Max HR question...

jkohan

So, I started c25k and did Week 1 twice and started Week 2 yesterday. My max HR is set using the standard 220-age which I know is not always accurate. max HR=181. OK--it hasn't gotten to 181...more like 175.

So, week 2 has me running 90 secs and walking 2 min. By a bit over 1 minute of running, my HR SOARS almost to my max and by the end of the 90 secs I'm at 175. The good news is that it recovers pretty quickly (back down to 140's-150's) during the walking part (which I hear is a good sign of a healthy heart) but is it dangerous to have it up by my max like that? Not to mention--how in the world will I ever get to run for 30-35 min straight and not have a heart attack? LOL

I'm hoping as I continue with the program, my endurance will improve--it's a bit frightening to see that or maybe I'm just being paranoid? I sometimes think it's better to be in the dark about some things and perhaps I shouldn't be monitoring my HR...LOL

kk_stephens

BUMP

rfialkiewicz

Your heart is a muscle. The more you make it work, the more it will work for you.

That being said, DON"T exceed your max HR. If you do then you may want to take the program a little slower than suggested. Do what your body can handle until it can handle more. If you are uncomfortable with what's happening now then back down and try again until you can to it without reaching your max HR. But it is a muscle, the more you work it, the more tone and efficient it will become.

We all grow at a different rate. We all achieve in our own good time -- My Mother

jkohan

Your heart is a muscle. The more you make it work, the more it will work for you.

That being said, DON"T exceed your max HR. If you do then you may want to take the program a little slower than suggested. Do what your body can handle until it can handle more. If you are uncomfortable with what's happening now then back down and try again until you can to it without reaching your max HR. But it is a muscle, the more you work it, the more tone and efficient it will become.

We all grow at a different rate. We all achieve in our own good time -- My Mother

Thank you for your reply. I do understand that--which is why I repeated week1 before starting week 2. However, is it dangerous for it to soar into the 170's for the minute or so that I'm running? I guess that is the crux of my question. I do see improvement because when I started it would soar into the 170's in the first 30 seconds....so I guess this is an improvement.

rfialkiewicz

It should be fine if you are seeing improvement. As with training any muscle pushing it to the limit is kinda what you want. But if your max is 181, then watch and make sure it doesn't exceed 181. And don't move on to the next step until your heart can handle this set.

caperapp

It sounds like you have a healthy heart if it recovers in less than 2 minutes, that is good. It is alright to get up there but don't stay there too long, you will start to have a anaerobic workout which means that your body will start burning your muscles instead of your carb stores. If most of your workout you stay in the mid to lower HR range then you are doing good. The point is to get your heart working and build that muscle. Keep on trucking, it will take time to get to that 30 minute run but you can achieve it.