attn fitness geeks: please help explain what just happened

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duckpond11
duckpond11 Posts: 197 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, so I took a spinning class today, where the instructor asked us to reach specific percentages of your max heart rate at various points in the class. I do have a heart rate monitor, which I was wearing, but I have never really figured out what the specific percentages were. I get back to my desk and find a website that lets you type in your age etc. and will show you the result for 6 different ways to determine your max. I randomly pick the one that comes from the most recent methodology based on the idea that newer research must be better :). Anyway, it comes up with 170 for my max. Based on that, I get this:

75% of max: 127.5
80% of max: 136
85% of max: 144.5
90% of max: 153
95% of max: 161.5

I spent most of my time between 85%-95% of max (and yes, I feel like I could just die right now). As it turns out, this was much higher than what she wanted for most of the time, except when we were doing the hill intervals - I never hit the 75% range that she wanted for a chunk of the program (I flew by that in the warm up...). I basically stayed in the range she wanted for the interval work for the entire workout, and higher even when we were actually doing the intervals. So what have I just done to myself? Did I just spend an hour working in anaerobic zone and now I've f***** my workout up in some odd way? Should I dial back the next time, or just be proud of the massive burn I got?
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  • DietingMommy08
    DietingMommy08 Posts: 1,366 Member
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    B proud of the massive burn u got. Everybodys heart rate is gonna generate differently depending on your fitness level and your ability to do the exercise.

    If i was to go in there my heart rate would of been in the 120% because I am so out of shape my poor lil heart woulda went crazy. Lol.
  • YoungGma29
    YoungGma29 Posts: 32
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    Yes you did just spend an hour working way too hard for no cardio gain/
  • HolleeERL
    HolleeERL Posts: 313 Member
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    I would say the latter. Pushing yourself is never a bad thing unless you go too far and make yourself puke! :o) What you did was push yourself into a higher max and that is really what you want. (IMO) You should really push yourself to find your actual max rather than relying on what your max should be at your age/weight/gender. If I relied on that, I would pushing my max by just walking!
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    I'm not geeky enough to explain all the science words.

    My theory! Keep pushing yourself, go go and keep going! As long as you don't bust a blood vessel or pass out during workouts I think you are safe to continue as you are.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    Yes you did just spend an hour working way too hard for no cardio gain/

    Can you explain this? I don't understand at all.
  • HolleeERL
    HolleeERL Posts: 313 Member
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    Probably a helpful thing would be to ask your instructor to help you find your max and go from there.
  • dlaplume2
    dlaplume2 Posts: 1,658 Member
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    I don't understand it either, but I do recall reading that your body enters a different fat burn zone at higher heart rates and it is actually harder to maintain the lower rate (on the body I mean). I don't recall the whole thing, but it had to do with the way your body burns the fuel it has from fat versus switching over to burning muscle. I read it a long time ago so I can't begin to tell you where I read it from.

    Best wishes.

    No harm done, you just don't want to do that all the time.
  • joseph9
    joseph9 Posts: 328 Member
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    Here's my 2 cents:

    1) It's important to remember that the max HR that the formulas give you is just an estimate. Your personal max heart rate may vary higher or lower than that and is literally the maximum rate that you could achieve with your given level of fitness.

    2) So it's possible that you weren't exercising as close to your real max HR as you thought.

    3) On the other hand, if you spent more time in the anaerobic range than you planned, you're probably still fine. Just drink a ton of water and do some stretching to avoid muscle soreness. (I'd also take a couple ibuprofen, but that's up to you).
  • duckpond11
    duckpond11 Posts: 197 Member
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    I thought the fat burning zone was a fitness myth? please be a myth... I hate the thought that I wasted my time.
  • joseph9
    joseph9 Posts: 328 Member
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    The fat burning zone is a fitness myth. (I'm no doctor, but yes, it's a myth). Calories are calories.

    From what I understand, anaerobic exercise just burns some of the energy (glycogen?) stored in your muscles instead of delivering than energy through your blood. So IMHO, you got the benefit of the workout, but you want to avoid ending up so sore that you miss the next couple days.

    Edited to add: My guess is that if you were capable of doing that workout and it doesn't trash you for a few days, then your true max HR is higher than the formulas estimate.

    I'm only a well-read nerd, though. I'll defer to the trainers and medical types on the board for a final judgment.
  • muthrb
    muthrb Posts: 16
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    From what I underrstand - and there are likely many folks on this site who know much more about this than I do. Your max heart rate appears to be low. In the absence of a spinning coach that can establish your V02 max heart rate (if you think you worked hard today just try that once) a good rule of thumb is is to take 220 minus your age as your max heart rate. I'm 54 so my max heart rate by this calculation is 166. It's not far off from the measured V02 max. Work in the "fat burning zone" which is 60 to 80 % of that number. Above that rate you are increasing your aerobic conditioning-still burning fat, but just not as efficiently.
  • NiciS72
    NiciS72 Posts: 1,043 Member
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    I'm no expert, but with your HRM did you set your resting HR? Mine said to do it first thing when you wake up in the morning BEFORE you ever get out of bed. I would say you pushed yourself a bit, but not to worry so much. I used to be like that and my HR would skyrocket. Now I have a lot of days where I can't get it above 140 and it p***es me off! Hopefully one of the trainers on here will see your post and respond.
  • kellyscomeback
    kellyscomeback Posts: 1,369 Member
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    The fat burning zone is a fitness myth. (I'm no doctor, but yes, it's a myth). Calories are calories.

