HR and workouts

[Danmar]

Agree that "rule of thumb" Max HR is not necessarily correct. I exceed my max HR quite frequently and suspect my max is closer to 170 than the calculated 155. Doctor supervised stress tests will never take you to the max as they don't want you to collapse. They generally take me to about 145 and I always offer to go higher but they refuse.

My younger wife takes her HR to 170 on most workouts. I suspect that fitter people may have a higher Max HR?

 

[braumeister]

I suspect that fitter people may have a higher Max HR?

My understanding is that your max HR is pretty specific to you and not very related to fitness level.

OTOH, fitter people almost always have a lower resting HR.

 

[audreyh1]

I found some web site online to calculate my HR max and various workout zones. It also depends on your resting rate. And women are different from men. So do a little web searching to get a more accurate number?

Anyway I can go over 170 and not pass out. Still rowing - no problem. I think I've crossed 176 or 178. That's when I slow down a little.

I'm 56.

 

[twolfy]

i agree on the individuality of max HR and the resulting target training range of 65-85% of that number. I will continue to train with HR and learn my own range.
Right now I'm laid up with some strong cervical pain which is going to sideline me for hopefully only a little bit. i will take this downtime to research more electronic gadgets and bikes, kayaks and fishing gear. i'm getting some spring fever. we had two days in the 50's here so got me going. i know more freezing weather is in store but that warm weather got the juices flowing and had fun outside!

 

[NoMoreJob]

When running I tend to take my heart rate right up to the max and occasionally higher. My heart is in very good shape and I hope to keep it that way. My resting rate can be as low as the upper 40s.

 

[twolfy]

NMJ, that is a great resting HR.


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[Dog]

I use a Garmin with chest strap. I've heard the chest strap allows for a more accurate HR measurement.
My max HR is around 205 and I love bumping it up in the 180 range (spinning, running, cycling, HIIT classes, etc.). I've found that outdoor running gets my HR up more quickly than cycling activities). My HR drops quickly during cool down and my resting HR is in mid-50's. I enjoy working out and now include weight training to balance out the cardio. It certainly helps to love outdoor activities too! I'm a 58 YO female.


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[bingybear]

For me ... I have not found a reliable way to measure heart rate. Sometimes the exercise machines measure right... most of the time they are so far off... of just get confused and show nothing. The led on the finger one seems to be most reliable, but awkward.

I tend to max my heart rate at 150bpm. Above that the pacemaker quits pacing and the ventricles don't get any signals... so I just run out of breath very quickly. If I keep it in the upper 140s of just at 150... I can keep going without really heavy breathing.

Before I got the PM my resting rate was in the mid 40s. The PM will only let my low rate go to 50bpm. After I got the PM it was filling in the signals on the ventricles 2% of the time. In less than 3 months it was filling in 99% of the time. So now there is not much point in going above 150.
But using 220-age puts 150 at 90% of max.
In another 5 years I should be able to get a faster PM... I search for the max then.

 

[r2021t]

OK. Probably good to not criticize. But we sure criticize other "bad financial behaviour" here. Why not bad health behaviour?

....Um...I'll take a shot at this. Because genetics play no part in fiscal responsibility. How many people have you known, or heard of, that were very health conscious and died at 59? Or led a less than exemplary life and lived to be 101? It's just the great unknown. I mean, good god, how is Keith Richards still alive?

You can't say the same about people who are mired in debt their entire life and act stupidly about money. The result of which is always the same.

To me, the whole point of being retired (early) was that I wanted to live my life my way. Maybe not the best way, but my way. I didn't want to follow anybody's rules anymore. Just my own. If I do anything stupid there is no boss to blame anymore except my wife.

I don't know. Criticizing others for not getting on a treadmill is not why I'm here so, I'll skip those threads. But these threads about the benefits of exercise, I love 'em. I learn a lot. Very motivating.

And I do exercise. Every day. Because I want to. It makes me happy.

Ron

 

[twolfy]

Unfortunately I'm still sidelined with cervical spine issues but I'm enjoying reading everyone's posts. How are you actually incorporating HR into your workout program? What is your main goal for tracking your HR? I was mainly using it to make sure my effort was consistant on long (time wise)activities; running, cycling etc.


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[Ronstar]

Unfortunately I'm still sidelined with cervical spine issues but I'm enjoying reading everyone's posts. How are you actually incorporating HR into your workout program? What is your main goal for tracking your HR? I was mainly using it to make sure my effort was consistant on long (time wise)activities; running, cycling etc.


