Heart rate during weights vs. cardio

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persian_star
persian_star Posts: 197 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone else manage to rock a higher heart rate when doing weights than when doing cardio? Right now I'm doing the 30DS with my Polar FT40, and I've begun to notice that the cardio, flat out though it is, doesn't peak my heart rate quite as much as putting my everything into weights - especially arm focused weight training. My weights aren't overly heavy - 5.5lb (i'm a weakling, I they're as heavy as I can go and get through the full set) although I do (separately) sometimes lift heavy with SL5x5 (just doing the Shred for August).

Does anyone else find this? Is it a problem??

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  • persian_star
    persian_star Posts: 197 Member
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    Anyone? Any thoughts at all?
  • gxm17
    gxm17 Posts: 374
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    My heart rate gets as high during weights as it does during cardio and I've often wondered if this is "normal." This weekend, my heart rate got up to 163 during Chalean Extreme Burn Circuit 1. I was using 15lb, 10lb, and 8lb dumbbells. I'll hit that doing steady state cardio. For HIITs, my heart rate usually peaks around 170. I figure it's just more calories burned and try to view it as a positive. But it's good to know there are others who have the same experience.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    My Polar FT7 reads insanely high when I'm doing compound lifting.
    Half again as much as intense cardio usually. My average heart rate on a good bicycle ride is like 140...
    One valsalva deadlift and my HR is 170 and takes ages to go down.


    Of course HRMs are useless for actual strength training, but I thought it was funny.
  • opuntia
    opuntia Posts: 860 Member
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    Does anyone else manage to rock a higher heart rate when doing weights than when doing cardio?

    Yes. I'm glad you asked this, because I've been wondering about it too. I'm not sure what the point of doing separate cardio exercises is when weight exercises produce the same effects and also increase strength. Makes more sense to me to just do strength exercises.
  • dwn2erth
    dwn2erth Posts: 144 Member
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    I've noticed my heart rate 'does' going higher sometimes with weights; but usually its with high weights or when I'm utilizing multiple large musles; such as lunges with bicep curls. I think it's a great way to get the best of both worlds.!
  • dwn2erth
    dwn2erth Posts: 144 Member
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    Me too I agree!! But I also think that cardio work will work other muscles as well. That you don't use in sync as you would with walking or running. And sometimes it's just nice to rest your mind with a long walk :happy:
  • Determinednoob
    Determinednoob Posts: 2,001 Member
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    I just answered something similar to this in my noob info thread http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/686963-large-collection-of-info-for-beginners


    Someone:
    Overall good info. However, I am curious as to what support Alan Aragon and others have for the statement that you can get similar health benefits from weight training as you can from cardio? I've tried googling this, but all I've found is this claim being made with no scientific support, and it seems to be used more often as a justification used by those who dislike cardio.


    Me:
    Well I can not answer your question directly, but what is being referred to is maintaining basic cardiovascular health, nothing more. If you perform things like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, overhead presses, barbell rows, chin\pullups, dips, power cleans\snatches, etc. at or near max effort (as much weight as you can handle in whatever rep range you work in) you will get plenty of elevated heart rate for keeping it strong. I guess support could easily enough be gotten by wearing an HRM while performing such lifts in said manner. It should not be until someone is more advanced that they would have a true "leg day," but people who do have them sometimes get near or over the line of vomitting, so they are probably getting a pretty good cardio workout.
  • persian_star
    persian_star Posts: 197 Member
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    Thanks guys. It's good to know I'm not alone on this. I'm not overly worried about it - it's not going to affect the amount of effort I put in, for starters - but I was quite intrigued since 'perceived wisdom' (I know, pinch of salt ;o) always made me think cardio should get your heart rate much higher.

    Plus there's a bit in 30DS where Jillian (bless her cotton socks) tells you your heart rate should be coming down during a weights section. Maybe if the weights aren't challenging you enough, but for me they obviously are!
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    30DS is cardio. Even if you hold little dumbbells.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    The elevated heart rate that occurs during strength training is due to a completely different physiological effect than the elevated heart rate that occurs during cardio. Not all elevated heart rates are the same.

    The elevated heart rate during cardio is associated with increased oxygen uptake and increased direct calorie burn. The elevated heart rate that occurs during strength is not (not to the same extent).

