Heart Rate

mzlee1990
mzlee1990 Posts: 8 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm newish to exercise and I'm a bit confused by it.

I use my fitness pal and enter all my food intake as well as my exercise. I also use a Polar HRM to monitor calories burnt. Up until Monday I was managing to keep my HR up around 140-160 including while lifting, Tuesday I worked out and my hr only got to 140 and wasn't continuous even on the treadmill just kept dropping despite increasing speed and incline so I thought it was the watch so I had it replaced. Today it's done the same thing, I can't get my heart rate above 120 even when I physically can't walk any faster and am struggling to breathe and while lifting its sitting at 70-80 even though I've added an extra 10kgs to my weights. The treadmill sensors are saying the same. And the second I press stop on the treadmill if my HR is up it immediately drops to 90

So I guess my question is, is this normal?

Replies

  • littleknownblogger
    littleknownblogger Posts: 67 Member
    Have you given your heart a day off? Like any other muscle, it needs to recuperate.
  • mzlee1990
    mzlee1990 Posts: 8 Member
    It had two days rest

    I've started on International Protein Synergy 5 would that affect it? I should mention I'm considered morbidly obese so it's normally not hard to get my heart rate up I'm working until I'm puffed
  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
    Have you tried changing the battery in the HRM Strap? I have a Garmin and know when the battery needs changing as it under-reads. Eg It'll show a resting HR of 45 and will only peak at around 120 when I know it should be reading nearer 155.
  • mzlee1990
    mzlee1990 Posts: 8 Member
    I got a whole new one and the HRM sits at the same rate as the treadmill?
  • mzlee1990
    mzlee1990 Posts: 8 Member
    I thought maybe it was normal once you get a bit fitter for your HR to sit lower and to drop dramatically whenever you stop moving (120 to 90 in less then 10 seconds)
  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
    HRM is only of use for cardio, not weights (search the forums for reason why - sorry am on my phone so linking is difficult). If you are doing the same activity at the same pace as you've been doing for a while then I'd expect your heart rate not to rise a high as you got fitter. Have you tried jogging instead of walking? What happens to your heart rate then?
  • mzlee1990
    mzlee1990 Posts: 8 Member
    I increase speed and incline and it rises nowhere near as high tho mostly between 130-140 but the second i stop it drops so low again? If that makes sense?

    And I'll have to look into the weight training with it, It was recommended to me by a few PTs to buy one for weight training to make sure I'm working hard enough. I just don't understand how it goes from working one day for the past few months and seeing results on the monitor, have 2 days off and then nothing?

    I hoped someone would of gone through the same thing. It's ridiculous but it not working is turning me off going to the gym all together.
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
    I increase speed and incline and it rises nowhere near as high tho mostly between 130-140 but the second i stop it drops so low again? If that makes sense?

    And I'll have to look into the weight training with it, It was recommended to me by a few PTs to buy one for weight training to make sure I'm working hard enough. I just don't understand how it goes from working one day for the past few months and seeing results on the monitor, have 2 days off and then nothing?

    I hoped someone would of gone through the same thing. It's ridiculous but it not working is turning me off going to the gym all together.

    HRMs are notoriously innacurate for weight lifting since it is not a constant load activity. I wouldn't use it for lifting. As for the treadmill issue, it sounds to me like you may not be getting a good connection between the HRM and your skin during cardio. Try putting a little vaseline on the contacts prior to working out (make sure you don't care about the shirt you wear, since the petroleum jelly can stain) to ensure good contact. You might get a better reading that way. You might also want to double check where you are wearing it. If the strap is too low, the readings can fluctuate pretty wildly.

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