Do I try and use heart rate numbers or not?
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kshama2001 wrote: »@heybales Thanks for the additional reads and tests. This morning was rather humbling. I headed out before breakfast and with that "grey zone" in mind, I decided to insert some sort jogs into my 4 mph walk. First one was fine. I could feel that jogging is a definite push for me unlike fast walking. Second one, seemed fine at the time, but then right after I started with left check pain. damn that ruined the rest of my walk. At the time it kicked in, I was less than 2 miles into my walk. Dropped my walking speed some as it would not go away, nada. dropped further, seemed to improve. At this point I concluded I was not trying for 5 miles and would cut down to 4. Then at 3.5 miles, I was getting some vertigo, so changed route towards home with my shortened walk ending up 3.8 miles.
So, my conclusion is that I have a long way to go regarding fitness, aerobic capacity, and such. I also am guessing that I need to be eating something before exercise. That may change down the road, but not now.
I've marked this thread and will likely print out for reference at a more suitable time that is more than just a few weeks in. But the good part of this morning is that it showed me how really far that I have to go.
@sijomial
Take a close look at where the gray zone is, in that article: It's near the cusp of the difference between full sentences, and only a few words - it's actually highish steady to lowish moderately hard. It's not "too easy".
So, you're trying add some jogging . . . where does that put you, in terms of talk? Where does your 4mph walk put you?
I hope you're not making the mistake of thinking going easy is the gray zone. Easy-ish is fine. Intense is fine The thing sort of in between is what the article is describing as the gray zone.
Hey, For starters, I am a talker. so I don't know how that impacts the talk test. :P So my understanding of the grey is I believe what you are describing. Adding those bits of jogging, at my level, had me somewhat uncomfortable. I could only do it for far and for so long. Hense why I inserted two short ones and had planned to insert one or two more. 4 mph walking, I can talk. I can do sentences. I take phone calls. During the jogging bits, not sure I would be able to say much. Yup, I have a long way to go.
IYO which of the above fits the grey zone, if any.
The walking, where you can talk in full sentences (phone calls, etc.) does not sound like it's in the gray zone as described. It sounds like it's below the gray zone, and that's fine - it's a good way to build base cardiovascular fitness. From your description, I can't tell whether your jogging is in the gray zone, or above it.
As far as talking: I feel you. It's partly a matter of practice. I can talk in at least short sentences with gaps between, all the way into anaerobic, and up to pretty close to (tested) HR max. It's a matter of timing the talk to exhales. I got practice doing this while steering multi-person rowing shells at race pace. I have to be able to shout instructions to the rowers sometimes, while still rowing as hard as possible myself. Practice makes this somewhat achievable. So, I use my imagination about what talking would be like for a normal person without that kind of practice. Try that. 😉
Would be nice if the walking is below grey zone, because it is something I can steadily achieve and would be "legal". Other than adding incline though, I am not sure how much further I can advance walking as I think there is going to be a certain swing rate that my legs cannot exceed. But will be curious to see. I plan to get out tomorrow morning again, as the afternoon and the following day are likely rain. I'll try and pay more attention to my ability to speak and see what I can learn.
One of these days, maybe I will pretend I am you and use the beautiful rower I made my husband buy me that I have used like 5 times.
Speaking of adding incline, I used to have a walking partner who would head straight for the hills, ugh, lol, I did appreciate her
Where in MA are you? I'm from Wilbraham and currently south of Boston, and last fall hiked in Milton/Canton's Blue Hills a few times. That was one heck of a workout!
https://www.mass.gov/location-details/hiking-in-blue-hills
https://fastestknowntime.com/route/blue-hills-skyline-trail-ma
I do NOT recommend starting with the trail that includes the "stairs"
Hey @kshama2001, I'm north of Boston, town called North Reading. I should look into trails in the area. But then again, I would be alone in the woods. At least right now, if I keel over a car will have to stop to get around my body.
Great ideas though. Thank you!0 -
Oh, back to the HR topic for just a moment. This morning, with it raining out, I tried a youtube step video. Top HR was 168. I assume that is ok if I feel ok, and I did.0
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Oh, back to the HR topic for just a moment. This morning, with it raining out, I tried a youtube step video. Top HR was 168. I assume that is ok if I feel ok, and I did.
If you felt ok, just shows the formulas for HRmax are very off for you too, because you were likely not near your HRmax.
Now, it likely does show the fitness level is indeed not up there yet, with improvement possible and coming.0 -
Oh, back to the HR topic for just a moment. This morning, with it raining out, I tried a youtube step video. Top HR was 168. I assume that is ok if I feel ok, and I did.
If you felt ok, just shows the formulas for HRmax are very off for you too, because you were likely not near your HRmax.
Now, it likely does show the fitness level is indeed not up there yet, with improvement possible and coming.
Glad you agree that HR is not a concern. Had I not had on my apple watch, I would not have know my HR. BUT I will say that I am not sure how well I would have been able to talk! :P So rare to see me shut up>
I think that is logical that that is an indicator of the long road I have ahead of me, BUT maybe it is be another concrete measure in which I will be able to observe an improvement.
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Oh, back to the HR topic for just a moment. This morning, with it raining out, I tried a youtube step video. Top HR was 168. I assume that is ok if I feel ok, and I did.
If you felt ok, just shows the formulas for HRmax are very off for you too, because you were likely not near your HRmax.
Now, it likely does show the fitness level is indeed not up there yet, with improvement possible and coming.
