Heart Rate and Exercise
Discussion
So I've always kept reasonably fit - very fit in fact up till the age of 32 when injuries finally put an end to my footy career!
I now go to the gym about 4 times a week and exercise/stretch for about 90mins per session.
I've noticed how high my heart rate goes, even after just a couple of minutes on the bike/cross trainer.
Today an old boy (about 60) was on the cross trainer next to me, my heart rate was at 170, his was at 130 and I got to start thinking if I have a problem !
I normally do a mix of bike/cross trainer and running. Once I stop each exercise my hear rate comes down pretty quickly.
Whats normal - these cardio machines flashing "high heart rate" at me every couple of minutes is getting me worried?
BTW I'm 36 years old , 5'11 and about 89kilos (13stone 13oz.)
I now go to the gym about 4 times a week and exercise/stretch for about 90mins per session.
I've noticed how high my heart rate goes, even after just a couple of minutes on the bike/cross trainer.
Today an old boy (about 60) was on the cross trainer next to me, my heart rate was at 170, his was at 130 and I got to start thinking if I have a problem !
I normally do a mix of bike/cross trainer and running. Once I stop each exercise my hear rate comes down pretty quickly.
Whats normal - these cardio machines flashing "high heart rate" at me every couple of minutes is getting me worried?
BTW I'm 36 years old , 5'11 and about 89kilos (13stone 13oz.)
neenaw said:
Scraggles said:
read that it should be 202 - age, so unless looking for a free heart attack, maybe keep the HR to say 150 max ?
Isn't it 220-age?Was the old guy going at the same intensity? I can sit on the bike in the gym for 45 minutes and not get my heart rate above 140, or I can go for a run and have it up to 180 in 8 minutes.
Just depends how hard you're working and what you're used to.
A good indication is to go flat out on any cardio, can't remember for how long, then measure your heart rate at the end, then measure it again after a minute, then again after two minutes. I think if it slows by 40 in the first minute then that's a fairly good result.
That's just off the top of my head, though. Google recovering heart rate for more info. I think that's what I searched for when I read it.
Slagathore said:
neenaw said:
Scraggles said:
read that it should be 202 - age, so unless looking for a free heart attack, maybe keep the HR to say 150 max ?
Isn't it 220-age?Was the old guy going at the same intensity? I can sit on the bike in the gym for 45 minutes and not get my heart rate above 140, or I can go for a run and have it up to 180 in 8 minutes.
Just depends how hard you're working and what you're used to.
A good indication is to go flat out on any cardio, can't remember for how long, then measure your heart rate at the end, then measure it again after a minute, then again after two minutes. I think if it slows by 40 in the first minute then that's a fairly good result.
That's just off the top of my head, though. Google recovering heart rate for more info. I think that's what I searched for when I read it.
Old guy was on level 8 out of 20 and going about 100paces per minute (not that i was looking)
I was on level 14 going at 120 paces per minute so quite a bit more intensity.... he did look pretty old though !
170bpm is fine and nothing to worry about. as people have said your max heart rate is approx 220-age, though this obviously varies. if you were working at a higher intensity for yourself, than he was for himself then of course yours will be higher. and so what if he's old...some old people can be very fit. member of my athletics club is about 50 or so and still gets around 60 seconds for 400m hurdles. he's won world championships for masters athletics etc. so age isn't clear indicator.
resting heart rate can give you some information (best taken when you just wake up) if it's at or around 70 you have nothing to worry about at all, below 70....great. athletes can have resting heart rates of around 40 or less!
don't worry about it one bit OP.
resting heart rate can give you some information (best taken when you just wake up) if it's at or around 70 you have nothing to worry about at all, below 70....great. athletes can have resting heart rates of around 40 or less!
don't worry about it one bit OP.
We're all different. 220-age is a very rough guide if that. My HR max after a tough erg session is 205, which is about 45bpm over what it should be if I went by that formula 
It used to worry me, especially when comparing my HR info against others doing similar sessions at a similar pace. But resting HR is usually around 50 and I recover nicely so it seems I just have a motor that likes to rev. Maybe it's because I drive a Honda...
