When does YOUR cardio stop?

cerrajean

For those of you with HRMs, you know that your heart rate stays elevated for quite some time after the machine shuts off or your running shoes come off- so my question for everyone tonight is this:

When do you STOP your workout?

As soon as you step off the machine?

When your heart rate returns to normal?

A set time, perhaps? (10 min post-workout?)

I'm curious to see how others do this. I usually give it 5-10 min for my heart rate to calm down a bit and then hit the stop button.

flamegirl72

I start mine cold before my warm up and stop it after my cool down, once i have brought my heart rate down...but interested what others do as well.

Sierra_419

i dont have a hrm.. i just stop when my machine is done unless im running a program with a 5 min cool down.
*shrugs*

Pebble321

My HRM is a GPS too, so I stop it when I get home or when I reach my goal so that it accurately records my distance and pace.
If I burn extra cals afterwards, I guess that's a bonus!

IndigoFlowers

It stops right before I jump off the treadmill! Or right after I am done exercising... the second I stop doing my workout, is when I press "stop" on my hrm.

hush7hush

I stop counting the calories as soon as I hit the time desired.

Though I turn it back on after for about ten minutes to see how long it takes my HR to go back to normal. I never count that, though.

paulwgun

I switch off after my cool down and normally in the changing room when i take my chest strap off

Dexy_

If I'm not moving, my HRM isn't counting the calories. So I start it when I warm up, stop it when I'm done. If I am doing a Kinect game, I pause it for loading screens or do jumping jacks. I want to earn all of my exercise calories, if I burn more after I'm done that's just a bonus!

melaniecheeks

I'm usually doing a class in the gym which ends with a cool-down. So, after the cool down.

(I may be repeating myself here, but these are all estimates, its pointless seeking The One True Number. What would the difference be in calorie terms anyway - 20, 30, 50 cals? Not going to be worth worrying about)

cerrajean

My HRM is very basic, so it doesn't have a GPS feature- that sounds pretty cool.

Thanks for all the great replies everyone!