Maximum heart rate

grace42d

My work was offering heart stress tests so I tried it. Fascinating! I had always thought that maximum heart rate was based on that formula (208- age etc). So I thought I should not go over my 170 max as per the formula instructions. But as I was chugging away on the treadmill comfortably at a HR of 165, the person that was testing me told me that max heart rate is not set in stone. She said I could work at a higher rate. Very interesting.

As I read more about heart rate and calorie burning, I think I will figure out how to get a better workout for me. Can't wait until my heart rate monitor arrives!

I was also concerned about my ECG as my QRS waves are really tiny. But she told me it is because I am tiny too! So I no longer have to worry that I am either going to have a heart attack, or that I have the tiny heart of the grinch. Turns out that small people have smaller hearts that produce less electric impulse and smaller waves on the ECG and that is normal. Pshew!.