Getting fit.....heart rates
 

Just started training for fitness by running, fistly on a treadmill, (don't want to let people see me puking after a run;)).

Now my RESTING heart rate is 87, (yeah, a mite high, but that's why I need to get fit, that and the fact that I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol;), oh and don't mention the glaucoma.....:()

So, the question is, what should I allow my heart rate to hit before easing off? Last night was 120. Tonite was 117

Any advice gladly recieved.

Depending on age around 160bpm,thats what i do at 38,my resting pulse is around 55bpm (not because i am that fit!!)

To test yourself do a run then stop and rest to see how many beats it drops to in 30 seconds..you wanna be dropping atleast 25bpm.

Get a good heart rate moniter via a watch!

I'm 39 and a half (;) ) and I've had my resting HR down to 43 bpm. (Thought I was ill, but after a thorough private health check, it appears I am actually very fit :thumb: )
You need to test it with a moniter over 3 days first thing in the morning (preferably when you wake up and whilst still lying in bed) at the same time each day.

You need to find your target heart rate. Some good info here - http://www.thewalkingsite.com/thr.html

Age-Adjusted Method

This is the most common way people use to find they training heart rate
220-age = MHR (maximum heart rate)
220-34= 186. 186 x .70 (70% of max) = 130
220-34= 186. 186 x .80 (80% of max) = 148

I'm 28 and have a resting heart rate around 50 (first thing in morning before getting out of bed). In a Spin class at our gym I normally hit about 170-180bpm during the high intensity sprints or hard hill climbs.

If I was just doing stead cycling I'd probably be at around 150-160bpm, thats nice and comfortable.

I am sure everyone on here means well, but I would STRONGLY suggest the OP takes advice from their physician before embarking on a get fit campaign.
That would apply without the medical history supplied.

Best bit of advice in this thread, couldn't agree more. Especially as you already have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

"Now my RESTING heart rate is 87, (yeah, a mite high, but that's why I need to get fit, that and the fact that I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, oh and don't mention the glaucoma.....)"

You dont mention your age or type of Glaucoma or any meds you are taking.

Looking at the heart rates I suspect your one beta blockers (atenolol?) and possibly on a statin as well (Atorovastatin?), the former has a serious effect on exercising heart rates, the later has no effect. (unfit people running would have heart rates far higher than 117bpm or 120bpm)

In terms of the Glaucoma if your on Lumigan aside from the lovely lashes its doesnt affect exercise either. If your on one of the older glaucoma meds then there are issues with blood perfusion in extremities and thats not a good mix with running.

Realistically, your right you need to get fit, but your first port of call should be your GP, and personally speaking, if it was me I would be looking for a referral for an exercise stress test (treadmill ecg max tests)

If your on beta blockers then all the calcs for heart rate on this thread are meaningless as beta blockers act like a rev limiter and you will never get to the levels others speak of. If it is the case then you will need to move over to using rating of perceived exertion (RPE)

Reality is you need some expert advice before embarking on an exercise programme as your whats know in the trade as "multiple special populations".

Wow! Thanks...........I think:(

Rushes off to contact doctor..............

Life insurance up to date?

:lol1:

I wouldn't be rushing anywhere in your condition mate...try walking very slowly ;) :D

If you have questions PM me

Thanks a lot, seeing my doctor tomorrow, will keep off the treadmill tonite;)

***Rushes in to ask nlsd some medical questions***

Do some of you really have resting pulse rates as low as you claim?!
Anything under 60 is pretty damn low.
I'm 52bpm but my V02Max is mid 60s - same as a premiership footballer apparently. I cycle about 50-70 miles a week, run 5-10 miles (off road), walk 20, do 3 hours weights and surf a lot - which by most measures is a lot.

Some of you claim to do almost nothing yet have the resting pulse rates of Lance Armstrong!!

Mines 66 bpm according to the Polar, and I'm a 20 - 30 a day smoker and have been for 10 years! I also do jack all exercise.

