficial for their training outcomes.

Other ranges mentioned, like 50-70% or 70-90%, while they have their place in specific training zones (e.g., recovery or higher intensity intervals), do not encompass the ideal balanced approach for sustained aerobic fitness. Thus, maintaining exercise intensity within the 60-90% maximum heart rate range strikes a good balance for most fitness levels during the aerobic segment of a class.