It used to worry me, especially when comparing my HR info against others doing similar sessions at a similar pace. But resting HR is usually around 50 and I recover nicely so it seems I just have a motor that likes to rev. Maybe it's because I drive a Honda...As per ^^^^^ 220 less age is only an indication.
If you really care 1st establish your true max...... do some exercise and then really push it to the point where you simply cannot go any further and feel sick for about a minute...... that will give you your true max.
Then if you want to do heart rate based training use that for your calculations.
I used to worry about it but realised that as previously said everyone is different, it's not how quickly it rises but how quickly it falls again after..... my rest rate is c60.... as soon as I start to exercise it jumps to mid 130s, when I work really hard can peak at close on 200 when my theoretical max should be 178. It also drops very quickly too.
Also what effects it is the general state of your body, even if you're slighty dehydrated or "stressed" or hungry these will all increase it. Perhaps this "old bloke" drinks for all he is worth, is chilled out and had a good breakfast and you went to the gym after work?
Learning how to work with it will also do you favours.
For example; My chosen sport is cycling. My local hill is the "hors categorie" Col de Joux Plan climb which is only 13km long and climbs from 600 to 1800m.. An average of c10%...... but there are parts which are 15/16%... at these I know my rate will peak and I can sustain it for a minute or so BUT I also know I must bring it back down and recover when the road drops back to 8% not think I can make up some time on this relative flat.
If you really care 1st establish your true max...... do some exercise and then really push it to the point where you simply cannot go any further and feel sick for about a minute...... that will give you your true max.
Then if you want to do heart rate based training use that for your calculations.
I used to worry about it but realised that as previously said everyone is different, it's not how quickly it rises but how quickly it falls again after..... my rest rate is c60.... as soon as I start to exercise it jumps to mid 130s, when I work really hard can peak at close on 200 when my theoretical max should be 178. It also drops very quickly too.
Also what effects it is the general state of your body, even if you're slighty dehydrated or "stressed" or hungry these will all increase it. Perhaps this "old bloke" drinks for all he is worth, is chilled out and had a good breakfast and you went to the gym after work?
Learning how to work with it will also do you favours.
For example; My chosen sport is cycling. My local hill is the "hors categorie" Col de Joux Plan climb which is only 13km long and climbs from 600 to 1800m.. An average of c10%...... but there are parts which are 15/16%... at these I know my rate will peak and I can sustain it for a minute or so BUT I also know I must bring it back down and recover when the road drops back to 8% not think I can make up some time on this relative flat.
Marcellus said:
As per ^^^^^ 220 less age is only an indication.
If you really care 1st establish your true max...... do some exercise and then really push it to the point where you simply cannot go any further and feel sick for about a minute...... that will give you your true max.
Surely with some supervision? He's trying to establish what's safe - not kill himself. If you really care 1st establish your true max...... do some exercise and then really push it to the point where you simply cannot go any further and feel sick for about a minute...... that will give you your true max.
For 999 out of a thousand there'll be no issue but to deliberately push yourself to your absolute maximum to the point of being sick is reckless. IMO.
When I used to train more effectively, we used to do stamina training at 65-75% of max heart rate, sustained for long periods of time. (Up to 80 minutes on a rowing machine.)
For me now, that would be a range of 125 to 145 or thereabouts. 75-85% was reserved for one 30 min session a week. We did pieces into 85%+ for up to a minute at a time, with good active rests in between, maybe 6-10 pieces in an hour, and reserved the longer 85%+ stuff for the lead into the summer racing season.
OP: Depending on what you're trying to achieve, you might be working too hard, but at least you're doing something, which is more than a lot of people are. Maybe a couple of sessions with a personal trainer to discuss your objectives and get some advice is in order...
For me now, that would be a range of 125 to 145 or thereabouts. 75-85% was reserved for one 30 min session a week. We did pieces into 85%+ for up to a minute at a time, with good active rests in between, maybe 6-10 pieces in an hour, and reserved the longer 85%+ stuff for the lead into the summer racing season.
OP: Depending on what you're trying to achieve, you might be working too hard, but at least you're doing something, which is more than a lot of people are. Maybe a couple of sessions with a personal trainer to discuss your objectives and get some advice is in order...
LordGrover said:
Marcellus said:
As per ^^^^^ 220 less age is only an indication.
