what is the first step in determining your target heart rate zone?

Answer 1

For the best effect on your heart, you won't be breathing hard, no matter how high your heart rate. That means if you are breathing hard, your heart is getting stressed and you are not very fit, or you push yourself too hard for your health. Those people get heart attacks despite exercise.

American College of Sports Medicine, now uses 210 - (65% of age) as the recomended maximum heart rate. But their is some variation in individuals. That is MaxHR.

Training now can be at 60%, 70%, 80% or some other set point.

If you are out of shape, use that times your MaxHR number.

If in better fitness level, then use MaxHR - resting HR = Heart Rate Reserve (HRR).
Then training rate = restingHR + (% x HRR).

Me:
maxHR: 210 - (0.65x54) = 176
resting HR = 56
HRR = 176-56 = 120

an 75% training zone for me
56+ (.75 x 120) = 56 + 90 = 146

Answer 2

220 minus your age is supposed to be your maximum safe heart rate. Take 70% of that, and you have your exercising target rate. So, if you're 20 years old, 200 is your maximum, and 140 is your exercising target. If you're 40, 180 is your maximum, 126 is your exercising target.

Answer 3

First step is determining your age! (If you want to know the rest, you're going to have to ask)