Question about heart rate.

roguex_1979

I know obviously getting your heart pumping from moving around is good for you, but why is it that you have to keep your heart rate low to burn fat and high for cardio, and why is there an upper limit to the heart rate?

My heart rate usualy stays slightly below the highest it should be for cardio exercise, but sometimes it can go over slightly, and today I really pushed myself on the elliptical trainer and my heart rate went up quite high, and stayed high during the rest of the work out.

When I got home and after my shower and even now (a few hours later), my heart rate is still quite high. Is this ok, or should I be worried?

particleastro

Its just a gimick to fill up the space on an exercise machine.

There IS a continuum of how much energy comes from fat and comes from carbohydrates for a given heart rate (resting heart rate is 100% fat, max heart rate (VO2 max) is 100% carbs, more or less) and so you would assume that somewhere in the middle is the optimal fat burning zone.

If that were true do you think rowers and middle distance runners (whose heart rates are almost always above 170 or so) would be so lean?

Dont worry about your heart rate being elevated for some time after exercise, its one of the benefits!

God luck,
JU