HRM puts my heart rate almost at my maximum! What do you thi

HappilyLifts
HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
hi everyone,
I tried out my new Polar FT7 at the gym today. I did my usual routine, worked no harder than usual. At the end of my 45 minutes it said that I had burned 526 cals in 45mins. This was what I'd call circuit training - strength with dumbells or body weight sets, cross trainer (tabata for 4 mins), hill walk (interval training for 7 mins taking incline up and down 1min:30secs), rower (steady state) and cardio wave(steady state for 3 minutes -that one's hard!).

It also said, and this is the bit that I'd love some feedback on, that my maximum heart rate was 180bpm and my average heart rate was 165. Often the equipment I was using picked up my transmitter and I noticed the equipment read 170bpm and I thought that sounded a little high. I was working hard but could have held a conversation...with puffs between sentences!

I thought that my maximum heart rate would be 220 minus my age, which puts it at 177. Am I putting my heart at risk then?

How does this sound to you? I am tired after my 45 minutes but if someone asked me to do more exercise I could, so it's not like I've pushed to my absolute limit and am ready to collapse on the floor!

If you need any other details - my aim is fat loss, I'm 43 and 205lbs, 5 ft 7 and I've been doing this particular workout for about three weeks, and have been exercising 4 or 5 days a week since January.

Replies

  • 42kgirl
    42kgirl Posts: 692 Member
    220 minus your age is not a very accurate formula. Do any trainers at your gym do submax tests? This is a better guage.
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    220 minus your age is not a very accurate formula. Do any trainers at your gym do submax tests? This is a better guage.
    not that I know of, it's only a small gym.
  • kaned_ferret
    kaned_ferret Posts: 618 Member
    the thing about the 220 minus your age, well that probably gets less accurate the older you get surely - I know some very fit people in their 60's that would disagree with the number for sure!

    Depending on your fitness, I don't think that those numbers sound too high, but then I am only basing it on my own experience of course! When I go running I average a 145bpm, but it often goes up to 170+ when I'm pushing it. Make sure you have all the settings in the monitor alright - I think the FT7 has a fitness test option where it works out your max hr?
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    that formula is only a guideline. people of the same age have different fitness levels and different resting heart rates, which means their personal max bpm are going to be a bit different.

    your max heartrate is based on your personal v02 max heartrate, not on some one size fit all formula have you done the fit test with the polar yet? that will be helpful.

    also just go by how you feel. i frequently go over my so called max rate when i'm doing anaerobic hit. been doing regularly for the past 3 months and according to my doctor, my heart has gotten healthier (no more high blood pressure, resting heart rate reduced, etc). i wouldnt worry about going over your max unless you're having heart pains while doing it. if it just feels uncomfortable then there's nothing wrong with that
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    the thing about the 220 minus your age, well that probably gets less accurate the older you get surely - I know some very fit people in their 60's that would disagree with the number for sure!

    Depending on your fitness, I don't think that those numbers sound too high, but then I am only basing it on my own experience of course! When I go running I average a 145bpm, but it often goes up to 170+ when I'm pushing it. Make sure you have all the settings in the monitor alright - I think the FT7 has a fitness test option where it works out your max hr?
    Unfortunately I don't think the FT7 has that...I knew I should've treated myself to the FT40!
  • Summer5555
    Summer5555 Posts: 104 Member
    My heart rate gets up really quickly, maximum for me is supposed to be 178 which I can get to when I'm running quite easily and I'm not overly puffing. I did get to 194 one day but I was plain exhausted and my breathing was pretty ordinary there was no way I could sustain it so I made the decision that is my maximum heart rate. I go by how I'm feeling and more importantly how quickly I recover, I'm happy if I drop 20 within a minute. My doctor isn't concerned about me, all my lab results are great and blood pressure is good.

    You could always get it checked next time you see your doctor to put your mind at ease.
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    that formula is only a guideline. people of the same age have different fitness levels and different resting heart rates, which means their personal max bpm are going to be a bit different.

    your max heartrate is based on your personal v02 max heartrate, not on some one size fit all formula have you done the fit test with the polar yet? that will be helpful.

    also just go by how you feel. i frequently go over my so called max rate when i'm doing anaerobic hit. been doing regularly for the past 3 months and according to my doctor, my heart has gotten healthier (no more high blood pressure, resting heart rate reduced, etc). i wouldnt worry about going over your max unless you're having heart pains while doing it. if it just feels uncomfortable then there's nothing wrong with that

    I wonder if there is another way of testing v02 as I'm pretty sure I don't have that option on my FT7?
    A few weeks ago the nurse checked my BP and it had come down from around 140/90 to 120/80, so that's good news, and no doubt a result of regular exercise.

