Is my heart rate too high during cardio?

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Replies

  • pwilfong01
    pwilfong01 Posts: 1
    Don't listen to anybody on this board. If you truely think you will burn more fat trying to stay in the old "target" range, then you are destined to be fat. It's a lazy way out/excuse for not having to push yourself. I burn around 500 calories in 20 min of HIIT training on average and I'm in phenominal shape. To tell someone they're better off walking briskly for an hour is better, just stupid. If you don't enjoy working out, than isn't that more reason to push yourself harder to get out of the gym earlier?
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Don't listen to anybody on this board. If you truely think you will burn more fat trying to stay in the old "target" range, then you are destined to be fat. It's a lazy way out/excuse for not having to push yourself. I burn around 500 calories in 20 min of HIIT training on average and I'm in phenominal shape. To tell someone they're better off walking briskly for an hour is better, just stupid. If you don't enjoy working out, than isn't that more reason to push yourself harder to get out of the gym earlier?

    You aren't burning 500 cals in 20 min--I don't care how "HIITastic" you think your workout is.
  • CathyInNH
    CathyInNH Posts: 3
    Are you follwing any kind of diet?:bigsmile:
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    If your goal in mind is to lose fat, keep your heart rate between 65-80% of your HRM. THIS IS NOT A MYTH as others before have stated. Muscles burn fat ONLY in the presence of oxygen. If you push yourself too hard or get out of breath as you workout, fat burning shuts down. This is because muscles burn two types of fuel, fat and sugar. Your body will naturally burn fat as a top priority, but once your get your heart rate too high and your body loses oxygen, your fat burning enzymes refuse to work and your body begins to burn sugar.

    So all in all, it is not necessarily bad to higher your heart rate. That is what will essentially increase your cardio endurance, but if fat lose is a first priority then keep it in the 65-80% range.
    There is sooo much wrong with this it is not even funny......

    actually it is very funny. at least my humor enzyme is working
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    Don't listen to anybody on this board. If you truely think you will burn more fat trying to stay in the old "target" range, then you are destined to be fat. It's a lazy way out/excuse for not having to push yourself. I burn around 500 calories in 20 min of HIIT training on average and I'm in phenominal shape. To tell someone they're better off walking briskly for an hour is better, just stupid. If you don't enjoy working out, than isn't that more reason to push yourself harder to get out of the gym earlier?
    but listen to you? aren't you on the board?


    OP just go by how you feel. sometimes it's fun to get up in the high range, recover and get back up high.

    like another poster mentioned, i also like keeping track of my heart rates via HRM to see how well i'm conditioning myself. it's cool to see that the same workout that had me at an 150 average BPM drops to 130 average which means i can do more
  • Joanne_Moniz
    Joanne_Moniz Posts: 347 Member
    I recently bought a HRM that I've been using during cardio. I do 30 minutes on the Elliptical 3x a week.

    While on the Elliptical, my heart rate generally falls between 150-170. Mostly around 160-165 bpm. I'm definitely sweating and exerting myself during the high points.

    Using a target heart rate calculator, it said I should be only going as high as 156 bpm (80% of a maximum heart beat of 195).

    Is it harmful to let my heart beat raise higher than 156? Will I get a more 'effective' workout if I stay below 156?

    Thanks guys!



    You will not get a more effective workout. You will just have to workout longer if you stay below the 156... You can read about the myth here... ACE, one of the most respected for advice.... http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/fitness-programs-article/2425/ACEFit-workout-advice-and-exercise-tips/
  • mortyfit
    mortyfit Posts: 354 Member
    As many have said on here...don't worry too much about it unless you are feeling pain and pressure at the higher rates.
    I'm 40, run 40-50 miles per week, always with a HRM because it helps give me a more accurate estimation of calorie burn (I love numbers and statistics, sorry, I'm a nerd). My normal "easy pace" is about 8:05/mile, at which I will generally maintain a consistent HR of 160-163 for up to ten miles. Race pace I generally stay around 170 +/- 2.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    The only way to calculate zones for sure, is to have your maximum heart rate tested (not a pleasant experience I am told). I know that for myself, 220 - my age is not accurate. I wear a heart rate monitor because I like to see where I am when I'm running, but go mostly by feel. I can tell if I am running at a comfortable pace, and I think that is really the most important thing. For races, I also ran by feel, but also confirmed where I was by my HRM so I wouldn't go red and flame out.

