Question re: heart rate
Posted by: Top Cat on 16 March 2005
Hi folks.
I've just started going back to a local gym after a period of around 2 years 'gymless'. I've had no particular difficulties with any of the equipment, but I've noticed that my heart rate is rocketing into the supposed danger zone.
Now, I'm not super-fit by any stretch of the imagination, but I run reasonably regularly, and can manage a 10K (haven't run beyond this yet). I've a largely veggie diet (due to my wife) and I don't smoke. I enjoy a tipple on most evenings, but not to any real excess. I'm 6'1 and about a stone over my ideal weight due to my largely desk-bound days.
Do you think I should be concerned that, under moderate activity (say, a 3 minutes into a step-machine session) my heart rate rockets from its resting 65-70bpm to nearly 180bpm? The indicators on the machines would suggest that I should, as this is the 'warning zone' - but I quickly recover and I feel fine five minutes after the session.
Normally I'd tell myself "Don't be such a wuss, John" but when it comes to something as fundamentally important as my heart and well-being, I don't want to brush it off as 'nothing'.
Should I be concerned? I'm not so sure I want to bother my GP with something which is probably nothing (and he'd likely dismiss it as general unfitness anyway) but any impartial advice would be gratefully appreciated.
John
Posted on: 16 March 2005 by oldie
John,
I would suggest that you should seek advice from someone, not knowing about the inside of a gym myself, but is there not some kind of advisor/overseer to look after the interest of people doing exercise? I just keep remembering some old information regarding people of my and possibly your age, returning to exercise after a period of abstinence.It tends to give the co-op a lot more work if you get my drift
, if you are not very careful how you go about getting back into things, and I dont think this forum can aford to loose any more posters of your caliber
oldie.
Posted on: 16 March 2005 by Top Cat
Thanks, Oldie, but I have a feeling that I'm not quite old enough to be labelled under the 'my/your age' category as I'm only 31. So, I've no plans to give the co-op any business other than the odd pint of milk and bread for a good while yet...
It's not that I've not done any exercise - what with me running on average once or twice a week for the last year or so - but that I've never paid any heed to heart-rate before - and I don't know whether a high heart-rate is indicative of anything or not.
John
Posted on: 16 March 2005 by HTK
Sounds about right - but everyone is different. As a rule of thumb recovery time is a good indicator and your's sounds pretty good.
FWIW
Cheers
Harry (not medically qualified)
Posted on: 16 March 2005 by count.d
Top Cat,
180 bpm is far too high for a training session and to make your heart jump to 180 bpm within 3 mins is extremely stressful on your heart. This high level is actually detrimental to your training and not beneficial. You should be looking to keep your heart rate under 145ish. This will make your system run efficiently without too much stress, and even this should be done gradually. If you feel knackered or stiff the next day, you did too much in a session.
I don't know if you have a heart rate monitor, but I would advise you get one for your wrist. You can set max/min levels of bpm which give an audible warning. Not only do I find it useful, but it makes training more enjoyable as you have something to monitor, which relieves boredom.
Posted on: 16 March 2005 by Nigel Cavendish
Bother your GP: it's what he/she is there for.
If you can run 10k without (presumably) elevating your heart rate into the "danger zone" (although short periods of time there are not necessarily dangerous) then there might be some other reason.
Posted on: 16 March 2005 by Rasher
It depends what you are doing of course. It may be that you are just pushing yourself too hard during your session. The idea of short hard excersise is to get the heart going, and it is the recovery time that is more important, and yours seems very good, although we are all different and my normal rested heart rate is more like 54-57 bpm.
You definately need to get medical advice and need a personal trainer to see what is going on, but don't worry - you're not about to die. See your GP before you do it again.
Posted on: 16 March 2005 by NB
Top Cat,
I would suggest that pushing your heart rate to 180 bpm is putting to much strain on your heart.
At 31 you shouldn't be going past the 160 bpm mark.
I would consult a good personal trainer and adjust your training program accordingly. All you will do on this current program is wear yourself out without any benefit.
Regards
NB
Posted on: 16 March 2005 by Edo Engel
If you're worried, DO see your GP. But on a different note, please remember that your heart has its own way of telling you its rate is rising too quickly: you'll start feeling bad. Nature is not stupid.
Cheers,
Edo
Posted on: 16 March 2005 by Stewart Platts
A good book on the purpose of measuring your heart rate when exercising is the "Heart Rate Monitor Guidebook to Heart Zone Training" by Sally Edwards.
