What does the Karvonen formula help determine?

The Karvonen formula is used to determine target heart rate, which is an essential component of creating effective and safe exercise programs. This formula takes into account an individual’s resting heart rate and maximum heart rate to calculate the heart rate range that is optimal for cardiovascular training.

By using the formula, fitness professionals can tailor exercise intensity to meet individual fitness levels and goals, ensuring that participants engage in workouts that enhance their cardiovascular fitness safely and effectively. This tailored approach helps individuals maximize their training while minimizing the risk of overexertion, making it an invaluable tool for fitness programming.

The other options focus on different aspects of fitness and health but do not utilize the Karvonen formula. Target body weight deals with weight goals rather than heart rate. Maximum heart rate refers to the peak heart rate achieved during intense exercise, and caloric expenditure relates to the number of calories burned during physical activity. None of these involve the specific calculations made by the Karvonen method.