Heart rate max advice needed.

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mrFerris
mrFerris Posts: 122 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok guys I have been lucky to have been bought a polar FT7 and I love it. Now I walk 30 - 40 minutes a day using the HRM and records my cal burnt. No problem with that ... Very happy.

I have been looking at various methods for calculating max heart rate so that I can make sure I am getting the best out of my exercise and most put mine at around 165bpm mark. Now here is my question. When I walk for that 40 minutes at a pace of about 3.5 mph my heart rate, according to my HRM, stays around the 120 - 130bpm mark but if I jog a short distance - and I mean a short distance I can only managed a minute or two at a time before the pain of breathing is too difficult - my HRM records 160 - 165bpm and it takes a good 10 minutes to come back down to 120 - 130 level.

Is it ok to keep pushing this or should I wait for my fitness levels to increase more before I try jogging? I have been walking daily since starting MFP on January 1st. Then even a 250yard slow walk required my asthma meds. I rarely use my meds on walks now but carry them when I jog, and need them!

Your thoughts would be most appreciated.

Replies

  • BrandyontheRun
    BrandyontheRun Posts: 204 Member
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    Interval training (alternating between walking/running at certain speeds) is a fantastic way to improve your fitness and ease in to being able to run. I would definitely suggest trying it!! There should be a setting on the treadmill just "speed intervals" or something to that effect. Set your walk speed, set your run speed and toggle in between as you feel ready. You can do it!!

    Although I would like to edit this to say- don't push yourself to the point you can't breath.. that sounds a bit risky, but even running for a minute, and going back to walking until your ready to pump it up again will be worth it.
  • Bekzness
    Bekzness Posts: 122
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    Try this Paul:

    http://exercise.about.com/cs/fitnesstools/l/bl_THR.htm

    This was in my bookmarks from this morning... strange :) I too am just working out my best heart rate for cardio as my resting is between 45-50 :)
  • mrFerris
    mrFerris Posts: 122 Member
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    Try this Paul:

    http://exercise.about.com/cs/fitnesstools/l/bl_THR.htm

    This was in my bookmarks from this morning... strange :) I too am just working out my best heart rate for cardio as my resting is between 45-50 :)

    Thanks Brandy.

    Bekz ... Where on Earth did you get a resting rate of 45-50? My resting is 75-80!

    God I really need to get fit. Thanks for the link. Will look at it.
  • Bekzness
    Bekzness Posts: 122
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    I've always had a low heart rate... nothing to do with my fitness unfortunately :P I'm not worried as long as it doesn't stop...lol!
  • Nurse_krissy
    Nurse_krissy Posts: 102 Member
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    As long as you're not getting any chest pains with the added exertion, I'd say "go for it"! That's the only way I was able to get from walking to jogging to running. I used to jog literally 15-20 feet and feel winded. Now I can go and go and go! According to the traditional max HR formula, my max is 187. I don't feel like I'm getting a good workout unless I'm hitting 170-175 consistantly, which goes WAY beyond what is "recommended".... so take my advice with a grain of salt! :)
  • shawnp80134
    shawnp80134 Posts: 86
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    Brandyontherun is right on. When I was first set up at my gym with a HRM and program, my goals were set to do intervals. Hit the high marks (176-182) for only 2 minutes or so, then bring my HR back down to the 150's. As your body gets into better shape, the amount of time it takes for your HR to come back down, decreases. Plus the amount to time and effort it takes to raise your HR towards the max, increases. The one great thing that I noticed, if I pay attention to the HRM throughout my exercising... time flys!!!
  • Ezwoldo
    Ezwoldo Posts: 369 Member
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    Have you seen a doctor to get the ok to start running??

    if so then Intervals are a great way of getting fitter quicker but you have to change them up from time to time as you get stale with them
  • mrFerris
    mrFerris Posts: 122 Member
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    Have you seen a doctor to get the ok to start running??

    if so then Intervals are a great way of getting fitter quicker but you have to change them up from time to time as you get stale with them

    lol ... This was the start of my healthy living plan way before xmas and the first post I put up here and was basically told to stop whinging and accept responsibility by a MFP member.

    I have been to the doctor several times over the last couple of years. First time ... nothing they could do because I was under 50! Second time, I was now 50 but because I was still 4lb away from being obese ... nothing but diet advice! Last time, a few months ago and I asked for some exercise advice from local gym and because I was nearly obese, very unfit and severally asthmatic I was advised to talk to my doctor. I spoke to him again and spoke about my concerns about getting heavier and more unfit and he said 'Aint we all!'

    Hense, I came here and got more advice from MFP friends than my doctor has ever given. (Apart from that very first 'person')

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