Then again I do have lowish blood pressure.

Yep, mine's 43 when I tested it last.
Last night in the gym I did a 5 min fit test on the treadmill with a score of 48 (excellent).

When I had my medical the Doc couldn't believe how big my lung function was :).
When I'm out running it's my legs that give up way before my lungs do!

Last time I went in for an operation, I was in the pre-med room and the anesthetist had just rigged me up to the heart rate thingy they use.(BEFORE I had any anesthetic or owt)
He was just chatting to his mate whilst I was lying there relaxing and he said to me "you all right mate?"
"yes, why?" says I.
He says "I've never seen anyone's HR so relaxed before they go into surgery!"

I was quite chuffed with that :smug:

Ah the old resting heart rate conundrum.

First point is that its not a measure of fitness per se and its also extremely variable.

In terms of the heavy smoker who does zip, if you sit on your backside all day you dont exactly need a lot of oxygen delivery to the body in the first place, secondly, smoking has a weird effect on the beta androgenic receptors of the heart making them more resistant to the effects of adrenaline. This is why smokers struggle to exercise as the body demands more oxygen and blood and the heart cant respond.

Another factor often overlooked is stress and adrenal fatigue. One of the key indicators of a chronically stressed person with adrenal fatigue is low blood pressure and low resting heart rate, all allegedly good parameters to have.

In terms of fitness whats more important is how you use the oxygen available and how well conditioned you are. As an example, extremely well trained endurance athletes cannot hit high heart rates as there systems are too well conditioned, it all comes down to efficiency.

I would rather have a slightly higher resting HR and do the level of activity you do than have it a bit lower and be a heavy smoker! At the end of the day you will have a better quality of life, wont end up impotent or suffocate on your own fluids with COPD!

nsld - I realise it's not an absolute measure of fitness (!) but I thought it was an indicator? How wrong I was!
I think VO2Max is a relatively good guide?

Never really got into pulse or recovery rates (never had a heart monitor or anything) - just train hard and do okay in races (trail running). Go by the rather risky method of constantly trying to improve PBs for various routes.

Thanks for info though - all rather interesting.

Matteboy - beat me by 2 - my resting pulse rate usually 54-56. Used to be a lot higher before I started some proper fitness training.

Use a Pace watch to keep track of mine whilst running and also tested it whilst doing karate, which suprisingly hit a slightly higher bpm than a pretty steep gradient hill I run up during cross country.

Neil

Neil - I think my highest ever HR has been at kickboxing competitions!
Definitely higher than any race I've done.

Funny you should mention vo2max, ive taken a test both on an exercise machine and my polar hrm and i bounce around 85-95 vo2max though i have been told the correct method is on a treadmill where everything is measured like lung capacity etc.

Odd thing is, when i run on a treadmill it's like i want to go faster but ive hit a limiter, lungs are breathing hard, heart is pounding, hot but not tired, i just can't push any harder if that makes sense?

Is this me maxing out my potential vo2max or at least nearing it i wonder. :wonder:

Be a shame if it was, only way to get faster than would be to lose most of my muscle and i'll be damned if im doing that, did that in the past

85-90? Are you sure??!

That's mega endurance athelete style!

More info here:

VO2 Max - the maximum amount of oxygen in millilitres, one can use in one minute per kilogram of body weight

Do you hit that "limit" after a certain time or above a certain pace? Some people have a natural pace that is hard to push above without really hurting. Sometimes that natural pace is really high though so people get tired really quickly.

My trail running pace is so constant now (6m30s per mile) that I can measure a distance by running it and the working it out backwards!

Over a certain pace, it's like i can do more but my body just won't let me, it's certainly not through exhaustion like i said it's like im hitting a limiter of sorts, it's not sprint speed which as you know is seconds, this is my continual running pace.

The polar hrm takes in my weight, age and height and bases it all off that, though i have set my zone to around 65 vo2max though as that is more my endurance pace, i can do more if i wish to do so.

