Anyone else get a super high heart rate when they exercise?
Verity1111
Posts: 3,309 Member
I find it sad I am so out of shape my HR average was over 170 for a half hr on the elliptical (average meaning it went higher...and I took a break) and my resting is 63bpm. I had it on a pretty low setting (4?) and I was pouring sweat. Tell me I'm not the only person who's really out of shape. Lol. I think being in a wheelchair for months messed up my body. lol.
1
Replies
-
One of my bike routes around town is a loop of about 35 miles. I stop after about 15 of them and get a coffee sometimes, then drink it on a bench with a fantastic view of Mount Rainier coming up from behind Lake Washington. You can always tell from the HR chart whether I stopped for coffee or not.5
-
Eh, when I started paying attention to heart rate (also on the elliptical), I'd usually average in the 180s. The highest I ever saw it go was 205 (not average). Over time (a year or so), my average went down into the 170s. Then I started running and went back into the 180s.
1 -
My heart rate is super high, just naturally. My Zone 2 starts at 152, and zone 3 starts at 172, so I always have a high heart rate when exercising! My resting heart rate is nice and low too, go figure.2
-
My resting hr is 61 and when I do Insanity it's usually around 170-180.0
-
I associate it with me being a cow lol I feel like God I'm so out of shape I'm only 27 and it makes me feel insecure for some reason. I really wish I would be able to do more. On the upside I have improved from where I started months ago at 225. I could barely walk ten to fifteen minutes without severe pain in my Frankenankle and I've walked 25000+ steps in a day a couple times recently... So I am proud of my progress, I just ache to be able to keep up with the gym bunnies (bunnies sounds better than rats)1
-
When I look back at my HR when I first started running it's shocking. Keep at it, maybe slow down a little but keep at it and you'll find that as your fitness improves your HR will start to drop (on the weekend I had a slow run - 7;00 min / km or so - and my average HR was 127, 5 years ago it would have been in the high 150s).
I takes time to get out of shape and it takes time, patience and perseverance to get back into shape. You'll amaze yourself with what you can do if you stick with it.5 -
BrianSharpe wrote: »When I look back at my HR when I first started running it's shocking. Keep at it, maybe slow down a little but keep at it and you'll find that as your fitness improves your HR will start to drop (on the weekend I had a slow run - 7;00 min / km or so - and my average HR was 127, 5 years ago it would have been in the high 150s).
I takes time to get out of shape and it takes time, patience and perseverance to get back into shape. You'll amaze yourself with what you can do if you stick with it.
Thank you so much. That honestly was the kind of thing I needed to hear. I feel so upset at myself but I also know it was partially out of my control as I was badly injured and it takes time to recover...I just hate that I need to. Thank you very much. 0 -
Heart rate is a very individual thing and varies widely from person to person regardless of their level of fitness. You and I could be doing the same exercise at the same intensity side by side and your heart rate may be higher than mine or mine may be higher than yours and that still doesn't tell the whole story of which of us has a higher level of fitness. All that you should be concerned with is how your own numbers move over time. There are essentially three indicators that you are gaining cardiovascular fitness:
1. Your resting heart rate will get lower over time (on average, not necessarily from day to day).
2. You heart rate will get lower, on average, doing the same activity at the same intensity. You will notice that you can go faster or longer as you become conditioned (pretty obvious).
3. The amount of time that it takes for your heart rate to come back down to a normal level after you stop your activity will decrease (also known as recovery time). A good way to measure this is to do intervals. Go at an easy effort and get a baseline heart rate. Increase your level to drive your heart rate up for 1 minute, then return to your easy level. Monitor the time it takes for your heart rate to return to that baseline level. This amount of time will decrease as you gain fitness.
As @BrianSharpe said, stick with it and you will be amazed at the progress you will make!3 -
Your hart rate will improve. The image on the bottom is when I just started C25K program in March and the top image is this past Saturday, running a 5K.
3 -
You're not alone. I feel like I'm the most out of shape guy at the gym. But at least I'm not the most out of shape guy on the couch! My heart rate gets high (for me 155-160) I can only maintain that for short bursts. I do interval training on the machines and 2 days a week with trainer. I don't want it to get easier , I just want to become more capable....2
-
You're not alone. I feel like I'm the most out of shape guy at the gym. But at least I'm not the most out of shape guy on the couch! My heart rate gets high (for me 155-160) I can only maintain that for short bursts. I do interval training on the machines and 2 days a week with trainer. I don't want it to get easier , I just want to become more capable....
