Heart Rate...Help!

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CheeseGeek
CheeseGeek Posts: 7
in Fitness and Exercise
Finding it hard to keep my heart rate above the 130's when doing cardio this last week. Any ideas? If I go faster or increase my resistance (I love the elliptical) I can't workout for as long. Should I just cut my workout time to increase my heart rate? I generally do 60 minutes anywere from 3.1mph to 4.6mph. Any advice would help, thanks! :)

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  • Mellenu
    Mellenu Posts: 3 Member
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    My trainer has me do what he calls tiger sprints on the elliptical. Don't know if it would wear you out but it's maybe worth a try. He has me alternate between 30 seconds at a resistance of 15 of 16 going as fast as I safely can (like you're being chased by a tiger) and then 30 seconds to a minute at a much slower pace with no resistance. You can repeat as many times as you feel you can.
  • CheeseGeek
    CheeseGeek Posts: 7
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    That's actually a really good idea, thank you! I do alternate but I'm not timing it, it's only when I can't go at a higher resistance or speed. I'm gonna try this with my next workout, thanks again! :)
  • PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot
    PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot Posts: 596 Member
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    I'd recommend interval training, which could (in the most basic example) involve bursts of higher/faster output to increase heart rate for perhaps 2 minutes, followed by 2minutes (or slightly more) of recovery. As you become accustomed to the faster pace, your heart rate will gradually get lower during the burst, as your cardiovascular system gets stronger, at which point you can increase the intensity and/or duration of the burst
  • CheeseGeek
    CheeseGeek Posts: 7
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    Thanks for your advice! Intervals it is! :)
  • Hexahedra
    Hexahedra Posts: 894 Member
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    The other path is to increase the resistance or speed and do it for as long as you can. Let's say the first time you do it you last 40 minutes, the session after that you should be able to increase it to 45, then 50 and so on. You will eventually reach 60 minutes again, but at the new speed or resistance.
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
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    I agree with interval training - it has been the best type of cardio for me and I got faster and stronger without even trying to.

    But, I am pretty sure that the heart rate target zone stuff has been debunked. So, I say do whatever you love doing as long as you are doing it. :)

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