This book tells you how to exercise sensibly and smartly. It points out that you don't have to push yourself to your maximum every time you work out; in fact it's counterproductive, you'll wear yourself out and become injured and/or ill. On the other hand working below a certain intensity will not increase your fitness. Using a HRM to monitor how much effort you are putting in makes sense. You should use a unit which has a chest strap as these are more accurate than the built in functions found on some exercise machines (where the machine displays your heart rate when you grip a handle or attach a clip to your ear).
The most popular units are made by Polar and are claimed to be as accurate as an electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement. For serious athletes some units let you download data to your PC for analysis of your performance, buy you don't have to get anything that is this sophisticated. A unit that gives you a simple beats per minute readout is all you need.
If you have not exercised for a while and are about to embark on a training programme it's a good idea to go for a quick check up and get the OK from your GP.
Posted on: 16 March 2005 by Steve Toy
My GP used to say that during cardio-vascular exercise, say on the bike or rowing machine you should let your heart rate climb to 200 bpm minus your age or thereabouts.
So at 31 you stop when it reaches the 170 mark.
As you get fitter it will take you longer to reach this point.
If you aren't very fit you may get there within a couple of minutes but after a week or two of daily exercise it should take you around six minutes before you are warmed up sufficiently to hit the weights.
Posted on: 16 March 2005 by Gianluigi Mazzorana
For experience i'd rather listen to a doctor advice.
Those who work in gyms are trainers and not doctors and can't give you a medical advice.
31 is not an "old age" but, usually, people start ruin their physiques when they are younger and find out later.
An old sportman.
Posted on: 16 March 2005 by Martin D
some doctors cant give you medical advice either - I know by experience
Martin
Posted on: 16 March 2005 by glenda
Hi John - the general rule is that your max heartrate (MHR)should be 220 less your age so that makes it 190 . You need to exercise at a minimum of 60%of your MHR to gain a training effect i.e. Improve your fitness . Your gym should be able to provide an assessment but I'd suggest keping it at a maximum of 140 for say 10 minutes and slow down if you exceed this . Repeat the same exercise once a week over 6 weeks using the same perameters - you should be running further for the same effort.
Hope this helps a bit - e mail me if you want some more details.
Posted on: 16 March 2005 by Lomo
I would suggest that trainers are like Finance Advisors. they will provide you with advice then absolve themselves of all responsibility should you take it. Like all men we tend to shrug off all warning signs until too late.
I suggest you have a really good medical checkup and go to a program which meets with your GPs approval.
I believe that swimming is a less stressful but very rewarding means of achieving a high leval of fitness. Not so sweaty either.
Lomo[totally medically unqualified]
Posted on: 17 March 2005 by Top Cat
Thanks folks; a lot of interesting advice. I think I'll try to borrow or buy a HRM rather than relying on those on the machines. It's entirely possible that they're just plain wrong.
At least with a dedicated HRM I'll know whether my heart is going too hard or not. Then, based upon what most of you have said, I'll get it checked out by my GP and perhaps reduce the intensity a bit if necessary.
John
Posted on: 17 March 2005 by NB
quote:
I believe that swimming is a less stressful but very rewarding means of achieving a high leval of fitness. Not so sweaty either.
How do you know when your sweating when your swimming?
Regards
NB
Posted on: 17 March 2005 by Bruce Woodhouse
Please do not worship an HRM, and the 220-age rule. These are guides, HR variability and response varies between individuals very widely. After getting a couple of simple medical checks I'd suggest being guided by how you feel and a sensibly graded exercise plan rather than heart rates.
Posted on: 17 March 2005 by 7V
quote:
Originally posted by Top Cat:
Thanks folks; a lot of interesting advice. I think I'll try to borrow or buy a HRM rather than relying on those on the machines. It's entirely possible that they're just plain wrong.
Or you could become familiar with your heart rate yourself - it's easy enough to detect after or during mildly-vigorous exercise.
Simply put your finger on your pulse and, starting with 'zero', count the heart-beats over a 6 second period and multiply by 10.
Not only is this method more accurate than the machines anyway but it also starts to put you 'in touch' with what's going on in your body.
Regards
Steve M
Posted on: 17 March 2005 by NB
quote:
Originally posted by Bruce Woodhouse:
Please do not worship an HRM, and the 220-age rule. These are guides, HR variability and response varies between individuals very widely. After getting a couple of simple medical checks I'd suggest being guided by how you feel and a sensibly graded exercise plan rather than heart rates.
Good advice Bruce but lets get TC up to a decent level of fitness first. I think the heart rate mechanism is a good basic guide to levels of finness and intensity of training. As TC gets fitter and more experienced then he can start understanding his own body and start "feeling".
I would always advise a minimum of two months basic training before even starting specialising.
BTW I was an international swimmer and we didn't rely on heart rates that much.
Regards
NB
