Can intense exercise be bad for high heart rate?

tebe0005
tebe0005 Posts: 12 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I recently got a polar FT7 and it has helped me realize my resting heart rate is really high... Usually 100-110
I have an appointment to see my doctor Monday (the earliest I could get it without going into urgent care which I feel is unnecessary), but in the mean time I've been doing the 30 day shred--on level 2 now.
My max rate can be from 196-204 doing that. (average 165-175 including warm up and cool down) I know doing exercise can help lower your resting heart rate, but is a workout of this intensity a bad move for me? What should I do?

--ps. I don't care about "training zones" just whether I'm helping or hurting my heart in the long run--

1 Should I just STOP doing the 30DS and to milder exercises until I see my doctor?
2 Keep doing the 30DS and rest if my rate gets to high/take frequent breaks
3 Go back to level one where I'm a bit more comfortable
4 Just push through and my heart will adjust
5 other?

Thanks in advance <3

Replies

  • astralweeks82
    astralweeks82 Posts: 230 Member
    When I was heavier, my HR could get to nearly 200 when I was on the treadmill or something. I was always worried about it, but then, my resting HR back then was like yours. Now, my RHR is in the 50s-60s and I struggle to get my HR into the 160s. Not sure how much weight you have to lose. Personally, I would talk to a doctor first (I was cleared my my cardiologist).
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    was there any indication of a problem with exercise before you started using your non-medical rated, fitness toy? (the HRM)
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    If you have a history or a family history of heart attack or other related problems you need to be careful. I highly suggest that you visit your primary care physician as soon as it's convenient to have a physical done and mention your concerns about your heart rate.
  • tebe0005
    tebe0005 Posts: 12 Member
    Thanks for your reply :)

    I'm 5'2" turning 24 this month and weight around 165lbs, ideal weight is 110-125ish I think.

    But I have been seriously sedentary for the past 2 years (unemployed living on the couch depressed kinda' thing) hoping that or the birth control I take for my acne is causing it but need to be sure.
  • tebe0005
    tebe0005 Posts: 12 Member
    Not really, except more recently I've been getting some exercise induced asthma symptoms; I should probably be warming up even more.

    I don't even know my heart rates from past years since whenever you got to the doctor they just take your blood pressure--and that's all good, but HR is a completely different thing :(
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    Resting heart rate is measured when you wake up, rather than your general working heart rate from background activity. so take your HR each morning and record it.

    Given what you've described it's not surprising that you have a higher working heart rate, although even then it seems high. My RHR when I was at my maximum weight was 80 bpm with 95 or thereabouts as my normal. It's now significantly lower than that having been training for 18 months and having lost a lot of weight.

    As far as the effect is concerned. If you're feeling ill effects then it's worth checking out, but if you're not getting any other indicators of a problem then I wouldn't worry too much.

    Keep up the phys, your health and fitness will improve and you'll see results.

    Just to add, in my case my theoretical max heart rate is 176 bpm. Most of my training runs are between 150 and 160 bpm for anything up to a couple of hours, a fast paced run will be between 170 and 180 for an hour, and in an intervals session it'll go up to 195 in the intense periods. There will be some error in there as it is a mass produced device, but it's not significant and that just draws out that the theoretical MHR is a bit arbitrary.
  • tebe0005
    tebe0005 Posts: 12 Member
    Only heart problems I know of was my grandfather needed a triple bypass, but that was like 10 years ago and he was like 70 or so.


    Ok. So it's probably nothing to worry about seriously, but just to be safe I'll just skip the 30DS for now and do mild exercise, keep my heart around 170max, just go slower but longer on the treadmill or something until I can see my doctor on Monday and get everything checked out.

    Thanks guys <3

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