What do you do when your heart rate is out of zone?

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christenwypy
christenwypy Posts: 335 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So, thank to all of the great advice I got here on MFP, I got the Polar F4 HRM and I love it. I was using it this morning and doing some very intense (for me anyway) exercising (kickboxing bootcamp DVD). I noticed there were severa times when I was working really hard that the alarm went off and I was above the zone I should have been in. I think the highest was about 10 or 15 over. What do you do when this happens? I just kept going but tried to sort of breathe deeply hoping I could bring it down. I didn't want to stop though. I have a heart condition so I don't want to hurt myself, since I am doing al thsi to try and stay alive not kill myself lol. But at the same time I don't want to be i the middle of an intense workout or jog and be really getting somewhere and then have to stop.

Replies

  • riouxha
    riouxha Posts: 995 Member
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    Your increased heart rate is helping your body compensate for oxygen moving through your system. your body needs more as you excercise more. You dont need to stop your excercise, but you can lower it by slowing your pace until you're in the target. Try doing the High intensity interval training methods when you work out. that lowers and raises your heart rate. (HIIT, google it, its simple)
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    If you have a medical condition, then you need to work with your doctor to determine what intensity levels are safe for you, and what your heart rate is at those intensity levels. Then you can accurately set the zone alarms on your HRM so that they are working for you.

    In the meantime, you can just shut off the alarms.

    HRMs are not "smart" devices. They are passive devices, meaning they are only as accurate and as useful as the accuracy of the setup information you program. An HRM comes with default settings that may or may not be appropriate for you.

    Just entering age, height, gender, etc, is not enough if you want to use features such as zone alarms. You have to determine YOUR individual heart rate responses to different intensity levels of exercise and customize the "zone" ranges to your physiology.

    Or, as I said, you can just shut off the alarms and ignore it.
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
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    nothing, I would ignore it. When I run mine is consistently over the "zone"
  • sarahs440
    sarahs440 Posts: 405
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    I have the same question! When I'm in my Zumba class mine goes too high out of my zone as well. Thanks for posting! I hope to see good replies!
  • christenwypy
    christenwypy Posts: 335 Member
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    Thanks everyone.
  • athensguy
    athensguy Posts: 550
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    I have different run types based on heart rate, so I speed up if it's too low and slow down if it's too high.
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
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    I don't worry about zones. You can adjust the zone settings on the FT4 to it won't yell at you all the time. I have my upper set at 190 and my lower at 120.
  • denitraross
    denitraross Posts: 325 Member
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    I agree with consulting with you doctor to determine a good range for your medical condition. Alternately - the best way to get your heart rate in a healthy range is to slow you pace down - I am doing insanity DVD's now, it mainly consists of intervals, with a break to recover between sets. Pause the DVD and take a few deep breaths controlling your breathing..
  • MaryDreamer
    MaryDreamer Posts: 439
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    I also slow down a bit and take deep breaths which brings it down
  • Clarevmb
    Clarevmb Posts: 211 Member
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    I have similar queries so thanks for posting.
    When I walk briskly on the treadmill I can get a good work out according to my HRM, as soon as I jog I go out of my zone!
    Obviously need to look at changing settings on monitor or ignore it more
  • apvalletta
    apvalletta Posts: 110 Member
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    I have the same HRM & I'm always out of my zone. I silence the alarm because I can't reset it.
  • jpinge
    jpinge Posts: 71 Member
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    nothing, I would ignore it. When I run mine is consistently over the "zone"
    me too and I don't even take note of the "in the zone" anymore
  • exerciz4me
    exerciz4me Posts: 3
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    As a fitness instructor, another helpful suggestion I offer my participants is to use what's called "perceived exertion." Simply, put....if you can speak your full name followed by your address without gasping for air or having to stop to catch your breath, then you'll typically in the normal/upper end of your zone; however, if you can't do that, then you're probably way above your zone & need to slow your pace. If you're doing any type of cardio/bootcamp/zumba workout, then lower your arms below your heart for an immediate reduction in your heart rate. Sure hope this helps! Best of luck.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    Shut down the alarm. It's the first thing I did
  • bossmodehan
    bossmodehan Posts: 210 Member
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    Shut down the alarm. It's the first thing I did

    only had an hrm for 3 days, but this was the first thing i did too :P
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    So, thank to all of the great advice I got here on MFP, I got the Polar F4 HRM and I love it. I was using it this morning and doing some very intense (for me anyway) exercising (kickboxing bootcamp DVD). I noticed there were severa times when I was working really hard that the alarm went off and I was above the zone I should have been in. I think the highest was about 10 or 15 over. What do you do when this happens? I just kept going but tried to sort of breathe deeply hoping I could bring it down. I didn't want to stop though. I have a heart condition so I don't want to hurt myself, since I am doing al thsi to try and stay alive not kill myself lol. But at the same time I don't want to be i the middle of an intense workout or jog and be really getting somewhere and then have to stop.

    Normally I'd say you should pat yourself on the back for getting a good workout. But that depends on what type of heart condition you have. If it's just MVP or something that isn't known to make people drop dead, then I wouldn't get too worried about it. Just ask your doc next time you see them.

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