Interval training and me don't agree

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pezen007
pezen007 Posts: 14 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all, seeking advice.
I have been attempting the following routine for about a year twice a month but seem to bomb out experiencing so many side effects.
The routine on an exercise bike is 2min @70_80rpm low resistance then 20sec at120rpm or my Max followed by a 10 sec rest. This is repeated another 2 times followed by 2min at 70_80rpm and another 3 sets of the 20sec Max followed by 10sec rest then I end with 2min at 70_80rpm.
The following occurs my heart rate reaches about 125 but I find it difficult to breathe taking the odd deep breaths. I thought it was asthma it may be as I was an asthmatic younger much younger but I get light headed experience a little anxiety feeling burnt out.
On occasions I have gone home hit the couch and slept as a result. Even losing my appetite. I measured my heart rate and that seemed to settle back down. I even had B12 shots and the problem still was there. I am overweight, however I can walk 20min fast and I am very flexible i. e capable of intermediate pirates. Is this due to my fitness level? Is there a way to improve?
Maybe my body cannot cope? Maybe it's my 39yold body telling me something?
I believe the problem relates to oxygen intake in the lungs. Can it be fixed? Determined to rectify?
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Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    you only go on the bike twice a month?
  • CricketClover
    CricketClover Posts: 388 Member
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    pezen007 wrote: »
    Hi all, seeking advice.
    I have been attempting the following routine for about a year twice a month but seem to bomb out experiencing so many side effects.
    The routine on an exercise bike is 2min @70_80rpm low resistance then 20sec at120rpm or my Max followed by a 10 sec rest. This is repeated another 2 times followed by 2min at 70_80rpm and another 3 sets of the 20sec Max followed by 10sec rest then I end with 2min at 70_80rpm.
    The following occurs my heart rate reaches about 125 but I find it difficult to breathe taking the odd deep breaths. I thought it was asthma it may be as I was an asthmatic younger much younger but I get light headed experience a little anxiety feeling burnt out.
    On occasions I have gone home hit the couch and slept as a result. Even losing my appetite. I measured my heart rate and that seemed to settle back down. I even had B12 shots and the problem still was there. I am overweight, however I can walk 20min fast and I am very flexible i. e capable of intermediate pirates. Is this due to my fitness level? Is there a way to improve?
    Maybe my body cannot cope? Maybe it's my 39yold body telling me something?
    I believe the problem relates to oxygen intake in the lungs. Can it be fixed? Determined to rectify?

    I am with Toad on questioning the twice a month? Is that a typo.

    I am going to assume maybe it is, and ask if you could suffer from exercise induced asthma? Depending on environmental conditions my throat restricts to the point of hurting and I can't seem to get good breath but usually rights itself after a 5 minute warm-up. If I start all out is more when it happens so maybe your lungs need a warm up period before starting the workout.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    Yeah twice a month isn't really going to get you improvements. It also sounds like it could be exercise induced anxiety. Only attempting this twice a month isn't going to help with that. I experience this and the thing that makes it virtually not a problem is maintaining a decent level of fitness so that when my heart rate increases it doesn't make my brain think I'm heading for a panic attack.

    Regardless of the cause, you need to be committing more time to improving your cardio fitness, 20 minutes brisk walking isn't going to cut it.
  • pezen007
    pezen007 Posts: 14 Member
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    Firstly thanks for your replys, Throughout the year it would take me more than a week to recover from that one day of interval training so its not a typo. I'm estimating that to be an average. Strangely there were weeks when I coped week by week, howeverand if I tried to do the routine 3 days later
  • pezen007
    pezen007 Posts: 14 Member
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    So Cycling at a single pace for different lengths of time and build up the time spent on the bike over the next 3 months.
    E.g week1 spend 10 Min on bike 3 times a week.
    Week 2 spend 13 Min 3 times per week.
    Week 3 spend 15 Min e.t.c?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    pezen007 wrote: »
    So Cycling at a single pace for different lengths of time and build up the time spent on the bike over the next 3 months.
    E.g week1 spend 10 Min on bike 3 times a week.
    Week 2 spend 13 Min 3 times per week.
    Week 3 spend 15 Min e.t.c?

    if 10 minutes is the maximum you can do then yes.
  • Patriciamariaca
    Patriciamariaca Posts: 13 Member
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    I do indoor bike HIIT for 20 minutes, 3 times a week and weights. The whole point of HIIT is intense short workouts a couple times a week, where you give your everything. Twice a month is not gonna do anything for you unfortunately.
    Before I started HIIT I already was used to using my bike doing regular cardio for a couple months first to get my stamina up, so maybe you could start slow and build up before trying to take on such an intense workout. :)
  • lilac_bunny
    lilac_bunny Posts: 137 Member
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    I started being very unfit and I would only do 2 mins of hitt as part of a bigger routine to start with. I went as fast as I could for 20s then made no effort at all in the 10s rest, just very slowly moved my legs round. My heart rate would be about 180 during the intense exercise. Such a low heart rate or breathlessness at such a low heart rate could indicate a problem. I would talk to your doctor. Heart problems are often indicated by breathlessness. It may just be lack of fitness but worth being on the safe side.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Classic example of needing to learn to walk before you run. No offense, it's not your fault. This HIIT stuff is genuinely bad advice for people who are new to exercise. I'm gains you nothing if you don't have a good level of base fitness. Just ride the bike at a comfortable pace.

