Maximum heart rate??

I've been working out and weight training for about a year now and like to hope im pretty okay on fitness levels. Recently i've taken up hiking and i bought a HRM with chest strap. I walk at quite a hefty pace and on the steep uphill climbs i keep to my speed and my heart rate hits 179 and my HRM starts beeping an alarm saying im at 99% of maximum. Is this right?? also my calorie burn seems high are these accurate?

Age 44
resting heart rate: 63
HRM quoted max heart rate: 182
calories burned on 2 hour cross country hike with steep climbing in places and some running 1164

Replies

  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    At 44 that's probably pretty close to your max. If you haven't been doing a lot of cardiovascular exercise then that's to be expected. It will come down as you do more.

    Not sure about the calorie burn but 1164 for me is usually 9 or 10 miles at 178 lbs. Since you were doing steep uphills it will be higher than normal.
  • At 44 that's probably pretty close to your max. If you haven't been doing a lot of cardiovascular exercise then that's to be expected. It will come down as you do more.

    Not sure about the calorie burn but 1164 for me is usually 9 or 10 miles at 178 lbs. Since you were doing steep uphills it will be higher than normal.

    im doing on average about 8.5 miles cross country and uphill climbing. im 155lbs. my calorie burn if i go with my daughter is around 822 but the pace is a lot slower. i wasnt sure if max heart rate of 179 means in unfit and i should try to improve it?? I know the resting heart rate is okay but wasnt sure about the max
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    At 44 that's probably pretty close to your max. If you haven't been doing a lot of cardiovascular exercise then that's to be expected. It will come down as you do more.

    Not sure about the calorie burn but 1164 for me is usually 9 or 10 miles at 178 lbs. Since you were doing steep uphills it will be higher than normal.

    im doing on average about 8.5 miles cross country and uphill climbing. im 155lbs. my calorie burn if i go with my daughter is around 822 but the pace is a lot slower. i wasnt sure if max heart rate of 179 means in unfit and i should try to improve it?? I know the resting heart rate is okay but wasnt sure about the max

    They're just guesstimating your max. It's irrelevant. I regularly exceed my calculated "max" and have been doing so for years. It means nothing.

    As far as your calorie burn goes, it seems reasonable for 2 hours of hard cardio.
  • JankaLee
    JankaLee Posts: 35 Member
    Interval training is your friend! It will help bring that HR down.
  • mom2dzbnwe
    mom2dzbnwe Posts: 129 Member
    Interval training is your friend! It will help bring that HR down.

    Absolutely!!!
  • MoJokes
    MoJokes Posts: 691
    i think the calorie burn is reasonable, compared to mfp figures i also burn a ridiculous amount of cals, but with your weight and activity it seems reasonable.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
    I've been working out and weight training for about a year now and like to hope im pretty okay on fitness levels. Recently i've taken up hiking and i bought a HRM with chest strap. I walk at quite a hefty pace and on the steep uphill climbs i keep to my speed and my heart rate hits 179 and my HRM starts beeping an alarm saying im at 99% of maximum. Is this right?? also my calorie burn seems high are these accurate?

    Age 44
    resting heart rate: 63
    HRM quoted max heart rate: 182
    calories burned on 2 hour cross country hike with steep climbing in places and some running 1164

    If that's what your HRM is saying, then I would trust it to be honest OP.

    Any activity that means you are going against gravity (stair climbing, rock climbing etc) can result in superb calorie burns and quite often much higher than just normal activities such as running or walking on the flat etc.

    The beeping is only to alert you. I never hear mine beep, not because I never get to maximum, but because I just never hear it lol.

  • The beeping is only to alert you. I never hear mine beep, not because I never get to maximum, but because I just never hear it lol.

    I dont usually hear it i usually have my ipod on pretty loud but it just happened to be between tracks.

    Its weird but even if i try and push harder when it beeps at max it never goes above 179
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member

    The beeping is only to alert you. I never hear mine beep, not because I never get to maximum, but because I just never hear it lol.

    I dont usually hear it i usually have my ipod on pretty loud but it just happened to be between tracks.

    Its weird but even if i try and push harder when it beeps at max it never goes above 179

    I wish my heartrate would curb when it reaches max lol. I went up to 204 during one 5k race once, my maximum is supposed to be 168 (I am 52). Damn well thought I was gonna die LOL!
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member

    The beeping is only to alert you. I never hear mine beep, not because I never get to maximum, but because I just never hear it lol.

    I dont usually hear it i usually have my ipod on pretty loud but it just happened to be between tracks.

    Its weird but even if i try and push harder when it beeps at max it never goes above 179
    That's a pretty good sign that your true max is 179 to 184; probably not higher than that.
  • mtfr810
    mtfr810 Posts: 136 Member
    220-age is an estimate. As long as you are not having chest pain, etc. You're fine. Push it some with interval training and your resting heart rate will really come down. Interval training is a great way to kick your butt but give you a break to recover.