How Can I Gauge My Intensity If I Don’t Have a Heart Rate Monitor?

If you don't have access to a hard rate monitor, you can simply engage intensity by perceived exertion. On a scale of 1 to 10, assessing what the current activity level intensity is, 10 being the highest, 1 being the least intense. So based on moderate activity you should be right around a 5-6, more intense activities, you should be around in 8 or 9.

We want to make sure that you are able to perform those exercises and feel challenged, but not to the point where you're too out of breath, nauseated, or uncomfortable. Another way of assessing your heart rate is by checking your pulse during the course of exercise or activity, by placing two fingers directly below the jawline aligned with your ear, gently applying pressure, getting a pulse rate for approximately 10 seconds, multiplying it by 6, and that gives you an approximate heart rate for that exercise or activity.

Your maximum heat rate will be determined by taking the number 220 and subtracting your age from it, and based on that percentage, and the percentage associated with the heart rate currently during that activity, that'll give you an idea of how hard you're going.