High Heart Rate

malove07

I am hoping that somebody can explain to me how to figure out how hard to push myself.

I have been working out 3-4 days a week for the last 18 months and walk 1-4 miles daily. I recently bought a HRM and noticed that my HR is over 180 bpm when running. I can still speak in short sentences and my breathing returns to normal within a couple minutes of stopping. Should I be concerned about the number on my HRM or pay more attention to my perceived rate of exertion? Thanks!

kCalCrusher

I've asked my Doctor before and he said don't worry about it as long as it comes back down!

DopeItUp

If it hasn't killed you after 18 months, I think you'll be fine.

Kalikel

First of all, use your fingers and find out your actual heart rate. Fingers are much more reliable than gadgets.

Then, if you're still concerned, call the doctor.

MeanderingMammal

malove07 wrote: »

....noticed that my HR is over 180 bpm when running. I can still speak in short sentences and my breathing returns to normal within a couple minutes of stopping. Should I be concerned about the number on my HRM or pay more attention to my perceived rate of exertion? Thanks!

It seems high, but measured HR isn't always a great indicator of capacity as actual HR ranges differ quite a lot.

If you're feeling ok, then I wouldn't worry about it. What's more meaningful is how it changes over time.

_Zardoz_

Kalikel wrote: »

First of all, use your fingers and find out your actual heart rate. Fingers are much more reliable than gadgets.

Then, if you're still concerned, call the doctor.

So fingers are more accurate than an ECG quality device. What an interesting concept. Lets clear out the hospitals of all those useless gadgets then. Most people are widely inaccurate when attempting to take their own HR with fingers.

Op as others have said HRs vary quite a bit. Also not sure how long you've been running but when I started my HR was was very high after a while and as I got fitter it settled down a lot

habit365

My body will hit a wall when it's working too hard, and I do reach that "max effort" feeling at a certain heart rate. My guess would be that your heart rate max is higher than average, so even though it seems high, for you it is a percentage of your personal max that will match up with your perceived rate of exertion.

htimpaired

Mine gets up that high when I run also, and I also can speak in brief sentences, etc and recover pretty quickly. I just assume that since my doctor has never said anything about my heart rate (and I've had the 24 hour monitor on and everything) that this is just my personal norm.

jacksonpt

Do you have reason to care about a number on a watch? If you can still speak in short sentences, especially if you can maintain that effort for reasonable lengths of time, I think you're probably fine.

bago08

The same thing happened to me when running this summer. It was up with just a bit of exercise and then back down to a normal rate and then up when doing things like just walking around the house. We have a doctor at work and I asked him to take a listen. I was in A-Fib. Took about a day to right itself but I did have to go to the hospital for further tests. Its a pretty common thing

Missjulesdid

My resting heart rate is 60 but goes SUPER HIGH with exercise even when I don't feel I'm exerting myself very much but goes back down quickly when I slow down or stop. My old doctor was a GP who had practiced cardiology for many years.. He said not to worry about it and just stop if I can't breathe or feel dizzy or faint.

shadowofender

I have a higher heart rate because I'm heavy. If I'm in the upper 170s, that when I know I'm getting an effective workout. If your dr isn't concerned I wouldn't be either. As long as you aren't dizzy, overly short of breath, faint, etc.