    Also, the younger you are, the higher your maximum rate is. What you are describing sounds to me like higher your aerobic zone. You should be fine.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Don't listen to anybody on this board. If you truely think you will burn more fat trying to stay in the old "target" range, then you are destined to be fat. It's a lazy way out/excuse for not having to push yourself. I burn around 500 calories in 20 min of HIIT training on average and I'm in phenominal shape. To tell someone they're better off walking briskly for an hour is better, just stupid. If you don't enjoy working out, than isn't that more reason to push yourself harder to get out of the gym earlier?

    Whoa. Strong first post. :huh:
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    If youre concerned maybe talk to your doctor about doing a stress test. Do you have any indication that you are causing undo stress to your heart such as light headedness, dizziness, feeling very breathless (unusually), nausea, chest or arm pain?

    But for sure share the results with your doctor.
  • danapenguin
    danapenguin Posts: 161
    i have been wondering the same too. mine can get up to 200 bpm sometimes
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    The only way to calculate zones for sure, is to have your maximum heart rate tested (not a pleasant experience I am told). I know that for myself, 220 - my age is not accurate. I wear a heart rate monitor because I like to see where I am when I'm running, but go mostly by feel. I can tell if I am running at a comfortable pace, and I think that is really the most important thing. For races, I also ran by feel, but also confirmed where I was by my HRM so I wouldn't go red and flame out.

    Also, the younger you are, the higher your maximum rate is. What you are describing sounds to me like higher your aerobic zone. You should be fine.

    Yep basically this. The numbers you get from the calculation are THEORETICAL only. Your head won't explode if you go above your theoretical max because it obviously isn't your actual max heart rate. Base your training on feel if you don't have a HRM. Your max effort is exactly that - working as hard as you can. Ignore the "zones" info, it's basically a myth. The percentage of calories burned from fat changes in the different zones but the best workout for fat loss will still be the one that burns the most calories total. Target your training to a specific heart rate - aerobic, anerobic - if you are aiming for particular fitness benefits.
  • Joanne_Moniz
    Joanne_Moniz Posts: 347 Member
    I recently bought a HRM that I've been using during cardio. I do 30 minutes on the Elliptical 3x a week.

    While on the Elliptical, my heart rate generally falls between 150-170. Mostly around 160-165 bpm. I'm definitely sweating and exerting myself during the high points.

    Using a target heart rate calculator, it said I should be only going as high as 156 bpm (80% of a maximum heart beat of 195).

    Is it harmful to let my heart beat raise higher than 156? Will I get a more 'effective' workout if I stay below 156?

    Thanks guys!

    The actual formula for calculating hear rate is called the Karnoven formula and does not just take into account the maximum heart rate but also the resting heart rate. But like I said, you can workout higher than your target heart rate, you just won't have to work out as long. If you work out at your target heart rate or lower, you will have to work out longer.

    Joanne Moniz
    The Skinny On Obesity Group
  • inside_lap
    inside_lap Posts: 728 Member
    I actually asked my doctor about this at one of my yearly exams. He brought in an exercise physiology person and they both explained that as long as my heart rate drops back to where it should be in a reasonable amount of time during cool down then I'm good to go. They only worry about your heart rate going too high if it stays high when your cooling down. :). Hope this helps!

    Edit: And of course if pain, numbness, and all that jazz is a issue...
  • dalguard
    dalguard Posts: 36
    Learn to listen to your body, not a machine.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    If youre concerned maybe talk to your doctor about doing a stress test. Do you have any indication that you are causing undo stress to your heart such as light headedness, dizziness, feeling very breathless (unusually), nausea, chest or arm pain?

    But for sure share the results with your doctor.
    i have been wondering the same too. mine can get up to 200 bpm sometimes

    Yeah, I don't know much about it, but I never knew I had any kind of problem until I felt oddly sweaty and kind of dizzy and tired and checked my heart rate when I exercised. It was 200+. My doctor put me on beta blockers for my heart rate, because it got high other times, too. He did tests for thyroid, etc. With me, it's just related to a connective tissue disorder I have.

