My heart rate soared above my max during a plank??

adriayellow11
adriayellow11 Posts: 140
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
That happened once at the gym. I was fatigued for sure and could barely hold the plank at the end and my heart rate went to 230 (My max is 189).

Then it happened again today. During pilates. Four times in one session. I am a pilates instructor! Although some of it is very challenging yes, I am still a recovering physical therapy client and try to just get big healthy movement with as little mucscular effort as possible. I felt strained during one of those 4 times but I know I was talking to the instructor during one of those peaks so I wasn't gasping or panting or anything even though it was challenging.

I know these HRMs have room for error but mine seems pretty spot on most of the time and this only seems to happen in pilates or non-cardio strenuous ex. What is going on?

Replies

  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
    My understanding is that a HRM is only meant to be used during aerobic exercise, which a plank certainly would not be. The Pilates might be, depending on how you do it, but I'm not sure you should be using it for that either.
  • whittrusty
    whittrusty Posts: 533 Member
    I wouldn't believe that your heart rate went up that high unless you counted it manually. Sometimes HRMs are weird. As long as you aren't feeling faint or short of breath (not exercise induced, but difficulty breathing) I bet you're fine and it's just your HRM messing up.
  • hilhall822
    hilhall822 Posts: 116 Member
    Mine has three settings- normal, light and aerobic heart rates- i have mine set to aerobic so if I don't keep my heart rate up, it soars when I'm driving to the gym! (Reads 238 for example). I wonder if yours has the same type of settings?
  • cindaboo1
    cindaboo1 Posts: 150 Member
    Check with your doctor, like get a checkup where they do an EKG and everything. I have a history of heart issues and was doing very good managing it and one day, as I was exercising, my heart rate soared to 228 and would not recover on it's own. Well I ended up finding out that I have an arrythmia which I now take medicine for. This may be TOTALLY not the case for you, but it wouldn't hurt to get checked out. Better safe than sorry I say... Good luck
  • mislove68
    mislove68 Posts: 240
    It could be interference of some kind. I had that happen with my HRM.
  • adriayellow11
    adriayellow11 Posts: 140
    Hmm all good answers to explore. Thanks!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,378 Member
    If the chest strap is not sitting correctly that will effect the heart rate measured. If I am sitting wearing the chest strap, it will show a heart rate of 230 something. But, if I then use the on demand heart rate function on the watch, it will show my resting heart rate of about 55. I am guessing something similar is happening when you are doing the plank because of holding your muscles tight to do the move correctly. If your heart rate really went that high, you would feel it pounding in your chest. It does not sound like that is the case.
  • adriayellow11
    adriayellow11 Posts: 140
    If the chest strap is not sitting correctly that will effect the heart rate measured. If I am sitting wearing the chest strap, it will show a heart rate of 230 something. But, if I then use the on demand heart rate function on the watch, it will show my resting heart rate of about 55. I am guessing something similar is happening when you are doing the plank because of holding your muscles tight to do the move correctly. If your heart rate really went that high, you would feel it pounding in your chest. It does not sound like that is the case.


    The Zephyr strap is REALLY tight but yeah you might still be onto something. My heart was not pounding for at least one of the times b/c I know what exercise it was showing.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,378 Member
    If the chest strap is not sitting correctly that will effect the heart rate measured. If I am sitting wearing the chest strap, it will show a heart rate of 230 something. But, if I then use the on demand heart rate function on the watch, it will show my resting heart rate of about 55. I am guessing something similar is happening when you are doing the plank because of holding your muscles tight to do the move correctly. If your heart rate really went that high, you would feel it pounding in your chest. It does not sound like that is the case.


    The Zephyr strap is REALLY tight but yeah you might still be onto something. My heart was not pounding for at least one of the times b/c I know what exercise it was showing.

    Does you HRM have an on demand function. On mine it is a matter of touching a sensor on the front and 10 seconds later it will read my HR directly not using the strap. When my HR seems wrong I use that to verify it. If yours will do that, you might want to try that.
  • adriayellow11
    adriayellow11 Posts: 140
    Hmm I don't think so. I have to get the more gadget friendly fiance to have a look. It syncs to an app on my Droid.
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