Target Heart Rate?

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SandyAust
SandyAust Member Posts: 393
edited June 2014 in Working on Your Fitness

Hi Ladies there must be some experts or fitness fanatics out there who can help me with this question.

I am 40 years old (Just!! I still hate admiting it LOL) and I am really starting to get serious with my cardio at the gym.  My heart rate when working out is between 160 and 180. I do interval training on the cross trainer, bike, summit machine etc. 

I have a personal trainer at my gym who is a qualified sports scientist and he says heart rates are very individual so not to worry.  However I do worry because this heart rate is so much higher than the recommended for my age.  As far as the perceived exertion goes, sometimes I can speak sometimes I can't.  I do 30 seconds on and off intervals and during the "on" I am quite puffed but I can chat away during the "off". Sometimes I do hill programs.

I am overweight but not greatly.

Thanks in advance.

Sandy

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  • DaphneRunOn
    DaphneRunOn Member Posts: 35
    edited August 2008

    Hi Sandy: 

    Your cardio training sounds great and congratulations on getting passionate about it.  I don't consider myself a fitness expert by any means, but I have been exercising consistently since I was about 19 (I'm 48 now) and some of that time, I've used a heart rate monitor.  From what I know, I have to agree with your trainer:  HRs really are very individual and should be used more as a fun training tool and guideline than anything else.  Once you really get into your training, you'll find that your HR zones even vary considerably between activities.  For example, my HR when I'm running at a comfortable aerobic pace is usually about 10 beats per minute or more higher than my HR when I'm cycling at the same comfortable aerobic level.  And my HR is higher on hot days (has to do with hydration) and on days when I'm sleep deprived or taking medication.  Just to give a few examples of why you might see different numbers at times.    As you get more comfortable with your HR zones, you'll find that you don't really even need to see the number, that you can pretty much tell where you are just by your breathing.  By the way, the best indicator of improved fitness is usually how quickly your HR recovers from an interval. From what you're written above, it sounds as if you're doing fantastic.  What's a summit machine by the way?  I'm picturing something very intimidating.  Go get 'em, girl!

    Daphne

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  • SandyAust
    SandyAust Member Posts: 393
    edited August 2008

    Hi Daphne,

    Thanks for your response!  I was just concerned about how high my HR was but I will just try to go with it.  I must just be working really hard.

    By the way a summit machine is nothing too intimidating, just a big stepper on an incline.  It is very tiring though!

    Sandy

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  • DaphneRunOn
    DaphneRunOn Member Posts: 35
    edited August 2008

    I like the sound of a big stepper on an incline.  That would kick my butt in all the good kinds of ways.  On your HR, it's not outlandishly high by any means.  Your HR is usually genetically determined and those numbers can vary considerably between individuals, which is why those charts at the gym aren't very helpful.  I have one girlfriend who is my age (OK maybe a couple of years younger :)) and fitness level whose HR is about 20 bpm higher than mine.  The spinning instructor's eyebrows would always fly up when he saw the #s on her HRM, but she was fine. 

     I'm off to ask about expanders and running in the Reconstruction conference. Thanks for the advice!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited August 2008

    Many of us in the fitness industry calculate target ranges using the Karvonen formula, but it doesn't take into account the actual activities or even whether or not one is having a good or bad day. A simple way to calculate it is based on age and resting heart rate (taken first thing upon awakening. If your resting rate is high, your target range should also be comparitively high. Try using this simple calculator:

    http://www.polar-heartrate-monitors.com/heart_rate_calculator.asp

    My opinion is that as long as you feel fine, you're okay.

    ~Marin

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited August 2008

    Great calculator, Marin (and nice avatar, too, btw!). I'm also one with a high resting heart rate (always has been that way) so my heart rate during activity is high as well. The calculator said I'm pretty much right where I need to be (whew!)...

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  • SandyAust
    SandyAust Member Posts: 393
    edited August 2008

    Hmmmm.....well according to this I should probably be dead LOL. 

    It recommends a training range of 138-159 with a maximum of 180.  I generally train between 160 to 180.  At my highest point today I hit 184 and have done 190 previously. I used a resting heart rate of 76 which I think is about right although I am going to double check it.

    I am going to double check with my GP on Friday.  I am on a lot of medication as I have psoriatic arthritis. I take anti-inflammatories every day and methatrexate once a week (much lower doses than for cancer). I no longer take steroids thankfully.

    Thanks so much for chatting with me ladies and thanks for the link Marin.  I feel a bit like the "fat and frumpy" among the "fit and fabulous" but I am happy to be here.  I started going to the gym about 7 months ago and so far have managed to lose 8.6 kilos.  I have another 4kg to go to get to the top my healthy weight range.  After I reach that point I am going to set a goal weight.

    I am feeling really motivated at the moment.  I think there are two reasons for this, one is that I have started on a new drug for my arthritis called Remicade which is helping quite a bit, and the other is that I changed the focus of my PT sessions from weight training to cardio.  My trainer is a former marathon runner and has a way of helping me to do my best.  I am going to do another fit test soon and I hope to see some big improvement in my aerobic fitness.

    Anyway it is all good fun. I might hang around here a bit so you ladies can keep me on the straight and narrow.

    Take care,

    Sandy

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  • Farrah
    Farrah Member Posts: 566
    edited September 2008

    Hi Sandy,

    Are you also in Australia?

    I've just read this post. I also have a high heart rate when training (always have). Last year I had it checked out by a cardiologist and it's all fine. I did the treadmill stress test, had ECG's, echocardiograms etc and everything is normal. A few months ago (pre-bc) I had another max heart rate test done by a personal trainer. My MHR was 205 and based on that he wrote a chart for me with my training levels. So for example, if I want to train at 70% MHR my pulse will be 144 BPM. 80% is 164 BPM, 90% is 185 BPM

    If your pulse is say 180 and you are getting too breathless to talk, then it's probably at around 80-85% MHR

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  • SandyAust
    SandyAust Member Posts: 393
    edited September 2008

    Hi Farrah,

    Sorry to take so long to reply to your very helpful post.  I have just got back from two weeks in Fiji :). Yes I am in Australia.  I live in Hobart after moving here from Perth just over a year ago.

    Thanks for the info. It is very reassuring.

     Take care,

    Sandy

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  • Farrah
    Farrah Member Posts: 566
    edited September 2008

    no problem Sandy! Hope you had a wonderful time in Fiji! :-)

    Farrah 

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  • kriserts
    kriserts Member Posts: 224
    edited September 2008

    As everyone says it's individual. I'm 47 and have bike raced for about 12 years. My max HR is 194, my resting HR is about 54 or lower. I like to ride with just a little effort at 145--160. I have friends whose max HR is much, much lower. You need to take a fitness test to figure out your rates.

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