Heart rate not getting high enough - need exercise suggestions

Treehugger_88

I recently got a smartwatch with the Veryfit2.0 app to measure my heart rate and it says it only goes up to 90-100 during workouts and stays in the "fat-burning zone" for only 10 minutes or so. My workouts are 30-50 minute HIIT workouts at home 3-4 times a week. I'm 28 years old (220-28=192), so my heart rate should be getting much higher. I rotate between insanity beach body, bodyfit by amy, Christine Salus fitness workouts, popsugar fitness, or look up random kettlebell workouts. I'm in pretty good shape, 5'7 135 pounds, resting heart rate of 48. Just want to lose 5 pounds then maintain 130.

I live in a small town with no gym or fitness classes, jogging isn't an option because I live to far north = frostbite, tiny apartment so can't get any machines. They need to be bodyweight exercises with movement span of max 6 feet by 6 feet.

Any suggestions of other bodyweight HIIT workouts that'll get my heart rate higher and sustained longer? Other people with heart rate monitors, do you reach your optimal heart rate and sustain it? How?

cwolfman13

I think there might be something wrong with your HRM...

MeanderingMammal

I'd veer towards your HRM being the problem, unless you're doing very sedate circuit training, in which case you need to work harder.

TavistockToad

Do insanity pure cardio and then tell us if your heart rate is still only 100

heybales

Try counting pulse at neck during your rest during your HIIT.
Should be count of 25 for 15 seconds if only really reaching 100.

If you hit 25 and plenty of time left - bad HRM.

Those just don't work well for some people, others start losing count when HR goes too high, or intermittent.

NorthCascades

(1) The HRM in your smart watch is probably not working very well. Wrist based HRMs need to be worn just right to function properly.

(2) It's not HIIT if you're doing it for 30 to 50 minutes.

(3) Exercise produces heat, which is the opposite of frostbite.

(4) Cross country skiing at a fast pace.

Spliner1969

Get a chest strap and compare, in my experience they are the most accurate. Otherwise, I have similar problems. On a brisk walk I can barely top 100bpm, so I need to run to get my BP up but with back and knee issues I fail at that a lot. One thing that does challenge me is my M5 from Bowflex. I can get my HR up to anything I want and actually have to concentrate not to get it up too high for sustained periods lol. I'm assuming you could do the same with an elliptical. After two years of using the M5 I can now max out it's resistance settings and use it for 30-40 sustained minutes. Avg HR is 150ish for that. That thing will straight up kick your butt. If you have a gym available, try a stair stepper, elliptical, or find a lot of stairs somewhere and try running up those for HIIT.

Ready2Rock206

I'm not convinced heart rate is always the best indicator of how hard you're working. I do OrangeTheory which is all about the heart rate zones but I have to push way beyond what they describe to get my heart up enough. And when I am convinced my heart is going to burst out of my chest and my dead body will go flying off the treadmill I look up at the board and nope - barely even what they'd consider working out. Not even near the right zone. So I don't know. I'd like to think I am actually burning a few calories but you'd certainly never know by my numbers.

SideSteel

Just for additional clarification, you don't need to maintain a specific heart rate in order to lose body-fat over time. That's going to come down to energy balance, and you can perform cardio in a wide range of intensities and still use it to increase total energy expenditure.

NorthCascades

Ready2Rock206 wrote: »

I'm not convinced heart rate is always the best indicator of how hard you're working.

It's definitely not.

CTcutie

Make sure your settings are correct. You generally need to enter age, gender, weight, etc.

30kgin2017

Different people have different heart rates. I have a low RHR around 50. I have difficulty getting my heart rate up during exercise as well and different exercises will affect my heart rate differently. A hard slog on the elliptical wont result in a heart rate as high as a jog for me. Being fitter/in good shape means it wont get up as high as it used to to get the same speed either.

I dont train to heart rate zones in fact if anything I keep an eye not to get it too high as that effects my endurance. I look at it regularly for trends though for medical reasons.

singletrackmtbr

Wrist based monitoring is known to be inaccurate for HIIT. You'll have much better luck with a chest strap.

Read up a bit on Perceived Rate of Exertion, the Borg scale in particular, which corresponds loosely with heart rate. It might be a useful tool for you.

zdyb23456

I would say running, but since you can't run until spring try a jump rope. Double unders in succession will feel like you're sprinting.

Look up plyometrics, those get my heart pumping. Wall balls too.

allaboutthecake

I like jumping jacks and "aerobic" moves to high energy music: kicks, knee lifts, lots of over-head arm movement to get heart rate up. With not much to lose, perhaps look into body re-composition working targeted muscles. When all else fails, try layering up with warmer clothes and hit the steep hiking! (like I see in your profile pix )

GrammyWhammy

Although you're probably experiencing equipment inaccuracy as others suggest, just a bit of caution from personal experience. I recently found that my low heart rate was due to cardiac abnormalities. So unless you've had a recent physical with EKG and ECHO, it sure couldn't hurt to rule out anomalies. I will never be able to get my heart rate much higher safely without chemical help. Even at my lower heart rate though, I manage to burn fat with the help of a good trainer, weight training, Pilates, the elliptical and cycling.

rileysowner

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I think there might be something wrong with your HRM...

I agree.

Noreenmarie1234

I have very low HR even when exercising. I used to think it was because I wasn't pushing myself enough, but found out that it wasn't the case. Thats why I don't think HRM are helpful for calorie burns or to gauge how much "work" you are doing.

Treehugger_88

Ok thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'm leaning towards thinking its my heart rate monitor. I've checked it when resting and walking and its been accurate, but haven't checked during the rest time during workout. I will try. If it is really inaccurate I'll try a chest strap. If its just that my heart rate is low I'll try a few other workouts. Its weird, my HRM will usually spike up to 120 when my alarm goes off in the morning, and a few times its spiked when I've been arguing with someone, like my boyfriend haha.

@TavistockToad I did insanity pure cardio on Tuesday morning and was sweating and exhausted but monitor only recorded 90 beats per minute.

@NorthCascades I live really really far north where its often -30 or below in winter (which is most of the year). On warmer days I do go cross-country skiing fast (skate-skiing) for a few hours where I really exert myself, drenched it sweat, and my wrist HRM maxes out at 90. Next time I'll check it against my neck pulse.

@zdyb23456 I'll try jump rope and plyometrics.

@singletrackmtbr Thanks I'll check that out.

NorthCascades

@Treehugger_88 Unless you're on meds that regulate your HR, there's no way it's only 90 bpm while you skate ski.

Here's a chest strap for a little under $30. It'll pair with your phone and you can use something like Strava with it. I haven't used this particular one so I can't really vouch for it, but measuring electrical pulses at your chest is easier than measuring blood flow through your skin; easier means less to go wrong, which means better data. If you go with something like this, wet the contact points before you use it.

xsmilexforxmex

Treehugger_88 wrote: »

I'm in pretty good shape, 5'7 135 pounds, resting heart rate of 48.

Resting heart rate of 48? That's really low. Normal HR is 60-100, some people are outliers but it's usually athletes in great shape (or little old ladies/people with heart issues) who have a much lower HR... If this is the truly the case - your HR will not go up as much as considered normal, since you're already well below normal.

I would say verify your HR to your HRM- you can feel a pulse in your wrist, about a centimeter in from the lines on your wrist, on your thumb side looking at your palm; or you can find it in your neck. Count the beats for 15 seconds and multiply by 4... you can count a full minute if you want to be very accurate.