Heart rate questions again lol

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Misskacy1988
Misskacy1988 Posts: 11
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello
I have questions about my heart rate. I've been working out for almost a month and half and when I first started my hr was about 195-200 bpm. Now when I work out it getting lower as in my highest is 180 bpm and I know that I'm working hard I have the sweat to prove it lol. I just wanted to make sure this is normal. Oh and I work out twice a day also.
Thanks

Replies

  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
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    That might still be higher than you want it to go. Check out MFP's calculator. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/p/heart/

    It'll give you a target range, and a max on what's safe for you. Seeing your heart-rate go down under similar conditions is actually really good, though. It's an indication of improved fitness.

    After you use the calculator, would you mind posting the results? I know yours will be higher than mine, but not by how much.
  • kumanekochan
    kumanekochan Posts: 88 Member
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    You actually want to only be 60-70% of your Max Heart rate to really burn fat. 70-80% is good cardio range, and 80-90% is only supposed to be short term bursts!
  • Noc6285
    Noc6285 Posts: 20 Member
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    As your endurance increases, your heart doesn't need to work as hard. You are becoming fitter would be my guess.
  • Misskacy1988
    Misskacy1988 Posts: 11
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    Here are my results...now what does all this mean?

    Today, your heart will pump around 1,839 gallons (6,951 liters) of blood
    In your lifetime, your heart will pump 1.2 million barrels of blood
    (that's the equivalent of 3 supertankers)

    Your body contains about 3 gallons (11 liters) of blood
    This blood circulates through your body 3 times a minute
    Your blood travels around 14,933 miles a day (24,027 km)
    (roughly halfway around the circumference of the earth)

    If you make a fist with your hand, your heart is about this size
    (A whale's heart is roughly 400 times this size)

    Your entire cardiovascular system, if laid from end to end, is over 56,000 miles (90,104 km) long
    (that's long enough to wrap around the world more than twice)

    Your heart beats approximately 125,417 times a day
    (by the time you die, your heart will have beat more than 2.5 billion times)

    I'm buying a polar ft60 this weekend maybe my Bowflex hr monitor is not right
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
    Options
    Here are my results...now what does all this mean?

    Today, your heart will pump around 1,839 gallons (6,951 liters) of blood
    In your lifetime, your heart will pump 1.2 million barrels of blood
    (that's the equivalent of 3 supertankers)

    Your body contains about 3 gallons (11 liters) of blood
    This blood circulates through your body 3 times a minute
    Your blood travels around 14,933 miles a day (24,027 km)
    (roughly halfway around the circumference of the earth)

    If you make a fist with your hand, your heart is about this size
    (A whale's heart is roughly 400 times this size)

    Your entire cardiovascular system, if laid from end to end, is over 56,000 miles (90,104 km) long
    (that's long enough to wrap around the world more than twice)

    Your heart beats approximately 125,417 times a day
    (by the time you die, your heart will have beat more than 2.5 billion times)

    I'm buying a polar ft60 this weekend maybe my Bowflex hr monitor is not right

    LOL! That was so not what I thought it was. Hang on, I'll find it.

    Ok. For your age, it's 138 - 167 beats per minute. Copied from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/target-heart-rate/SM00083/

    "For vigorous exercise, aim for a target heart rate of 70 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate (MHR). Your MHR (roughly calculated as 220 minus your age) is the upper limit of what your cardiovascular system can handle during physical activity."
  • Misskacy1988
    Misskacy1988 Posts: 11
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    Ok I did see that one on the mayo website. So how do you stay under that heart rate, when I get higher start to slow down? Also if you do wear a heart monitor which one do you own?
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    To stay in a target zone you slow down or speed up accordingly. To walk in the "optimum" zone my Polar beeps at me when I'm going too fast.
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
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    Ok I did see that one on the mayo website. So how do you stay under that heart rate, when I get higher start to slow down? Also if you do wear a heart monitor which one do you own?

    I use the Polar FT4, but my elliptical also has a polar hrm with a chest strap (it tells me to slowdown sometimes). I also recently started using a BodyMedia FIT Link, which I wear almost all the time, but you probably don't need one like that. I mainly got that one because I knew my sleep disorder messed with my metabolism, but had no other way of figuring out it's impact.

    Any of the Polar hrms with a chest strap will work great. I'm sure there are other good brands, but that's the one I hear people swear by all the time.
  • hopeandlove91
    hopeandlove91 Posts: 40 Member
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    I use a polar f4. I really like it. When I started running my heart rate would reach 200BMP too, which is much higher than what you want. Mine is still a little high. It reaches 180BPM towards the end of my workouts. To keep your heart rate down you would slow down, or avoid hills where you are exerting extra effort. I have found that by focusing on my breathing I am also able to slow my heart rate.
  • jsunshine220
    jsunshine220 Posts: 109
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    Wow!! 195-200 sounds high to me. But I do agree that, since it is coming down, it means you are getting fitter. As you get fitter, it takes more work to keep your heart rate up.

    I have the FT40 and absolutely love it. I'm sure you will like the 60. Once you know the heart rate you are shooting for, you would simply slow down if you start to go above.

    J
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    If that amount is your MAX during your workout (ie not your average) I think it's fine. Plus, the max HR charts are just estimates. My max is about 200 bpm, even though the charts say 183 should be. As you get fitter, your HR during workouts will drop. That's a good thing. Your resting HR should drop as well. My resting HR went from 84 to around 62 but I still get up close to 200 during workouts if it's hot outside. But my average for those workouts is between 170 and 185. Still above the recommended range, but I don't see a reason to slow down/stop. I've been doing it for a while now and it's helping me build my endurance.
  • FrugalMomsRock75
    FrugalMomsRock75 Posts: 698 Member
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    That website also says this:
    These numbers are estimates that provide an average value. Many people have a higher or lower MHR, sometimes by as much as 15 to 20 beats per minute. Disagreement exists on how to most accurately estimate your MHR and what percentage range to target.

    I have been working out fora year and a half, and my HR still climbs to 183 by the time I'm at the end of my runs. It sticks around 155-160 when I walk very briskly, and 175-ish when I am at the beginning/middle of my running, and then up to about 183. I've got to where it's only about 155 on the bike (sometimes higher) and about 165 on elliptical, but it's still always in the higher ranges... and I never feel faint or weak.

    OP: it's good that it's going down a bit, but honestly, if you don't feel faint or ill, and it isn't going above the 200 mark, then it's probably just YOUR normal.

    I have a polar ft7, btw. :)
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
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    Mine was the same in the beginning, if you feel fine, just keep on doing what you are doing - you afe getting fitter.....
  • Misskacy1988
    Misskacy1988 Posts: 11
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    Yeah feel fine when I'm working out i don't feel faint. When I get my new heart rate monitor I will feel better about this heart rate thing. When I do get winded I slow down and then speed back up again. It seems like its hard to keep it in your "best zone", half your workout you would be focusing on that and not the workout.
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
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    have a look at this as well :-)

    http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2011/06/max-heart-rate-and-fitness.html
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
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    Yeah feel fine when I'm working out i don't feel faint. When I get my new heart rate monitor I will feel better about this heart rate thing. When I do get winded I slow down and then speed back up again. It seems like its hard to keep it in your "best zone", half your workout you would be focusing on that and not the workout.

    Forget about trying to stay in the correct zone...Your body will tell you when it needs to slow down, and it seems like you are doing it...
    As long as you don't have medical issues, keep on doing it - the only time I ever look at my hr on a run, is when I start flagging - and then it is usually at the "max"...I slow down for a bit and it goes down again...But I only slow down because I am tired - not because the hr is at a certain point....Common sense....

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