If you really care 1st establish your true max...... do some exercise and then really push it to the point where you simply cannot go any further and feel sick for about a minute...... that will give you your true max.
Surely with some supervision? He's trying to establish what's safe - not kill himself. If you really care 1st establish your true max...... do some exercise and then really push it to the point where you simply cannot go any further and feel sick for about a minute...... that will give you your true max.
For 999 out of a thousand there'll be no issue but to deliberately push yourself to your absolute maximum to the point of being sick is reckless. IMO.
during training sessions i regularly push that hard. several times i have been sick. having said that....the being sick thing could be due to not warming up properly. due to a massive increase in body heat production. i don't entirely know.
i would say it's fairly safe for the OP to push himself as hard as he can. he's a fit individual with history of good lifestyle. just make sure you warm up properly and don't do too much static stretching before. before is bad!
One of the trainers at my local gym pushed me to the limit of feeling extremely sick, but once at that point made me rest then change to a different exercise. They did say that it's a sign of not being hydrated enough.
Also, if I go at the heart rate pace recommended by the machines in the gym for my age and weight, then I rarely break a sweat. I have to ignore them and do my own thing to get any kind of decent workout. The trainer said that I need to find my own level as the recommended heart rate is just that, recommended but not gospel.
Also, if I go at the heart rate pace recommended by the machines in the gym for my age and weight, then I rarely break a sweat. I have to ignore them and do my own thing to get any kind of decent workout. The trainer said that I need to find my own level as the recommended heart rate is just that, recommended but not gospel.
Edited by Firefoot on Tuesday 13th April 09:03
i don't think anyone has pointed this out yet but it may be worth taking the HR reading on the machine with a pinch of salt (whatever the krunk that expression means). i've used a pretty expensive and much more accurate HR monitor that straps around your waist (stole it off a friend) and the difference between that and what some machines tell you is quite suprising.
as a succint response to your question you seem to be exercising at ~ the right intensity (it is 220 - age). the fact that your heart rate 'recovers' quite quickly is a sign of good fitness
as a succint response to your question you seem to be exercising at ~ the right intensity (it is 220 - age). the fact that your heart rate 'recovers' quite quickly is a sign of good fitness
MacGee said:
220-age is your max heart rate...you shouldnt exercise at this level...youll die.
quite a big assumption, no!? in some of the training sessions at my athletics club i reckon i've been close to this mark god knows how many times, especially in the faster, track season. i'm still alive and very healthy as someone has already pointed out, the heart rate monitors in gyms are very touch and go.
i've never been one to monitor heart rate, i just run/cycle/whatever according to how i feel on the given day and let my body decide how quick i go. food for thought?
OP - don't worry about it, and just get back exercising
MacGee said:
"You'll die".....I know I made that up...but prob not good to reach MHR if you are unfit. Average Joe should get to the 60-80% for a long period for max benefit.....
i'll admit, i'm assuming the OP does some work in his sessions, but....Bandit said:
So I've always kept reasonably fit - very fit in fact up till the age of 32 when injuries finally put an end to my footy career!
I now go to the gym about 4 times a week and exercise/stretch for about 90mins per session.
i totally agree with you, for max benefit about 60-80% MHR for cardio benefit, but if the OP wants to find his MHR there is close to no risk if what he says above is true. the MHR can be helpful if people want to find out what that 60-80% is to them. as i've said, i'm more a fan of just going on how you feel. some days you might feel shagged and 150bpm is too much, others you feel electric and want to push harder. that's how i base my training on, but i fully understand why people want to monitor HR.I now go to the gym about 4 times a week and exercise/stretch for about 90mins per session.
cheers
MacGee said:
"You'll die".....I know I made that up...but prob not good to reach MHR if you are unfit. Average Joe should get to the 60-80% for a long period for max benefit.....
But until you know your true MHR how can you train at 60-80% of it?I must be typing this from the afterlife then.
If I were to train at my 70% of calc max heart rate it would be 124...... I can ride for 12hours a day for 3 days at that pace (and have done)... I often get averages from 3 to 4 hour rides close to my calculated max.....
(Also was not suggesting that you should ascertain your true max in a dark room on your own!)
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