Heart Rate Questions

Ernestern
Ernestern Posts: 34 Member
edited October 7 in Fitness and Exercise
According to most Max Heart Rate calculators, my max heart rate for my age is 176. During a typical 60 minute run, my HRM says my heart rate gets up to 166 bpm. Thats pushing 95% of my max. I'm not going to explode or suffer any other ill effects, am I?

And what is with the significance of exercising between 65% or 80% of your max HR? At a HR of 114-140, I'm hardly breathing hard. It's only when it gets up to 145-155 does it feel like I'm pushing myself... Am I causing harm to myself?

Replies

  • Ernestern
    Ernestern Posts: 34 Member
    Anyone?
  • Ernestern
    Ernestern Posts: 34 Member
    bump
  • TheReese1206
    TheReese1206 Posts: 238
    Bump
  • schnisz
    schnisz Posts: 4 Member
    Suggested max heart rates are just that. They are different for all people. I do my runs mostly by how I feel, not by pace or heart rate. For instance the other day I was supposed to be running at a 9:30 pace (I know I'm slow) for this particular interval, those felt kind of easy but I held it. Just for kicks on the last one I stepped it up and did it at an 8:30 pace. I probably could have done them all a bit faster. Depending on what type of run it is, you will not explode. You will not be able to maintain a pace for very long at too high of a heart rate. What type of run where you doing?

    Running at a higher heart rate or faster pace is how you get faster. Running at a slower pace where it seems easy is good for long endurance runs or building your cardio base.
  • meglide
    meglide Posts: 37 Member
    According to those calculators my maximum is supposed to be 178 ... yet I hit 183 sprinting up a hill today towards the end of my run. That was definitely my max cause I couldn't push any faster or harder. So those calculators are just broad guidelines.

    The significance of exercising at 80% max versus 65% max is you burn more calories per minute at 80% but you can't go as long or as far. So if you're in a long run pace yourself early so you have something left to finish.
  • andrejjorje
    andrejjorje Posts: 497 Member
    10 bpm under the estimated max won't hurt you. It is an estimate max HR. For how to accurately calculate max HR read here:
    http://www.howtobefit.com/determine-maximum-heart-rate.htm

    Sally Edwards is the world's guru in heart zones.
  • lre224
    lre224 Posts: 83
    My trainer told me it's not an absolute that you have to stop at the maximum you're supposed to, but instead it depends on how you feel at that heart rate. He said that if you feel nauseous, then you are pushing yourself too hard & should slow down, but otherwise, you are probably fine.
  • andrejjorje
    andrejjorje Posts: 497 Member
    Did you change the max HR in your monitor because you should?

    According to those calculators my maximum is supposed to be 178 ... yet I hit 183 sprinting up a hill today towards the end of my run. That was definitely my max cause I couldn't push any faster or harder. So those calculators are just broad guidelines.

    The significance of exercising at 80% max versus 65% max is you burn more calories per minute at 80% but you can't go as long or as far. So if you're in a long run pace yourself early so you have something left to finish.
  • PetitePerfection
    PetitePerfection Posts: 199 Member
    not sure, but when I do intense cardio work, my heart rate gets in the 190's and my max is supposedly 201. I never feel like I'm going to be sick or collapse or explode or anything like that, and I'm fine:laugh: I just have a pretty small heart so its rate HAS to be faster. It's not that I'm out of shape or obese or anything because even my trainer tells me I'm in awesome shape! But I feel the same way where if I'm only working at 65% max heart rate, I feel like I'm barely even working out. Just be careful to listen to your body and you wont explode :laugh:
  • meglide
    meglide Posts: 37 Member
    Did you change the max HR in your monitor because you should?

    yeah I think I have it set right at 183 or so
  • lunaephiliac
    lunaephiliac Posts: 64
    Exercising with your HR too high can have some ill effects. Overloading your heart, especially when starting out exercising, can be dangerous. If you get naseous, dizzy, see black spots, lose hearing or anything like that, you are working too hard. Short of just the overload on your cardiac system, exercising that hard isn't necessarily doing anything for you. But as long as you can tell the difference between injury and pain, you should be fine.
  • jeffrey2584
    jeffrey2584 Posts: 88 Member
    my max heart rate is 192...

    when I do a HIIT or run outside....I do hit that number when doing sprints.....acc. to garmin terminology that zone 6 (max) when your VO2 max is reached......
    in HIIT you are expected to stay in that range for the "Work" part of the segment...

    also no one can stay in that range for a extended period of time

    85-90% of the max heart rate is a good range to be in...for 5K and 10K distance races....

    and no your heart won't explode....when you stay in that range...

    http://www.thewalkingsite.com/thr.html
  • abatista27
    abatista27 Posts: 30 Member
    The medication I take makes my resting heart rate like 120 ish so I am ALWAYS way above the suggested heart rates and always at or over my max when I work out. Idgaf.
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