Heart Rate questions

ashtonscoggins

I just learned about these heart rate monitor things. But I always check it while running at the gym ect. It has gotten up to 184 before and most the time its in the 170s. Im 23years old female and I weigh 188lbs. Does anyone know if thats a good rate or too high? I just looked at a website about it and it says to max my benifits to stay in the 120s!

jizenna

That's a good question, I am wondering the same thing. My heart rate is also up in the 170's at certain points during my workouts.

mrsyatesy

Hi,
That HR for your age and weight seems high for fat loss, and that you would be training more for stamina / anaerobic rather that fat loss, although my theory is (no science here) all exercise is good - but hey - maybe that's why I am in IT!
If I am at 170 (although I weigh 147lb & am a lot older than you at 37) I am really pushing my stamina and my anaerobic training, not aiming to burn fat (for that I am in at 135 or so given my fitness levels etc.).
Hope this helps.

Mepheston

Here's a good article worth reading on the fat burning zone vs. high intensity aerobic training.

[url="http://www.active.com/triathlon/Articles/The-Myth-of-the-Fat-burning-Zone.htm]http://www.active.com/triathlon/Articles/The-Myth-of-the-Fat-burning-Zone.htm[/url]

Mindful_Trent

I think any exercise that gets your heart rate up is good. The idea that you should keep your heart rate lower is based off the idea that only aerobic exercise burns fat, (this is why machines at the gym have "fat/weight loss" and "cardio" modes. But really, you can lose weight doing intense cardio/anaerobic exercise, and it's healthy for you. (I do a mixture of aerobic and anaerobic and have done just fine!)

Check out this article - I found it very helpful: http://www.mens-total-fitness.com/anaerobic-exercises.html

CFAITH_WARD

My HRM calculates your actual Heart rate divided by (220 minus 30)
this gives you a percentage you should keep between 65 and 75...that is your cardio zone
you are burning fat and carbs only.

ashtonscoggins

Hi,
That HR for your age and weight seems high for fat loss, and that you would be training more for stamina / anaerobic rather that fat loss, although my theory is (no science here) all exercise is good - but hey - maybe that's why I am in IT!
If I am at 170 (although I weigh 147lb & am a lot older than you at 37) I am really pushing my stamina and my anaerobic training, not aiming to burn fat (for that I am in at 135 or so given my fitness levels etc.).
Hope this helps.

Now im even more confused! So since my heart rate is too high im NOT burning fat?? How can one have stamina and not burn fat? I dont feel like im doing anything until I sweat and got my heart pumping. When running I do a pattern...walk, jog, run, walk ,jog run. Ill do 2mins of each then 3 miins of each then 4mins of each and so on then cool down for a little while before stopping.

Mindful_Trent

Hi,
That HR for your age and weight seems high for fat loss, and that you would be training more for stamina / anaerobic rather that fat loss, although my theory is (no science here) all exercise is good - but hey - maybe that's why I am in IT!
If I am at 170 (although I weigh 147lb & am a lot older than you at 37) I am really pushing my stamina and my anaerobic training, not aiming to burn fat (for that I am in at 135 or so given my fitness levels etc.).
Hope this helps.

Now im even more confused! So since my heart rate is too high im NOT burning fat?? How can one have stamina and not burn fat? I dont feel like im doing anything until I sweat and got my heart pumping. When running I do a pattern...walk, jog, run, walk ,jog run. Ill do 2mins of each then 3 miins of each then 4mins of each and so on then cool down for a little while before stopping.

Read the article that I posted, as well as the one another person posted. Intense workouts have important health benefits and are recommended for people trying to lose fat. I think it's a mistake to slow down your workouts because you want to stay in a "fat burning" zone.