    Thanks for the reassurance, I certainly felt ok and I guess you should always listen to what your body is telling you, not some gadget :smile:
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    My heart rate gets up really quickly, maximum for me is supposed to be 178 which I can get to when I'm running quite easily and I'm not overly puffing. I did get to 194 one day but I was plain exhausted and my breathing was pretty ordinary there was no way I could sustain it so I made the decision that is my maximum heart rate. I go by how I'm feeling and more importantly how quickly I recover, I'm happy if I drop 20 within a minute. My doctor isn't concerned about me, all my lab results are great and blood pressure is good.

    You could always get it checked next time you see your doctor to put your mind at ease.
    thanks, I'll ask the nurse about that.
    Interested to hear that your heart rate dropped 20 within a minute. When I did my cool down it took 3 minutes to get it to 155 from (I suppose) my average of 166. I was doing a 4kph walk on the treadmill with no incline from my cool down. I wondered whether I should stay on there longer or reduce the speed to reduce my heart rate even further before I stopped completely, but it already felt like a casual stroll, so I just got off after 4 minutes and did my stretches.
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    I don't think you need to be worried! X
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
    Bump
  • 1546mel
    1546mel Posts: 191
    I have a Polar also and have noticed that the machines at my gym do not pick it up correctly. As far as the monitor and watch on myself, most times i find it to be accurate although i have noticed if i do not have it on totally well to the point where it gets my heart rate it seems to judge my movements as a heart rate. Sometimes it has said i was up to 220, : < / At your max, i would take a min and manually check your heart rate just to be assured of its accuracy :) Good luck and keep at it :)
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    I have a Polar also and have noticed that the machines at my gym do not pick it up correctly. As far as the monitor and watch on myself, most times i find it to be accurate although i have noticed if i do not have it on totally well to the point where it gets my heart rate it seems to judge my movements as a heart rate. Sometimes it has said i was up to 220, : < / At your max, i would take a min and manually check your heart rate just to be assured of its accuracy :) Good luck and keep at it :)
    The gym machines seemed to read about 2bpm above my HRM. Thanks, I will try taking my pulse next time and see if it matches my HRM. Good idea :smile:
  • mandimuscles
    mandimuscles Posts: 107 Member
    I have exercise induced asthma, my heart rate is generally MUCH higher than others working out around me at the same fitness levels & weights, you should ask your DR about it!
  • katysmelly
    katysmelly Posts: 380 Member
    I was working hard but could have held a conversation...with puffs between sentences!

    .... I am tired after my 45 minutes but if someone asked me to do more exercise I could, so it's not like I've pushed to my absolute limit and am ready to collapse on the floor!


    There's your answer... it sounds like you're doing great. :)
  • Lolli1986
    Lolli1986 Posts: 500 Member
    My HRM often tells me that I get up to 180. I once had a personal trainer who told me to cool it if I hit that high. Every time I run, at the moment, I hit around 177, whether I am puffing yet or not.

    I'm less surprised by your max and more surprised by your average, but it depends what sort of circuit training you are doing. When I am doing 30DS I will average 154.
  • chandra38
    chandra38 Posts: 110 Member
    From Sportfit.com:

    karvonen formula



    This method of calculating your target training zone is based on your maximal heartrate and resting pulse.
    The correlation here is more directly linear: 60% to 80% of your Heart Rate Reserve, HRR, equals 60% to 80% of your functional capacity.

    To determine your target training zone with HRR, do this:

    Take your resting pulse three mornings in a row, just after waking up. Add all of them together, and divide by 3, to get the average.

    Let's say your average is 60 beats per minute.

    (220) - (your age) = MaxHR

    (MaxHR) - (resting heart rate) = HRR

    (HRR) x (60% to 80%) = training range %

    (training range %) + (resting heart rate) = (your target training zone)

    so,

    220 - 35 = 185 (MaxHR)

    185 - 60 = 125 (HRR)

    125 x .6 = 75 (60% training percentage)

    125 x .8 = 100 (80% training percentage)

    75 + 60 = 135 (target training zone, in beats per minute)
    100 + 60 = 160 (target training zone, in beats per minute)

    So, your target training zone, in beats per minute is 135 to 160. Of course, to get a 15 second target simply divide each number by 4. That would be 34 to 40 beats over 15 seconds. When counting beats, start with the first beat as zero: ie. 0-1-2-3-4...38-39-40.