You know yourself matt i have worked my arse off in the gym since september last year not to mention i used to be a platoon runner in the ta for six years i think, ive mentioned before my weight has always been my limiting factor in regards to outright speed, but like ive said i don't want to lose my muscle just to get quicker, my job would be hellish otherwise as it's very manual.

At best im a 6 minute mile but typically 7-7.30m my brother was a 6m mile if not lower but he used to race with jason symons i think his name was, some top cornwall runner, anyway he's had to quit now due to tendonitis luckily for me that's never affected me.

You know fsr mark, well despite his being quicker than me ive always noticed myself bouncing back much faster after a steep climb, sure im slower but cardio wise i know i was ahead of him.

I have always found through any exercise, what ive lacked in speed ive always made up in endurance, helen can probably testify as she usually runs out of puff in 2 hours where id carry on while she and jane nipped back home.

If you see them about or tim on a ride send them my warmest regards, i do miss em.

LOL my resting is mid 50's and I'm nearly that in years.... (not quite)
Out on the mtb last summer, I got heat stroke and my pulse rate was 216 bpm... I did feel quite rough for a couple of hours ! :cuckoo:

So my advice 220-age in years is a VERY good MAXIMUM guideline !

dunx

P.S. Cyclist, dog walker, busy dude at work, v. little stress, and non-smoker ;)

My resting rate is around 58bpm and BP is around 117/68 normally i dont do alot of excercise oh and have a peak flow on the breath test of 740 and am 38.

NSLD any good?...i do suffer anxiety though but my doc says my specs are very good?

There all normal parameters, interesting you have a peak flow value as thats usually only done with a family history or suspicion of asthma or other respiratory disease.

Peak flow isnt an indicator of fitness its looking at obstruction of the airways.

As I said earlier, low resting heart rate and blood pressure can be good but can also be symptomatic of chronic stress.

Bottom line is do as much activity as you can and find something you enjoy, I used to be a hardcore triathlete, now I would rather get the ipod out, do an hour in the mud on the Mountain Bike and then run hard for 15 mins.

I also love sprint training and track drills, awesome for co-ordination and power delivery and so much more fun than going to the gym. Plus you work harder in less time so its more efficient and when you get to my age (also 38) its a lot less damaging on the body.

Hux - will say hi to them all. Did my usual 10m morning ride then a 15 miler at lunctime - most of it around Idless, with Kyle who manages to somehow stay fit with not much exercise - and is a downhill nutcase. I was flipping knackered afterwards! Just replaced my entire drivetrain - so all working well!

Trail run wise - at Lanhydrock 10k I got 42 mins (very hilly but no obstacles) and came 5th out of 700. At the Six Moor Miles (actually 7 miles) I got a poor start (too hesitant so spent the whole race overtaking and waiting behind people) I got 48 mins and came 50th out of 450 (all hardcore club runners) - but felt almost dead. So anything under 7 minutes for off road miles is pretty damn good.

I used to be very into weights and although naturally quite fit, was "scared" to lose any muscle through cardio - now it's the other way! Too much muscle and not enough fitness just gets in the way I find. But it's very handy to have some strength.

I've actually got a slight heart murmur (sp?) - had a lung infection ages ago and it was picked up. Luckily I don't seem to have dropped dead yet. That really would be annoying.

7min miles road running is kin quick! I struggle to do 4 miles in 31 mins on the treadmill!

Chris - I only really do off road/trail running. Not timed myself on the roads - hopefully a bit quicker though?

Tricky this time of year - everywhere is so damn wet that it's hard to remain upright in the mud, let alone run well!

Update
 

Just got back from the doctors and the chemist:(

He told me I was OK on the treadmill, but that I need to build up slowly, so running on it is out for the first few weeks, brisk walking is the order of the day, apparently.
The blood pressure pills I am on are Amlodopine, now upped to 10mg, with added aspirin daily, :rolleyes:, plus some statin to bring my cholesterol under control.

Damn, but growing old sucks:(