Glad you agree that HR is not a concern. Had I not had on my apple watch, I would not have know my HR. BUT I will say that I am not sure how well I would have been able to talk! :P So rare to see me shut up>
I think that is logical that that is an indicator of the long road I have ahead of me, BUT maybe it is be another concrete measure in which I will be able to observe an improvement.
Sometimes people have the idea that it's wrong to visit your maximum heart rate (or to exceed an age-estimated maximum!). Maybe this is a side effect of all the silly info out there preferring the "fat burning zone"? 🙄
Certainly, it's a very good plan to ensure one is reasonably cardiovascularly healthy (such as ask the doctor), and has some base fitness, before really pushing for it. But heart rate is supposed to go up when we work hard, and if no cardiovascular risk factors, people can work all the way up to HRmax (just not for very long 😆 - inherently).
If you're reaching 156, and not feeling distress, you're likely fine. As heybales says, eventually your HR will be lower, doing that very same step video, and yes, that's an indicator of improving fitness: Heart pumps more blood volume per beat, needs fewer beats to deliver the same oxygen.
Trying to do too much intensity, too frequently, too soon (without the base CV fitness) will tend to lead to cumulative fatigue. High intensity is more like a condiment or side dish than a main meal, metaphoritcally, IMO.@AnnPT77 chatty is good! My heart rate question is well covered for this stage.
I would certainly assume that outdoor rowing in Michigan might be a bit of a challenge in January. I don't think it would be that great, that time of year, here in the Boston area either.
Certainly the idea of location specific activity makes sense. In Florida, we did purchase kayaks last spring as we see people "effortlessly" passing by our condo. Damn, its hard work. Either that or I need lessons or I need to time it so I am going with the tide each way. :P It is also a lot of sun and I hate wearing sunscreen and burn fairly easily. We have plans to purchase bikes for this year. Apparently here is a trail going all the way up and down the keys. Sun is again an issue. Last year we had a contractor at the condo adjusting our new property. I was talking and I mentioned that "I don't like heat, I don't like humidity, I don't like sun and I don't do water". He replied, "What are you doing here?". I think I have some adjusting to do. But I will say that regarding walking/jogging, the sun comes up later in the keys than it does at home because they are at opposite sides of the same time zone. If I get up early, I can avoid heat and sun!
In Maine, we are right on the beach. Kind of the same situation as Florida. :P Hubby goes boating a lot. I join him occasionally, but I grew up very motion sensitive. Menopause apparently helped with that, but I am still off for about 24 hours after boating for 8.
Finances are good, but we try to be intelligent. When one retires at 46 and you have no idea how old one will live, one needs to be smart. I did do personal training in 2016 as a jump start and it was great. I was thinking about virtual PT this morning. Step by step. I am great at jumping into things and then not using ...... elliptical machine, rowing machine.
Kayaking is great! Sure, some is just conditioning, but technique practice helps. Lessons may be good (I took some pool and lake classes before buying one.) Paddling is more core than upper body, ideally - less fatiguing. If your boat has foot pegs/braces or somesuch, take advantage of them. Shorter, wider kayak (which many people like because easier to throw into vehicle, and cheaper models are available) - harder work to paddle straight than a longer, narrower model (loosely speaking). Best design depends on what you want to do (ocean, whitewater, flatwater, etc.).
I assume you know there are lightweight UV protective clothing items available, or for kayaking, UV protective rashguard top?
I hear you on the retirement finances thing: I waited all the way to 50, nearly 51, but planning is definitely an issue. if shooting for early, and not truly wealthy (as I'm not).0 -
@annpt77 The too much intensity, too frequently concern makes sense. I kind of put myself in a pickle but am determined to see it through. I joined one challenge that I have to exercise 20 minutes every day (w/ 3 passes) for the month, a different one that I have to accumulate 24 hours of exercise by the end of the month, and another for 60 minutes of planks by the end of the month. I'm making it work, but in a way, they actually kind of conflict with each other, or at least in my head they do.
on the kayaks, we bought 2. one longer (for me) and one shorter (for hubby). The longer is supposed to be easier to steer, but harder to travel through the mangroves from what I understand. I have yet to go into the mangroves, but hubby has mapped them all out on his GPS. We are on something called Boot Key Harbor (if you are bored you can look it up). There is access to open water, plus the harbor, the mangroves and channels. Tides effect them all.
I did purchase one UV top for the sailing trip the previous year. Hooded, long sleeves, but black might not have been my smartest choice if actually exerting effort instead of just riding along. I think a looser fit, lighter color might be a win.
Congrats on the retiring at 50. That's pretty amazing. Sounds like you have been making the most of it!1 -
Three isn't a single best heart rate for exercise, it depends on your goals what you want to do. 🙂 If you want to build anaerobic capacity, focus your routine around spending time in Z4 and Z5. That's important if you race, less important for most people. If you want to improve aerobically, you might do what's called "sweet spot" intervals. Etc, what HR range you should be in friend what you want to get out of it.
The zones make a lot more sense of you base them off your LTHR.0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »Three isn't a single best heart rate for exercise, it depends on your goals what you want to do. 🙂 If you want to build anaerobic capacity, focus your routine around spending time in Z4 and Z5. That's important if you race, less important for most people. If you want to improve aerobically, you might do what's called "sweet spot" intervals. Etc, what HR range you should be in friend what you want to get out of it.
The zones make a lot more sense of you base them off your LTHR.
Seems like I have a lot to figure out and a long way to go for fitness.1 -
You can improve your fitness without any of this. People have for thousands of years! 🙂
Our newer gadgets for fitness can make it easier, but aren't necessary. This heart rate stuff is really about training, not general fitness. Or it's about geeking out over numbers.1
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