Same! I wanted so badly to do 30 minutes without stopping on the elliptical and while I did only stop for like 30 seconds to drink water I felt like I could faint at any second lol... Id like to be able to do it without risking death. haha. I laugh, but I mean it.0 -
When I train with my trainer I get up to 180bpm, can't talk, double over getting my breath back between rounds. After 4 weeks I'm still like that but I can fit in an extra round. So I don't feel fitter and it still kills me but I can achieve more in the same time.2
-
170 isn't "super high". That is probably average. I have a friend who exercises with a heart rate over 200. I was convinced there must be something wrong with his HRM when he told me, but he says no. As for a resting heart rate in the sixties, that is pretty much average as well.2
-
A high heart rate depends on age (younger = higher). For me, if I'm doing something like cardio and I'm pushed to the higher end of my heart rate range (160-185), I know that it's an intense workout and I'm going to feel the burn. If I continue to do the activity and it decreases to a more manageable level at the high points (140-155), it tells me it's time for me to amp it up again. The ranger depend on the person and the activity (e.g. weight lifting will have a lower heart rate range than cardio usually)
Resting bpm decreases over time with increased activity.1 -
Many of us here started very unfit and out of shape. Start off doing whatever you can do, and keep improving in small steps week by week. Keep a log of what you do so you can see your progress in a few months.3
-
Thanks for all the input everyone. It just really bothers me. I do have a log of it all because I have a FitBit and it tends to be accurate for me.0
-
actually there are two types of heart rate people have. normal pulser and high pulser.
take a look at my avatar, my max puls is 208 and i done competitions with avg rate above 185 and more.
until you are at full health, nothing is wrong with you!
0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »One of my bike routes around town is a loop of about 35 miles. I stop after about 15 of them and get a coffee sometimes, then drink it on a bench with a fantastic view of Mount Rainier coming up from behind Lake Washington. You can always tell from the HR chart whether I stopped for coffee or not.
Moved away from there about 6.5 years ago. That's one view we cannot mimic down here in Georgia. I don't miss the weather up there, but I do miss the view (and my sports teams of course).1 -
Freischuetz wrote: »actually there are two types of heart rate people have. normal pulser and high pulser.
take a look at my avatar, my max puls is 208 and i done competitions with avg rate above 185 and more.
until you are at full health, nothing is wrong with you!
Not being at full health is what's wrong and what's bothering me Lol.0 -
is that from a chest strap or from the hand electrodes... and are you always on the same machine(home/favorite) or is this across several machines(gym) ... some gym equipment has been abused and doesn't even remotely reflect actual HR.1
-
stanmann571 wrote: »is that from a chest strap or from the hand electrodes... and are you always on the same machine(home/favorite) or is this across several machines(gym) ... some gym equipment has been abused and doesn't even remotely reflect actual HR.
Machine + Fitbit show about the same thing. So hand and FitBit. And Fitbit matches my Dr when I go for check ups so I think it's accurate.0 -
Verity1111 wrote: »I find it sad I am so out of shape my HR average was over 170 for a half hr on the elliptical (average meaning it went higher...and I took a break) and my resting is 63bpm. I had it on a pretty low setting (4?) and I was pouring sweat. Tell me I'm not the only person who's really out of shape. Lol. I think being in a wheelchair for months messed up my body. lol.
The RHR of 63 is pretty reasonable, particularly given your weight. A functional HR of 170 for 30 minutes isn't particularly unusual, or something to be worried about at your age.1 -
Verity1111 wrote: »stanmann571 wrote: »is that from a chest strap or from the hand electrodes... and are you always on the same machine(home/favorite) or is this across several machines(gym) ... some gym equipment has been abused and doesn't even remotely reflect actual HR.
Machine + Fitbit show about the same thing. So hand and FitBit. And Fitbit matches my Dr when I go for check ups so I think it's accurate.
It might be accurate in the ~70 bpm band when you're sitting down at the doctor's office and not at all accurate around ~170 bpm when you're doing intense exercise. That tends to be the pattern with Fitbit and some other wrist-based heart rate sensors.1 -
When I first started running a few months ago my heart rate would get up to 177bpm. It has dropped considerably since then, even when I do sprinting work. I was a bit worried as well, but that was just my cardiovascular system getting the workout IT needs to fuel me in the future as I get into better shape. It now also take a lot longer during my run for my heart rate to creep up. As you gain more endurance, it should go down a bit. If it doesn't, a trip to your GP can't hurt.1
-
I didn't think that 170 was all that high? I'm nearly a decade older that you, and that's about where I am on a workout, but I can maintain in the low 170s for 30 minutes or so. I'm not carrying on conversations or anything and it's steady effort, but I'm not gasping for breath or pushing so hard that I need to take breaks in the middle. It feels like a nice, strong pace for me, and I can recover back down to around 100 in the five minute cool down and back down to full resting HR of low 60s in another 15 or so minutes (not sure exactly, but definitely by the time that I pack up my stuff and leave the gym after my workout).