    Hope this helps!
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    My HRM often tells me that I get up to 180. I once had a personal trainer who told me to cool it if I hit that high. Every time I run, at the moment, I hit around 177, whether I am puffing yet or not.

    I'm less surprised by your max and more surprised by your average, but it depends what sort of circuit training you are doing. When I am doing 30DS I will average 154.
    how do you mean? Do you think my average heart rate is too high, or too low? I've given a brief description of my training in my first post. My aim, as suggested by a trainer who I see once a month, is to only take breaks for sips of water between machines and dumbell/body weight exercises, and to challenge myself (e.g last week I increased the resistance on the cross trainer from 2 to 3 because I was coping ok with the 4 minute tabata training of 20 secs all out effort to 10 secs recovery).

    I haven't tried the HRM with 30 day shred yet :smile:

    I'm loving this fitness journey! I am learning so much and am very grateful for your responses :smile:
  • drezha
    drezha Posts: 18
    Is the FT7 a heart rate band strap one? I've found those that don't use a heart rate strap to grossly over or underestimate my heart rate.

    An exercise bike at the gym for example was telling me I was at ~120 BPM. Not a chance - I was sprinting on the bike so I was looking at 190-200!
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    From Sportfit.com:

    karvonen formula



    This method of calculating your target training zone is based on your maximal heartrate and resting pulse.
    The correlation here is more directly linear: 60% to 80% of your Heart Rate Reserve, HRR, equals 60% to 80% of your functional capacity.

    To determine your target training zone with HRR, do this:

    Take your resting pulse three mornings in a row, just after waking up. Add all of them together, and divide by 3, to get the average.

    Let's say your average is 60 beats per minute.

    (220) - (your age) = MaxHR

    (MaxHR) - (resting heart rate) = HRR

    (HRR) x (60% to 80%) = training range %

    (training range %) + (resting heart rate) = (your target training zone)

    so,

    220 - 35 = 185 (MaxHR)

    185 - 60 = 125 (HRR)

    125 x .6 = 75 (60% training percentage)

    125 x .8 = 100 (80% training percentage)

    75 + 60 = 135 (target training zone, in beats per minute)
    100 + 60 = 160 (target training zone, in beats per minute)

    So, your target training zone, in beats per minute is 135 to 160. Of course, to get a 15 second target simply divide each number by 4. That would be 34 to 40 beats over 15 seconds. When counting beats, start with the first beat as zero: ie. 0-1-2-3-4...38-39-40.


    Hope this helps!

    wow, that's great, I haven't come across this. I will give it a try. My resting heart rate in the mornings before I got into this exercise lifestyle change used to be around 80. I'm hoping that have come down now. This is the idea opportunity to see.
    Thanks for info.
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    Is the FT7 a heart rate band strap one? I've found those that don't use a heart rate strap to grossly over or underestimate my heart rate.

    An exercise bike at the gym for example was telling me I was at ~120 BPM. Not a chance - I was sprinting on the bike so I was looking at 190-200!
    yes, it does have the heart strap. I made sure I wet the electrodes really well and I sweat (buckets :laugh: ), so it shouldn't have had a problem reading my heart rate.

    LOL at your exercise bike. I reckon they are set up for extremely fit people with very low resting heart rates!
  • Summer5555
    Summer5555 Posts: 104 Member
    It really sounds like you're doing great. It seems you are pushing yourself but not to exertion, as we get fitter and as the weight is dropping off the heart rates will reflect it.
  • dwightdegroff
    dwightdegroff Posts: 97 Member
    Some signs that I look for when I know I'm pushing my heart too hard:

    - metal/iron taste in my mouth. This can be a sign that your heart is no longer functioning optimally. Slow down.
    - light-headed. not enough oxygen getting to your brain. slow down.

    If you can truly hold a conversation at that heart rate it's a pretty good sign that you're safe.
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    Some signs that I look for when I know I'm pushing my heart too hard:

    - metal/iron taste in my mouth. This can be a sign that your heart is no longer functioning optimally. Slow down.
    - light-headed. not enough oxygen getting to your brain. slow down.

    If you can truly hold a conversation at that heart rate it's a pretty good sign that you're safe.
    that's great, thanks....great that it means I'm safe...not, of course, that you get light-headed or or horrible taste :wink:
  • dwightdegroff
    dwightdegroff Posts: 97 Member
    that's great, thanks....great that it means I'm safe...not, of course, that you get light-headed or or horrible taste :wink:

    LoL! Yep - keep pushin' yourself to work hard and just be mindful of the signs your body is showing.

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