HRM "zones"

shaycat

I got my Polar FT4 about 7 months ago. It has my zone as 123 to 161. At first it was hard to get into my zone and then I wouldnt go over 140. Now while doing workouts like HIIT videos it gets up to 174. I am not sure that this is right since a few months ago the same workouts had my HR at about 153.
Any ideas? I way the same as when I got it, but am more fit now.

alpine1994

Did you have to set it to that zone yourself? I have an FT4 and I have no clue what my "zone" is.

As far as your HR going up, is it possible you are just pushing yourself harder now than you used to? When I push myself REALLY hard, it can get up to around 180.

RBXChas

I got my Polar FT4 about 7 months ago. It has my zone as 123 to 161. At first it was hard to get into my zone and then I wouldnt go over 140. Now while doing workouts like HIIT videos it gets up to 174. I am not sure that this is right since a few months ago the same workouts had my HR at about 153.
Any ideas? I way the same as when I got it, but am more fit now.

You and I must have similar stats, because my FT4 gives me the same zone. I don't worry about the zone, though. I have an idea as to where my threshold is, and I try to stay just under it except for "sprints," when I go over, as I would in HIIT. (I've also been told by someone who does VO2 max testing that your threshold is higher for running versus other activities, but unfortunately I don't remember why.)

I recommend doing a VO2 max test, and then everything is accurate!

But in general as you become more fit, your heart rate rises faster, but it also falls faster (you recover more quickly). I have definitely found that to be the case.