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Like you, I'm using HR as a means to maintain consistency in a workout. I used to use pace as a basis for running, but that doesn't work when running hills. I'd overwork when running up a hill trying to maintain certain pace time, and underwork going downhill. I'm training for a marathon, and from what I've read, running anaerobic will deplete glycogen levels faster and result in "hitting the wall". I'm keeping track of my HR on all runs, and I'll know on race day what HR to target based on the numbers that I had on my longer training runs.


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[bingybear]

Unfortunately I'm still sidelined with cervical spine issues but I'm enjoying reading everyone's posts. How are you actually incorporating HR into your workout program? What is your main goal for tracking your HR? I was mainly using it to make sure my effort was consistant on long (time wise)activities; running, cycling etc.

Mine is quite simple. I have a hard limit where my pacemaker won't pace above. So ideally I would like to keep it just below that point as crossing it causes running out of breath quickly. Tracking it helps me understand if my not keeping up with breath is due to lack of conditioning or that I crossed this pacemaker limit. I like to push close to the limit to build endurance.
Biggest downfall is most heart rate monitors don't work reliably with the pacemaker. The light through the finger method seems to work most reliably.. but it kind of awkward.

 

[imoldernu]

Is your workout too easy?

I'm a big fan of WebMD, but I can't agree with this article, which in essence suggests that workouts don't work when you feel no pain.
Since I no longer enjoy pain, will continue my workouts at my own pace, and in my own way.
Currently it's 1/2 hour in the morning and 1/2 hour in the afternoon on my no-resistance exercise bike... done while WATCHING MY FAVORITE TV SERIES Midsomer Murders and Foyle's War.
If WebMD doesn't like that, Tuff Tuffy

Your Workout: Is It Too Easy?

 

[braumeister]

I completely agree with you. Although I'm a proponent of cross-training, which can be as simple and basic as doing an exercise that uses somewhat different muscles every few days, I see no reason to "go for the burn" at an older age.

I've said it before, so I'll say it again:

1. The best exercise for you is the one you will actually do.

2. The best gauge of your fitness is a full length mirror.

 

[zinger1457]

I'm a big fan of WebMD, but I can't agree with this article, which in essence suggests that workouts don't work when you feel no pain.
Since I no longer enjoy pain, will continue my workouts at my own pace, and in my own way.

Read the article and didn't take from it that pain was necessary for a good work out but that some sustained level of exertion is required.

 

[twolfy]

Ron you training for the Chicago Marathon?


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[twolfy]

. "The best exercise for you is the one you will actually do."

This is true.

Imoldernu, if it works for you and you consistently get in some form of exercise then that's great. Gets your HR a little higher than normal and you enjoy it!


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[Ronstar]

Ron you training for the Chicago Marathon?


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Not Chicago, but the Naperville, il (Chicago sw suburb) marathon on 10/23. This all started on Christmas when my niece's husband said that his boss suggested that he get in shape and run a marathon. My SIL and I chimed in that we would do it with him.


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[twolfy]

Ronstar good for you. Naperville used to be part of my territory back around 1979-1982. I know the area well. It has changed dramatically out there. Grew up on So Side in Mt Greenwood and Oak Lawn. Still Have family in the SW suburbs. My wife's family is all in Phoenix now. See you spend time in both IL and AZ. Whereabouts?
Good luck on your training, but from some of your comments on other posts it doesn't sound like it will be too tough for you.
BTW my wife ran the Chicago Marathon in 2010. It was her first and only marathon. She thought it would be fun because the date for it was: 10/10/10.
Tom


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[Ronstar]

Ronstar good for you. Naperville used to be part of my territory back around 1979-1982. I know the area well. It has changed dramatically out there. Grew up on So Side in Mt Greenwood and Oak Lawn. Still Have family in the SW suburbs. My wife's family is all in Phoenix now. See you spend time in both IL and AZ. Whereabouts?
Good luck on your training, but from some of your comments on other posts it doesn't sound like it will be too tough for you.
BTW my wife ran the Chicago Marathon in 2010. It was her first and only marathon. She thought it would be fun because the date for it was: 10/10/10.
Tom


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Quite familiar with s side of Chicago and Oak Lawn . I've lived my whole life in the far sw corner of unincorporated Chicagoland - an hour sw of downtown. Also snowbird in Scottsdale, Az. I understand your DW running Chicago marathon once and done. Very crowded. I ran it in 1980 and 1990 when it wasn't too bad. Thanks for the good luck wishes.


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