    Pretty much...HIIT was devised for athletes who already had a very strong base of fitness and needed something extra to keep going.

    You'd be much better off just getting in more time and building up your fitness.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
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    The advice you're getting about doing lower intensity before you attempt high intensity is good. I'm a little concerned that you feel so wiped out by 125 bpm - how are you measuring that? Is it possible your heart rate is spiking higher but your monitor is not responsive enough to catch it? It takes the one built in to my bike a good thirty seconds to register properly sometimes.

    If it were me, I think I'd see a doctor for a stress test.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    @rheddmobile
    Heart rate increase lags behind when you are doing very short intense intervals - it's often not a true measure of exertion.

    Here's a 30 second maximum power test - ascending red line is heart rate. I'm going flat out from the very start, descending blue line is power so the graph reads as though I produce the most power at the lowest heart rate!

    3vkmnty97ezq.png


    OP - exercise doesn't have to hurt or wipe you out for days. Throttle right back and do longer duration but far less intense exercise. You may even enjoy it. :)
  • kcjchang
    kcjchang Posts: 709 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Classic example of needing to learn to walk before you run. No offense, it's not your fault. This HIIT stuff is genuinely bad advice for people who are new to exercise. I'm gains you nothing if you don't have a good level of base fitness. Just ride the bike at a comfortable pace.

    Pretty much...HIIT was devised for athletes who already had a very strong base of fitness and needed something extra to keep going.

    You'd be much better off just getting in more time and building up your fitness.

    Well according to Gibala, any interval can be character as HIIT as long as the total work is completed at a reduce duration when compared with duration required to complete the work done at steady state. Duration of work is key in his defination which completely contrary to the history and genesis of HIIT.
  • pezen007
    pezen007 Posts: 14 Member
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    Patriciamariaca wrote: »
    I do indoor bike HIIT for 20 minutes, 3 times a week and weights. The whole point of HIIT is intense short workouts a couple times a week, where you give your everything. Twice a month is not gonna do anything for you unfortunately.
    Before I started HIIT I already was used to using my bike doing regular cardio for a couple months first to get my stamina up, so maybe you could start slow and build up before trying to take on such an intense workout. :)

    I like your thoughts this seems like a sensible way to go. Seems very logical and tailored to my current fitness level.
  • pezen007
    pezen007 Posts: 14 Member
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    Outstanding comments and advice. I really appreciate the feedback and welcome your experiences.
    For the record, I hopped on the bike today with the intentions to established a basis and rode for 20 minutes, at a steady pace. My chest felt a bit funny took a couple of deep breaths but not to the extent where I was struggling completely. I seemed to cope o.k with the task.
    I felt like I could ride for another 5 or so minutes but erred on the side of caution. Clearly I believe it's where my fitness level is, and I'll be using the next 3 months to build on this base.
    Walk before running.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,180 Member
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    pezen007 wrote: »
    Hi all, seeking advice.
    I have been attempting the following routine for about a year twice a month but seem to bomb out experiencing so many side effects.
    The routine on an exercise bike is 2min @70_80rpm low resistance then 20sec at120rpm or my Max followed by a 10 sec rest. This is repeated another 2 times followed by 2min at 70_80rpm and another 3 sets of the 20sec Max followed by 10sec rest then I end with 2min at 70_80rpm.
    The following occurs my heart rate reaches about 125 but I find it difficult to breathe taking the odd deep breaths. I thought it was asthma it may be as I was an asthmatic younger much younger but I get light headed experience a little anxiety feeling burnt out.
    On occasions I have gone home hit the couch and slept as a result. Even losing my appetite. I measured my heart rate and that seemed to settle back down. I even had B12 shots and the problem still was there. I am overweight, however I can walk 20min fast and I am very flexible i. e capable of intermediate pirates. Is this due to my fitness level? Is there a way to improve?
    Maybe my body cannot cope? Maybe it's my 39yold body telling me something?
    I believe the problem relates to oxygen intake in the lungs. Can it be fixed? Determined to rectify?
    pezen007 wrote: »
    Firstly thanks for your replys, Throughout the year it would take me more than a week to recover from that one day of interval training so its not a typo. I'm estimating that to be an average. Strangely there were weeks when I coped week by week, however and if I tried to do the routine 3 days later

    1) Start cycling regularly. During the week, after work get out for half an hour or an hour several times a week. If you're not up to that level, start with 15 or 20 minutes and build up so that you can do an hour's ride in the evening.

    2) On the weekends, start building up toward longer rides. You might start with half an hour, if that's where you are ... but increase it by 15 or 20 minutes each week until you feel comfortable with two or three hours.

    3) Start attending a spinning class once a week. Spinning classes are great because they are what you make of them. You do not have to go as hard as they encourage you to do if you don't want to ... or you can if you want. But they will give you the interval thing you're after.

    4) Once you get there, try your intervals again.
  • Scubdup
    Scubdup Posts: 104 Member
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    I think you should go and see a doctor - i think dizziness and undue breathlessness are things you should get investigated before increasing your exercise volume.

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