What is a safe heart rate?

GothicaAdore

I have been exercising for about a month now. I really do best on the elliptical, and I have avoided the treadmill because I have been told you can damage your knees more with running. My only problem is around the 10 min mark, my heart rate is at 190. Is this too high? What can I do to bring that number down? My resting heart rate is usually 80.

foodiscomplicated

Hi,
This may help.
https://www.fittrend.com/target-heart-rate-thr-calculator/

SonicDeathMonkey80

1) Running has been medically proven to strengthen joints.
2) HRMs on machines aren't all that reliable. Have you tried taking your pulse or using an HRM?

TrainingWithTonya

There are a couple of different formulas for estimating target heart rate. The most common is the 220-age for Maximum Heart Rate, with a recommendation of working at 65-85% of MHR to be in the optimal zone for strengthening the heart and burning fat. When doing a stress test, we don't allow participants to do more then 85% to avoid risk of a heart attack or stroke. In patients with cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure, we limit the exercise range to 65-75% of MHR.

Other formulas include the resting heart rate for figuring the % range. Basically take the MHR and subtract the RHR, then do the % multiplication and add back in the RHR to get the range.

Most recently, ACSM has given a new formula for estimating MHR which is 206.9 - (age x 0.67) which I think is a little more accurate, but it isn't widely known yet. Use whichever one you like best. ;-)

lj3jones

There are a couple of different formulas for estimating target heart rate. The most common is the 220-age for Maximum Heart Rate, with a recommendation of working at 65-85% of MHR to be in the optimal zone for strengthening the heart and burning fat. When doing a stress test, we don't allow participants to do more then 85% to avoid risk of a heart attack or stroke. In patients with cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure, we limit the exercise range to 65-75% of MHR.

Other formulas include the resting heart rate for figuring the % range. Basically take the MHR and subtract the RHR, then do the % multiplication and add back in the RHR to get the range.

Most recently, ACSM has given a new formula for estimating MHR which is 206.9 - (age x 0.67) which I think is a little more accurate, but it isn't widely known yet. Use whichever one you like best. ;-)

220-age works for practically no one. I'm 33 and my max (from testing with trained professional) is 205. Also, your max hr varies with activity. I think that for the casual exerciser it makes more sense to go by perceived exertion than HR. there are some good books out there on HR trainging if you are serious about it.

http://www.fitsugar.com/RPE-Rate-Perceived-Exertion-Scale-Exercise-1113267

RunBrew

I have been exercising for about a month now. I really do best on the elliptical, and I have avoided the treadmill because I have been told you can damage your knees more with running.

Unequivocally False.
One among many studies:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24045919

My only problem is around the 10 min mark, my heart rate is at 190. Is this too high?

Maybe. Maybe not. It's a pretty high rate, and you likely can't sustain that for as long as you'd like due to other physiological factors like fatigue of skeletal muscles, but you can't 'damage' your heart by working it hard.**
It's designed and built to do exactly that. There's a reason cardiac muscle receives something like 15% of the oxygen you inhale at max workload.

What can I do to bring that number down? My resting heart rate is usually 80.

Slow down. There's no reason to work out at 90%+ of HR Max unless you're specifically working on Lactate Clearance, or VO2Max Advancement. I presume you're not.

I suggest you get a decent Heart Rate monitor, identify training zones, and read up on how your cardiovascular system works


** caveat- disrhythmias like VTach or SVT are not normal and aren't part of this discussion

MagicalLeopleurodon

I can safely hit 206bpm because i have a cardiac arrhythmia. Its 100% effort, and at a moderate pace i hang around 193.

GothicaAdore

Thank you everyone. I am less worried now but I'm still bring it up with my doctor when I see her in a month.

wilsoje74

Do you have a condition where you need to monitor your hr? I honestly have never checked mine during exercise.

Confuzzled4ever

I always wonder this too.. my resting heart rate is mid to upper 40s.. so I'm thinking that 180 like on the charts is too high? (5.5 times my resting rate!!) I have a wicked hard time getting above 160 anyway. I can hit 140-150 sometimes during combat class or insanity.. but above that is so freaking impossible. I am working my butt off when I get ti to the 140s. I don't have a monitor, but just take my heart rate during the rest period. I assume it has dropped a few since I stopped doing the exercise.. so the 140 is already inflated by about 10bpm. But i don't know if that is good? too high? too low? It's all confusing.

MelodyandBarbells

I always wonder this too.. my resting heart rate is mid to upper 40s.. so I'm thinking that 180 like on the charts is too high? (5.5 times my resting rate!!) I have a wicked hard time getting above 160 anyway. I can hit 140-150 sometimes during combat class or insanity.. but above that is so freaking impossible. I am working my butt off when I get ti to the 140s. I don't have a monitor, but just take my heart rate during the rest period. I assume it has dropped a few since I stopped doing the exercise.. so the 140 is already inflated by about 10bpm. But i don't know if that is good? too high? too low? It's all confusing.

I'm no expert, but I think your results say, "just right"!! :-). Highest I've done in BodyCombat is 197 during Muay Thai and I think I was starting to get a bit light headed then. I've also hit the same in BodyAttack recently, but this time was totally euphoric. Ever since I read the "fat burning zone" was not really a thing to be concerned about since I don't have a heart condition, I shut up the HRM beeps and just enjoy my workout to the best of my calability at any given time

Confuzzled4ever

Thanks.

I will have to ask my cardiologist to be sure though. I need to make an appointment anyway.