heart rate over 200 while exercising

iam new to this really working out about a 6 weeks into this when i use my eliptical trainer after the first five minutes my heart rate is at between 200 -210 another question is are there adjustments on those trainers?? when i first got mine i could only do 3 min then 6 then ten now 15 after 6 weeks i bought it used

Replies

  • ejechols
    ejechols Posts: 98 Member
    That seems a little high to me. My max HR is 185. What's the resistant setting? I think you have the right idea of working your time up gradually. Still, over 200 seems like you're working WAY too hard. No wonder you can only tolerate 10 minutes!
  • george29223
    george29223 Posts: 556 Member
    i feel like a newborn elephant when i get off the thing legs shaking , where would i look for a adjustment its all digital i dont see any settings
  • GymRat45
    GymRat45 Posts: 5
    200 is high, even 185 is a tad high. I try not to go over 175. 155 - 165 seems to be a good calorie burning rate, for me anyways.
  • That is funny about the new born elephant. My legs always shake when I get off. I just worked myself up to 60 minutes. Its tough.
  • george29223
    george29223 Posts: 556 Member
    i feel ok doing it and it being that high um its not dangerous is it??
  • guardian419
    guardian419 Posts: 391 Member
    I'm no EMT (learned a lil bit from my wife) but above 200 is incredibly unhealthy. Try to stay anywhere from 150-180 depending on how you feel... if you get to the point where you are dizzy, feel like your going to pass out, or are in pain you need to SLOW DOWN, you're not going to lose anything if you hurt yourself (I know, I was out for 2 weeks because I tried going from 0 to 3l in a week and hurt my knee)
  • MissC787
    MissC787 Posts: 175 Member
    See if you can look up the owners manual online. After doing eliptiacal machines my legs feel the same way. I feel like I will collapse sometimes...lol I could just imagine all the people in the gym laughing and pointing at the fat girl on the floor laughing...lol
  • glengiles
    glengiles Posts: 147
    Ask your Dr. The last time my heart rate was that high I was in the ER.
  • madmax0412
    madmax0412 Posts: 65
    That seems really high to me as well. My max is 181 which I get a little nervous when I see as well. I would definitely seek out an expert opinion ASAP.
  • sweebum
    sweebum Posts: 1,060 Member
    Are you going by the hand measures on the machine? I ask because I always went "over" on those even though my chest strap monitior said otherwise. If it's a chest strap heart rate monitor, I'd see your Dr.
  • Bretthunt
    Bretthunt Posts: 5
    Does it go back down after a while? It could be your heart rate monitor, I have noticed that mine will sometimes spike early in the workout until I start sweating enough to get it wet. At times I've seen it hit the max which is think is 239. At first it kind of freaked me out, but then I noticed it would settle down after 5-10 minutes of sweating. You could also make sure to get the chest strap nice and wet before you put it on.

    If it really truly is getting and staying above 200, that's seems like not a good thing as others have said.
  • forsettii
    forsettii Posts: 29
    Check this:

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/target-heart-rate/SM00083

    Mine "Target" is between 125 and 152.

    My Polar Heart Monitor uses the same zone. At 153 it starts chirping at me to slow down.
  • dncr26
    dncr26 Posts: 1 Member
    I would definitely slow down the pacing (maybe increase the resistance) - that's a high heart rate. I understand that you want to go all out, I am like that too, but you won't be doing yourself any favors. It would probably be good to talk this over with your doctor too, just to be on the safe side. A heart rate over 200 isn't something to mess with.

    I also agree with sweebum, take into account what you are using to measure your heart rate and whether it is reliable.
  • Kenhabes
    Kenhabes Posts: 187 Member
    A healthy heart is pretty resilient, but that seems way too high (I'm not a medical expert but know a thing or two). According to the Mayo Clinic, your target heart rate should be 122 - 148 beats per minute. I would first talk to your doctor but also try to stay within that zone. If you feel any discomfort or pain, or you have trouble breathing... STOP!


    They also mention (emphasis is mine):
    To check your heart rate during exercise:

    1. Stop momentarily.
    2. Take your pulse for 15 seconds.
    3. Multiply this number by 4 to calculate your beats per minute.

    If you're just starting out on an exercise program, keep your heart rate at the lower end of your target heart rate zone and gradually work up to a higher intensity level.
  • Some people naturally have a high heart rate while others have low. As you continually workout and condition your body and heart, it will come down. The heart rate monitor could also be at fault. The important thing is to listen to your body, if you feel like its too much, slow down.
  • fairestthings
    fairestthings Posts: 335 Member
    I am not a doctor, nor do I work in the medical field, but as others before me have stated... I would try to work a little less to keep the HR below 200!

    If you're using the machine's monitor to dictate your HR to you, it is probably incorrect. Every machine that has those are typically wrong, unfortunately. It'd be better for you, especially as you lose the weight, to invest in a cheap HRM. I just bought one for $60 from Sears and it is very wonderful to have.

    That way you can see your true heart rate and also it usually beeps at you if you are over your maximum heart rate (which, obviously, you are).
  • creature275
    creature275 Posts: 348 Member
    damn...200 would be intense that would scare me actually Id be seriously worried if I thought my heart rate hit 210 must be and error
  • wolftrax
    wolftrax Posts: 50
    220 - 46 yrs.old =174 max
    174 x .75 = 130 bpm

    I would strongly say 90 days of exercise not to exceed 130 bpm...Your total max of 85% will be 148 bpm..

    One poster said that HR is not something to take lightly...a few people leave the gym on a gurney every year with a cardiac event..

    Best way to measure is count it yourself with a stopwatch..as another poster suggested..
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Did you get this figured out after? I have the same problem....Mine goes immediately into the 200 range even when I'm not working hard and I can stay there for quite some time....waiting on EKG results.
  • cakirk87
    cakirk87 Posts: 1
    Heart rate reserve equation...
    207(.7*Age)=MHR
    MHR-Resting HR=Heart rate reserve
    HRR*.6=____+Resting HR=Min Target heart rate
    HRR*.8=____+Resting HR=Max Target Heart Rate

    For example... I'm 25 years old with a 54BPM resting heart rate.
    207-(.7*25)=189.5
    189.5-54=135.5
    135.5*.6=81.3+54=135.3
    135.5*.8=108.4+54=162.4

    Therefore my goal is to be in between these two numbers while performing any cardio activity. Hope this helps. Any other reasons your outside of these ranges are due to your intensity levels.