    I'd definitely check heart rate and ask your doctor if it's high. You won't know you have any circulatory problem until symptoms arise, I don't think!

    (More recently, my tiredness during exercise was low hemoglobin, lol! That needed treatment and tests, too. So basically, do ask a doc if there are exercise-related symptoms you wonder about :) ).
  • ME0172
    ME0172 Posts: 200
    If you're concerned talk to your doctor. I'm 41 and use my HRM only to track calories burned. When I load it I'll see I'll have spent 20-30 minutes above 180, which should be my max HR. So after a couple weeks of doing that I checked with my doctor, because while I felt fine working out at the rate, I was concerned like you sound to be. She told me I was fine because don't have any heart problems, I have low cholesteral and low blood pressure. So at the end of the day it's how you feel and what your doctor recommends. Best wishes to you!
  • WinnershCyclist
    WinnershCyclist Posts: 8
    I have a weird issue I am 54 my recommended range is about 100 to 166 max till a few months ago I would XBike, TRX, Circuit to a max of 188. I then had an ECG done and was found to be fine since then my heart rate has risen to max 220.

    I am able to talk and dont feel tired may bonk after some time on a exercise but now am worried is there something wrong .

    I weighed 183 5 years ago when unhealthy I weigh 183lbs now,Am fitting into 2 sizes less and cant work out whether my slow improvement is due to getting older or just underlying health issues. I train 4-6 times a week with weights, cardio, anaerobic swimming cycling, Kettlebells. I could do step ups no problem now after 30 secs I bonk.

    I am not trying to lose weight just trying to get fitter. I notice how weak I am considering I have been doing this for so many years my food intake is monitored and I eat only whats recommended with protein shakes to compliment as I just have a very low calorie diet
  • Joanne_Moniz
    Joanne_Moniz Posts: 347 Member
    I recently bought a HRM that I've been using during cardio. I do 30 minutes on the Elliptical 3x a week.

    While on the Elliptical, my heart rate generally falls between 150-170. Mostly around 160-165 bpm. I'm definitely sweating and exerting myself during the high points.

    Using a target heart rate calculator, it said I should be only going as high as 156 bpm (80% of a maximum heart beat of 195).

    Is it harmful to let my heart beat raise higher than 156? Will I get a more 'effective' workout if I stay below 156?

    Thanks guys!

    Assuming there are no medical conditions. The answer is no it is not harmful. Target heart rate is a myth. If you workout out at a lower rate, you will just have to workout longer. If you go on for 30 minutes, it may take a while to get into that zone though. Make sure you do weight lifting first. That way you will be working on glycogen stores and go right into fat burning. Also, consider a Russian kettle bell. You can your heart rate into your target zone in 1 or 2 minutes!!!!!!
  • bahamia
    bahamia Posts: 1
    I do like your posting and agree with your conclusions.
    Thanks,
    Luis
  • mhankosk
    mhankosk Posts: 532 Member
    The body has two sources of energy: stored energy (ie. fat) and not stored energy (ie. sugar). If you're working out at a really high intensity, your body goes, "hey! no time to convert that stored energy to stuff I can use, give me some energy now!" In reality, you're always burning fat and sugar/carbohydrates, but the degree to which varies.

    At really high intensity, someone is more likely to burn a ratio of say, 80% sugars and 20% stored energy (fat) because the body needs energy quickly.

    Conversely, at a lower intensity, the body will burn a higher ratio of the stored energy (again, fat) than the energy that is easy to get ahold of (sugars). That's why high intensity doesn't exactly=better for fat loss. But, hey, any exercise is exercise, whether it's burning off that bagel you ate this morning or last Tuesday ;)

    Ok so... what happens to the "not stored energy" when you don't use it all up during the day? Does it just run away? No. If it did, then we wouldn't be overweight in the first place. It may be true that you burn a higher ratio of sugar/carbs to fat stores at high intensity, but its still a form of energy for your body (aka calorie). If you use up more sugars during your workout, then they don't convert to fat stores..If you use more fat stores during your workout, thesugars get converted to fat stores at the end of the day. Therefore, all that matters is that you burn more throughout the day than you consume.

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