    This refers to traditional weight lifting. Different types of training (e.g. circuits, crossfit) have different physiological profiles, so the effects will be different.

    This is the Cliff Notes version-there are nuances to all of this, but these are the basic concepts.

    None is this is meant to express a preference for any type of training.
  • persian_star
    persian_star Posts: 197 Member
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    30DS is cardio. Even if you hold little dumbbells.

    I quite agree, but within the circuits there are sections where she focuses on strength (compound movements with weights) then sections for cardio, then specifically abs.

    Plus, although I've never used my HRM while doing proper* strength training - SL5x5 - because I've heard it doesn't work accurately (always thought this was due to the amount of rests in between sets - thinking I might be wrong now though?) my heart feels like it's going to burst right out my chest from overuse. Now, if I'm understanding better, does that mean that your heart rate while lifting doesn't equal the same cardiovascular** exercise as it would by running, etc?

    *I don't count 30DS as proper strength training. I just like that it seems to tighten up some saggy bits :o)

    **I mean this specifically as my heart's workout, as opposed to simply stating 'cardio'.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
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    There are a lot of know-it-alls on the topic of how many calories you actually burn during strength training. Go with your experience. Does your weight-loss track with what your HRM is telling you about how many calories you burn? Mine does, and intense, heavy strength training is all I do. I trust my experience. I don't trust the OPINIONS of people who have no idea what kind of workouts I do.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    30DS is cardio. Even if you hold little dumbbells.

    I quite agree, but within the circuits there are sections where she focuses on strength (compound movements with weights) then sections for cardio, then specifically abs.

    Plus, although I've never used my HRM while doing proper* strength training - SL5x5 - because I've heard it doesn't work accurately (always thought this was due to the amount of rests in between sets - thinking I might be wrong now though?) my heart feels like it's going to burst right out my chest from overuse. Now, if I'm understanding better, does that mean that your heart rate while lifting doesn't equal the same cardiovascular** exercise as it would by running, etc?

    *I don't count 30DS as proper strength training. I just like that it seems to tighten up some saggy bits :o)

    **I mean this specifically as my heart's workout, as opposed to simply stating 'cardio'.

    No--it does not have the same cardiovascular effect. It's not completely cut and dried--basically there is a continuum in which the higher the resistive component, the lower the cardio effect--and vice versa. It doesn't mean there is NO cardio effect at all--it just means that you cannot interpret the increased HR that comes with strength training. It is not the same as running.

    For something like 30DS, you are doing a lot of movements that I would call "tweeners" -- they aren't fully cardio and they aren't fully strength.

    I know it can be confusing because the heart beat sure looks and feels the same--but it's not.
  • SanyamKaushik
    SanyamKaushik Posts: 215 Member
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    30DS is cardio. Even if you hold little dumbbells.

    I quite agree, but within the circuits there are sections where she focuses on strength (compound movements with weights) then sections for cardio, then specifically abs.

    Plus, although I've never used my HRM while doing proper* strength training - SL5x5 - because I've heard it doesn't work accurately (always thought this was due to the amount of rests in between sets - thinking I might be wrong now though?) my heart feels like it's going to burst right out my chest from overuse. Now, if I'm understanding better, does that mean that your heart rate while lifting doesn't equal the same cardiovascular** exercise as it would by running, etc?

    *I don't count 30DS as proper strength training. I just like that it seems to tighten up some saggy bits :o)

    **I mean this specifically as my heart's workout, as opposed to simply stating 'cardio'.

    No--it does not have the same cardiovascular effect. It's not completely cut and dried--basically there is a continuum in which the higher the resistive component, the lower the cardio effect--and vice versa. It doesn't mean there is NO cardio effect at all--it just means that you cannot interpret the increased HR that comes with strength training. It is not the same as running.

    For something like 30DS, you are doing a lot of movements that I would call "tweeners" -- they aren't fully cardio and they aren't fully strength.

    I know it can be confusing because the heart beat sure looks and feels the same--but it's not.

    I echo that. Suppose, you see a ghost (or are in a state of shock), the heart will beat too fast but you are not burning too many (extra) calories.
  • mfkn_Titanium
    mfkn_Titanium Posts: 131
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    Dude my thought is if my heart rate isn't getting high during lifting (particularly squats/deads) - I'm not lifting heavy enough. WANT TO LIFT ALLLLL THE WEIGHTS!

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