Heart Rate Question

[CakeFace1977]

I am a 33 year old woman. I am 5'7 and currently about 150 lbs. I have recently been adding sprints to my workouts. The program by Jamie Eason has me running for 30 minutes, 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off at an 8.0 on the treadmill. It says to keep your heart rate below 185. When I do this program my heart rate (according to both my own heart rate monitor and the treadmill monitor) is between 182 and 189. An 8.0 speed does not feel like sprinting to me, it feels more like a fast paced run. I can easily bring the level up to between a 9.0 and 10.0, but when I do my heart rate goes to between 190 and 202. When my heart rate is this high I do not feel bad, I can converse, and my breathing is not labored. Is it still dangerous to have a heart rate so high even when I don't feel overworked?

Alternately, if I try to stay in the fat burning heart rate zone, I feel like I am crawling on the treadmill and it feels like a waste of time. It is very hard for me to move slow enough to stay in my target heart rate. Does this mean that my heart rate is elevating too quickly? What can I do to get my heart rate down, and what is the maximum heart rate I should have when exercising?

[Boss Man]

The Fat Burning zone is classed as 60%-70% of Max Heart Rate, 220-age being a common way to work out heart rate.

Using such a yardstick is a bit hit and miss and unless you were working at more than 90% of max heartrate, effectively in the big bodybuilders zone, then don't worry about it, because unless you had an undiagnosed heart condition of some kind it shouldn't be an issue to work at around 80%-85% of MHR.

Just be sure not to have Caffeinated products during the day, as Caffeine blocks Iron, which is used to make Erythrocytes, (red blood cells) and produce Myoglobin which is a storage compartment for Oxygen that resides in your muscles. Plus it can stimulate the heart and constrict blood vessels.

[LaurieBuilder]

CakeFace, they say any workout is effective only for weight loss if you achieve a target heart rate every time. To calculate your target heart rate, use this easy formula: subtract your age from 220 if you are a male and from 226 if you're a female. So if you are 33, your Age Predicted Maximum Heart Rate would be 193. I got mine here - http://spinning.com/en/webshop/products ... e_monitors, the pink one =)

[Boss Man]

220 - age is a standard calculation, though I have never seen a 226 - age one for females before and to be honest I don't see a point to it, as the difference in the two calculations will differ by 6, so what's the point?

That's not a slight at you, just a casual observation about the two calculations .

[musculArgirl2]

I have that same issue a high heart rate. I tried today at slight inclines for 30 min and my heart rate was at 155 to 165 the whole time even if I was walking slow and at no incline for a while it would only go down to 155 to 153. Maybe this is why the steep inclines are really uncomfortable for me. Should I do the steep inclines or stick to the easy workouts I don't know.

[musculArgirl2]

I am drinking caffeine though and boss I know you said my blood pressure might have dropped in the spring due to quitting caffeine. I'm drinking pepsi next now but another reason to really quit the stuff.

[Boss Man]

Caffeine can constrict blood vessels, so if you quit caffeine, you'll potentially increase vasodilation of the blood pathways, thereby reducing blood pressure somewhat.

Of course blood pressure can also be dictated by things like salt, arterial plaque and atheromas, but caffeine is the one definite known here, as your salt intake may vary day to day based on food choices and also your arterial plaque and atheroma levels could by anything really, but the fact you consume caffeine and know how it's happening is a known thing and therefore is easier to control in relation to blood pressure.

[musculArgirl2]

am i going to be at risk for a heart attack for the rest o fmy life even if i lose the weight because of all the fat i've gained from this? I'm sure i have some arterial placaque for sure. i suppose that's probably a question for a doctor but wanted to see what you would say. I will ask my doctor too.

[musculArgirl2]

i workout 1 today on my ifit program and my hr was at 165 to 170 for a lot of it. 165 i believe is 90%. i'm totally confused now on what to do. workout 1 is easier than a lot of workouts.

i think i will wear the hr monitor that says your ave and high also and see what that gives.

[Boss Man]

Well if you reduced your weight, then you should have an ability to reduce arterial plaque, because if the body was getting rid of it and you were not creating the same capacitiy, to maintain or build up the levels, because of an improved diet and exercise regime, then you'd have a lesser chance of heart disease, especially if you cut out caffeine as well.