What's a functional HR supposed to be?!1 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »Verity1111 wrote: »I find it sad I am so out of shape my HR average was over 170 for a half hr on the elliptical (average meaning it went higher...and I took a break) and my resting is 63bpm. I had it on a pretty low setting (4?) and I was pouring sweat. Tell me I'm not the only person who's really out of shape. Lol. I think being in a wheelchair for months messed up my body. lol.
The RHR of 63 is pretty reasonable, particularly given your weight. A functional HR of 170 for 30 minutes isn't particularly unusual, or something to be worried about at your age.
Maybe it's because I was a lot healthier before so now it makes me feel like I went so far backwards.0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »Verity1111 wrote: »stanmann571 wrote: »is that from a chest strap or from the hand electrodes... and are you always on the same machine(home/favorite) or is this across several machines(gym) ... some gym equipment has been abused and doesn't even remotely reflect actual HR.
Machine + Fitbit show about the same thing. So hand and FitBit. And Fitbit matches my Dr when I go for check ups so I think it's accurate.
It might be accurate in the ~70 bpm band when you're sitting down at the doctor's office and not at all accurate around ~170 bpm when you're doing intense exercise. That tends to be the pattern with Fitbit and some other wrist-based heart rate sensors.
The sensor on the FitBit and the machine show the same. And the Dr ran a HR test on me recently where I stood sat and did activity for a certain # of minutes and FitBit and hers varied if at all by 2-3 points. Then again the Dr does want me on a 24hr HR monitor because of all this.0 -
When I first started running a few months ago my heart rate would get up to 177bpm. It has dropped considerably since then, even when I do sprinting work. I was a bit worried as well, but that was just my cardiovascular system getting the workout IT needs to fuel me in the future as I get into better shape. It now also take a lot longer during my run for my heart rate to creep up. As you gain more endurance, it should go down a bit. If it doesn't, a trip to your GP can't hurt.
I did go. My medical card is temporarily stopped for a few weeks but I am supposed to wear a HR monitor for 24hrs . And thank you for the encouragement!0 -
I didn't think that 170 was all that high? I'm nearly a decade older that you, and that's about where I am on a workout, but I can maintain in the low 170s for 30 minutes or so. I'm not carrying on conversations or anything and it's steady effort, but I'm not gasping for breath or pushing so hard that I need to take breaks in the middle. It feels like a nice, strong pace for me, and I can recover back down to around 100 in the five minute cool down and back down to full resting HR of low 60s in another 15 or so minutes (not sure exactly, but definitely by the time that I pack up my stuff and leave the gym after my workout).
What's a functional HR supposed to be?!
IDK but when I used a HR chart it said 170-190 is very intense (80-90% max) should be where Im having trouble taking deep breaths etc and I almost pass out half the time. I push myself a bit too hard. But I am not even on a high level... that's what I mean. Not sure about the cool down stuff. Ill need to check my HR after I rest. I havent done that.0 -
I didn't think that 170 was all that high? I'm nearly a decade older that you, and that's about where I am on a workout, but I can maintain in the low 170s for 30 minutes or so. I'm not carrying on conversations or anything and it's steady effort, but I'm not gasping for breath or pushing so hard that I need to take breaks in the middle. It feels like a nice, strong pace for me, and I can recover back down to around 100 in the five minute cool down and back down to full resting HR of low 60s in another 15 or so minutes (not sure exactly, but definitely by the time that I pack up my stuff and leave the gym after my workout).
What's a functional HR supposed to be?!
Depends on the individual and their max HR, threshold HR and resting HR. Threshold HR and resting HR are the ones that may change with fitness. Max HR decreases with age, but how much is not absolute. Some decrease sharply, some very gradually.
There's a lot of variation, so the average HRs that are suggested to delineate the zones and are based on age don't work well for a fair number of people. For some they're too high, others they're too low. Impossible to know where you fall without testing it yourself. It's why I prefer to rely on perceived effort rather than HR. I record HR, but just out of curiosity.3
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.3K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 424 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions