Heart rate in the red zone for over 30 minutes. Good, Bad, Or Really Stupid??
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Solkre2
Posts: 29 Member
I've been exercising consistency for over 3 months. I've worked my way up to 800 calories on the clock, 5 to 6 times a day. Here's a workout recorded on my Polar Beat strap. i.imgur.com/DxoQaRZ.png I don't record it, but if it matters my heart rate drops to normal reasonably fast.
So is it safe to workout in such a way? Is it safe, but not ideal? I can find sources that point to either answer. My goals are improved fitness (to help blood sugar) and weight-loss of course. I want to make sure I'm not doing any damage to myself that I can't see.
Thank you for comments!
So is it safe to workout in such a way? Is it safe, but not ideal? I can find sources that point to either answer. My goals are improved fitness (to help blood sugar) and weight-loss of course. I want to make sure I'm not doing any damage to myself that I can't see.
Thank you for comments!
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What percentage of your resting heart rate are you calling the red zone ?0
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Looking at your chart I'm surprised you can carry on that long at that HR. I'm pretty sure I can't, lol. In all seriousness though it can't be good to be pushing that hard for that long. I'd back off a bit if I were you.0
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Are you using 220 minus age? That's probably not accurate for you.
This page assumes you have taken the test to find out your *actual* max heart rate. It discusses the different "zones" of heart rate based training, and the advantages and disadvantages of working out in each one. Elite athletes might spend some time near maximum, but that brings with it a heightened risk of injury. Actual max heart rate is, like, *beyond* the gasping for air stage. You are probably not sustaining that level of exertion for an appreciable amount of time.
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^ this.
Being far from an elite athelite but a dedicate and fit road biker who spends 1.5 -3 hours a day 4 days a week riding in the mountains I can only keep at 90% for brief intervals.0 -
LOL I remember telling a friend to cheat we both had to lie about our ages to get in a decent workout on the stationary bikes with built in heart rate sensors. If we entered our old lady ages the workout was not vigorous enough.0
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You are not at 90% of your HR max. You are also not burning anywhere near 800 calories in 46 min. What you have is an actual HR max that is likely substantially higher than the age-predicted number. That is perfectly normal. The elevated calorie count occurs for the same reason it shows you in the red zone--your higher than average (but normal) HR response to exercise is leading the HRM to significantly overestimate your workout intensity.0
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You are not at 90% of your HR max. You are also not burning anywhere near 800 calories in 46 min. What you have is an actual HR max that is likely substantially higher than the age-predicted number. That is perfectly normal. The elevated calorie count occurs for the same reason it shows you in the red zone--your higher than average (but normal) HR response to exercise is leading the HRM to significantly overestimate your workout intensity.
Yup, all this. There is 0.0000% chance that you're burning 800 calories in that length of time (probably closer to double that time, MAYBE). Nevermind doing it 5 to 6 times a day. Even elite athletes couldn't do that much, or close to it. Not that it really matters, unless you're eating your calories back. If you can sustain a HR in the 170s for 45 minutes then keep it up. That's probably pretty moderate exercise for you, really. Maybe your HR is artificially elevated (medical condition, caffeine, etc) or something. No big deal.0 -
Being far from an elite athelite but a dedicate and fit road biker who spends 1.5 -3 hours a day 4 days a week riding in the mountains I can only keep at 90% for brief intervals.
Jealous!! I have only small hills and lots of flat bits .. but I can get the distanceI've been exercising consistency for over 3 months. I've worked my way up to 800 calories on the clock, 5 to 6 times a day. Here's a workout recorded on my Polar Beat strap. i.imgur.com/DxoQaRZ.png I don't record it, but if it matters my heart rate drops to normal reasonably fast.
This is a medical question.
Unless our fellow posters are medicos, then surely you should be asking your doctor about this.
Only you and he/she can determine if you are fit enough for that.
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For what its worth. I completely soak my shirt with sweat during this workout. And I'm breathing too hard to talk. Not gasping though.
I just don't seem to get a lactic buildup in my legs that makes me want to stop.0 -
Are you saying you burn 800 calories, 5-6 times a day, so something like 4000+ calories per day burned from exercise alone? Or 800 calories total, in 5-6 short workouts? If it is the second, it sounds probable, but I doubt you sustaining heart rate in the red zone is healthy or even doable. Are you sure about your calculations? If you believe your heart rate is that fast for this long, it sounds like it is time to talk to your dr and investigate if something is wrong.
If it is the first scenario, then unless you are a professional athlete into intensive training, or extremely obese, sorry, but I suspect your calculations seem off.0 -
My polar chest strap figures bpm. The polar software figures calories by age, weight, bpm, and time. I run the numbers through a NET calorie calculator and come up with about 750 most workouts.
As far as the chest strap being accurate, I believe it. It's spot on worth the machine hang grips, and my two other bpm devices.
When I work out at 180bpm or higher I feel my chest pound and my breath tastes different. That's also when my legs will start to burn a little.0 -
I hope that you meant 5-6 times a week, not day.
Agreed that your HRmax is probably a lot higher than the calculation. The various formulas put mine around 165-174, whereas the last time I measured it (4 years ago), it was 192.
BTW, lactate is not responsible for muscle fatigue. We've known that for some time. If you're exercising hard enough that you can't talk, but you can go on for as long as you are, then you're around your lactate threshold (LT). Training once a week at that level can improve your maximum speed at LT, which is great; doing it too often, though, isn't a great idea. Owen Anderson's book Running Science has some useful advice on training (even if you're not a runner, you can learn from it; get it from your library).
The typical signs of overtraining are an elevated resting heart rate, feeling lethargic, taking a while to get into a workout, or an abnormally high heart rate during activity. If you're experiencing any of those, take it easy for a while. I also like to ease off every third or fourth week, just to give myself some rest.0 -
You are not at 90% of your HR max. You are also not burning anywhere near 800 calories in 46 min. What you have is an actual HR max that is likely substantially higher than the age-predicted number. That is perfectly normal. The elevated calorie count occurs for the same reason it shows you in the red zone--your higher than average (but normal) HR response to exercise is leading the HRM to significantly overestimate your workout intensity.
Yup, all this. There is 0.0000% chance that you're burning 800 calories in that length of time (probably closer to double that time, MAYBE). Nevermind doing it 5 to 6 times a day. Even elite athletes couldn't do that much, or close to it. Not that it really matters, unless you're eating your calories back. If you can sustain a HR in the 170s for 45 minutes then keep it up. That's probably pretty moderate exercise for you, really. Maybe your HR is artificially elevated (medical condition, caffeine, etc) or something. No big deal.
Exactly.
The "red zone" is based on averages. They can be way off for a lot of people.
My max HR is 186 by the 220 formula. I haven't figured my max HR yet but I know from running with a HRM that is must be higher. An easy to moderate pace run can put me in the 170s which would also be my "red zone". There is no way that is my max effort zone.0 -
Ok so from what I'm gathering here, my "red zone" entry point would be higher than the software suggests. That's fine, I can just workout how I have since I'm comfortable with it.
But if the calorie burn is wrong (Based on avg heart rate or time, weight and age) then how the heck do I calculate it accurately enough consider it in my diet plans?0 -
Ok so from what I'm gathering here, my "red zone" entry point would be higher than the software suggests. That's fine, I can just workout how I have since I'm comfortable with it.
But if the calorie burn is wrong (Based on avg heart rate or time, weight and age) then how the heck do I calculate it accurately enough consider it in my diet plans?
To answer that we need to start with what exactly you are doing.
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I really enjoyed this thread, because I have had many of the same questions. I do Group Ride with a Polar H7 on. For 60 minutes my average HR is 175 with my highest HR being 185. 171 is in the red zone. I have now scheduled with physician to have my HR max checked.
Once you get that high on the Polar app it doesn't seem to give you as many calories per BPM. I do another class called R.I.P.P.E.D. and my average HR is about 160 and the calorie counts are very similar when compared minute vs minute.
I love the HRM because it let's me know when I'm slacking off even if I feel like I am still working just as hard. My resting HR is right at 50 BPM but sometimes it is in the upper 40's.0 -
As others have said I would disregard that as being your red zone. Personally that seems like a pretty normal HR trace for me if I was doing a 10k run even maybe a touch low towards from the end.0
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I really enjoyed this thread, because I have had many of the same questions. I do Group Ride with a Polar H7 on. For 60 minutes my average HR is 175 with my highest HR being 185. 171 is in the red zone. I have now scheduled with physician to have my HR max checked.
Once you get that high on the Polar app it doesn't seem to give you as many calories per BPM. I do another class called R.I.P.P.E.D. and my average HR is about 160 and the calorie counts are very similar when compared minute vs minute.
I love the HRM because it let's me know when I'm slacking off even if I feel like I am still working just as hard. My resting HR is right at 50 BPM but sometimes it is in the upper 40's.
There are a few different ways you can test on your own.0 -
The test is free through my insurance. Plus they are going to do a bunch of other things like resting Metabolic rate, muscle mass stuff. I plan on peppering them with a lot of HR related questions during the session. Hopefully my answer isn't "Dude, I'm just an intern."
Thanks for the info Chunky.0
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