Heart Rate

AfreezeAdventure

I was doing an interval workout last night it was:

Jog 3 minutes
Run 1 minute (as hard as I can)

My heart rate went up as high as 195 at one point. I am curious if this is beneficial for my exercise? Would it be more beneficial for me to not run as hard during that phase, and slow down so my heart rate is 185(ish)?

Just curious about the effects of heart rate vs. healthy calorie burning

Thanks for the help.

scottb81

What are you trying to achieve?

The correct target heartrate is entirely dependant on your goal for the session. If your only goal is to burn calories then it doesn't really matter.

AfreezeAdventure

Goal is to burn as many calories as possible in the short amount of gym time that I have.

In this case was roughly 30 minutes.

GoneKona

It also depends on what percentage of your max 195 is.

scottb81

Goal is to burn as many calories as possible in the short amount of gym time that I have.

In this case was roughly 30 minutes.

Then the harder you run the more calories you will burn. If you don't have any underlying heart problems then running at a very high heartrate is not dangerous.

As far as fitness goes you probably shouldn't do a session like that more than 2 or at most 3 times a week.

GoneKona

Here is a great interval workout I snagged from the "Body for Life" program. It takes 20 minutes. The "Levels" mentioned are up to your perception.


Warm up the first 2 minutes at Intensity Level 5
Minutes 2-3 move from Intensity Level 5 to 6
Minutes 4-5, 6-10 and 11-14 work your way from Intensity Level 6 to Level 9, maintain for one minute.
Minutes 15-19 work your way from Intensity Level 6 to Level 10 (High Point at Level 10), maintain for one minute.
Minute 20 cool down to Intensity Level 5 for one minute.

So, Minute by minute looks like this:
Min 1 L5
Min 2 L5
Min 3 L6
Min4 L7
Min5 L8
Min6 L9
Min7 L6
Min8 L7
Min 9 L8
Min 10 L9
Min11 L6
Min12 L7
Min13 L8
Min14 L9
Min15 L6
Min16 L7
Min17 L8
Min18 L9
Min 19 L10!!! All out!
Min 20 L5

This will burn you up.