    From what I understand, anaerobic exercise just burns some of the energy (glycogen?) stored in your muscles instead of delivering than energy through your blood. So IMHO, you got the benefit of the workout, but you want to avoid ending up so sore that you miss the next couple days.

    Edited to add: My guess is that if you were capable of doing that workout and it doesn't trash you for a few days, then your true max HR is higher than the formulas estimate.

    I'm only a well-read nerd, though. I'll defer to the trainers and medical types on the board for a final judgment.

    I couldn't have said it better myself.
    Eat a decent amount of protein to prevent soreness, water for hydration and next time focus on staying in the target HR zones (if you want). Personally, I have my watch set to 60-75% of my THR and I don't freak out if I'm over or under because I'm still burning calories.
  • kellyscomeback
    kellyscomeback Posts: 1,369 Member
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    I'm no expert, but with your HRM did you set your resting HR? Mine said to do it first thing when you wake up in the morning BEFORE you ever get out of bed. I would say you pushed yourself a bit, but not to worry so much. I used to be like that and my HR would skyrocket. Now I have a lot of days where I can't get it above 140 and it p***es me off! Hopefully one of the trainers on here will see your post and respond.

    When my HR is obviously too low, when running or doing intense cardio, I check my chest strap and most of the time that means it either needs to be adjusted down on my chest or the strap needs to be tightened.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    I'm no expert, but with your HRM did you set your resting HR? Mine said to do it first thing when you wake up in the morning BEFORE you ever get out of bed. I would say you pushed yourself a bit, but not to worry so much. I used to be like that and my HR would skyrocket. Now I have a lot of days where I can't get it above 140 and it p***es me off! Hopefully one of the trainers on here will see your post and respond.

    My HRM did not ask for a resting heart rate.

    Over the 8+ months I have been losing weight, I have constantly pushed myself to get as much 'hard' exercise in as I could. Often my HRM would beep and tell me I am reaching the upper limits. I have lost 20some pounds and around 6% of my bodyfat. I can't imagine those 20some pounds were muscle loss, since my bodyfat % has reduced so much during this time as well.

    How can I know if I am really 'hurting' myself while pushing to the limit? I cannot IMAGINE walking and staying at a low HR for my workout (my resting HR is incredibly high, so just walking to the bathroom and back puts me at like 60% hr)
  • AddA2UDE
    AddA2UDE Posts: 382
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    I agree and so does WebMD. See #4: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/the-truth-about-heart-rate-and-exercise?page=2
  • 84jeepster
    84jeepster Posts: 198 Member
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    From what I underrstand - and there are likely many folks on this site who know much more about this than I do. Your max heart rate appears to be low. In the absence of a spinning coach that can establish your V02 max heart rate (if you think you worked hard today just try that once) a good rule of thumb is is to take 220 minus your age as your max heart rate. I'm 54 so my max heart rate by this calculation is 166. It's not far off from the measured V02 max. Work in the "fat burning zone" which is 60 to 80 % of that number. Above that rate you are increasing your aerobic conditioning-still burning fat, but just not as efficiently.

    This is exactly what I remember hearing somewhere before. IMO, if you are exercising, you are burning calories,and building cardio but you can do both more efficiently at different percentages. There is no reason to be upset, because you didnt waste any time at all...a claorie burnt is always a step in the right direction.
  • zeeeb
    zeeeb Posts: 805 Member
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    when i first started doing spin, my heart rate would be crazy, up to 172. but as i got fitter it levelled out and generally doesn't go over 152 when i'm going hard. so for me, that means i'm fitter.

    i can't do anything but think that the more i sweat, the more benefit i get. my heart rate doesn't get that high when i do cross trainer, stair master, but i'm pretty sure it gets that high when i do boxing. it feels good afterwards to be dripping with sweat, and it feels good when i lose weight, lose jeans sizes, so i'll carry on doing it.

    i try to do one spin class and one boxing class every week, and the other 3 days i don't usually reach those kind of heart rates. i've been doing it for 9 months now and i'm still here...
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
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    I am a spinning instructor. :drinker: Haha. I lost 40lbs taking spin and even though some instructors would call out percentages, I just gave it my all every time. My HRM would have me out of the "fat burning zone" by the first song. I was always in the "fitness zone" and yet I lost all that weight. I just use my HRM to find out how much I've burned. In class I'll give people an idea as to how hard they should be working for instance with a 10 point scale. 1 is flying down hill....5 is a flat road....10 is the top of your hill etc. I honestly wouldn't worry about the percentages, just RIDE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT! :laugh:
  • _CowgirlUp_
    _CowgirlUp_ Posts: 585 Member
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    I agree and so does WebMD. See #4: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/the-truth-about-heart-rate-and-exercise?page=2

    Thank you for this! I trust and read articles on WebMD all the time so thank you, thank you, thank you! I was getting frustrated with all the different answers on this question...especially the one that said..."You wasted your time." WTF?! Really?!

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