Talk to me about heart rate

(Jo) #1

Hi guys, I am spanking brand new at this exercise thing. I walk (no interest in running for now), frequently on a treadmill but also out in nature. I want to do this primarily for heart health. So I heard you need to keep your heart rate in a certain zone to get the heart health benefits, and that it is age related. Mine usually peaks at about 135 bpm when I go up a 9% incline at 3 mph. Does this seem reasonable? Should I get it higher/lower?

By the way I am feeling great doing this. I am no longer out of breath going on inclines at 3 mph and can keep it up for hours if I had the time. I am about 2.5 months into KETO, am fairly sure I am fat adapted and lost about 16 lbs. (SW 183, CW 167, GW 150), 5’2" female, 58 years old, no health issues. As I said, the exercise is largely to keep a healthy heart, and not so much for weight loss. I found that fasting and feasting works wonders for that.

TIA for your help.

#2

in general subtract your age from 220 and stay with 5 or so beats of that

(Jo) #3

Thanks! So that means that I have to get it a lot higher still. Another goal to work towards.

#4

220 minus age is a generalization for maximum heart rate. You won’t be able to exercise very long at that rate. The Maffetone method suggests 180 minus your age for maximum aerobic benefit. Good pace that you could do everyday without killing yourself.

(Jo) #5

Yeah, killing myself was not really the objective. :slight_smile:

So this would get me at about 122, that is right where I usually am with some forays into the low 130s. Sounds like I am right on target

#6

That will build good aerobic fitness and is optimal for fat oxidation.

(ianrobo) #7

There is a few threads on the MAF method in this forum and I would 100% advise you take a serious look at it. If you want fat adaption, low stress, maintain a healthy body this is perfect for anyone if 18, 456 (like me) or 58

(Crow T. Robot) #8

Expert trainer, endurance athlete, and keto advocate Vinnie Tortorich advocates staying in Zone 2 heart rate zone. No benefit to pushing your heart rate to the max.

(LeeAnn Brooks) #9

I disagree. Best to stay in fat burn zone, which is much lower. That puts it In the 170 range, which is what I hit when I’m running hard. I would recommend staying near the 140 range unless one is going for a cardio workout.

(Jo) #10

Hi Ian, thanks.
I had never heard of it. If I understand correctly from my rather quick perusal, he advises to keep your heart rate relatively low (in my case between 115 and 120) and then keep it there, which means that you have to slow down during the workout to keep the rate from rising. Then as you keep exercising you’ll be able to go faster at the same heart rate, as you slowly build up your tolerance for speed vs. heart rate. The idea being that eventually you’ll be able to sustain faster tempos better due to the lower impact on the heart rate.

Is that what it is about? I found his website not very intuitive, but this is what I gleaned.

(Alec) #11

Jo
Fairly experienced exerciser here. My opinion is not to worry about heart rate at all. All the estimates above are just that: estimates that may or may not help you. These numbers are often just plain wrong.

At your level, just get out there and walk. Go at a pace that feels comfortable. The longer the better. You might sometimes push the pace a bit if you’re feeling good, or you might take it easy if you feel that way.

If at some point you feel the need to start jogging, same advice applies: just go easy. If after that, you want to move it up a level, that’s when getting into HR science would start to make sense.

In my opinion, for now, just keep it simple.
Cheers
Alec

(Alec) #12

Boy, would I like to be able to do that!! Alas, not possible. :rofl:
Cheers
Alec

(Jo) #13

Good advice. I think I am already on the right track and will just keep doing what I was doing.

As for jogging, there’s about nothing that I hate more.

(Alec) #14

Jo
:joy::joy:

Give it time. I said the same 5 years ago. The running community is about as welcoming a bunch of folks that I have ever met. All sorts of shapes and sizes and speeds.

But of course it is critical to enjoy your activity. It is the MOST important thing.
Cheers
Alec

(ianrobo) #15

Exactly that and it is what I have been doing and stick in one session a week with HIIT to get the blood pumping !! It works as for the same lower HR my power on the bike has increased

(LeeAnn Brooks) #16

You sound like my husband. I have all those race stickers on my car that indicate how far I ran. 3.1, 6.2, 13.2.

My husbands keeps trying to find one he saw on a car once. “0.0 Running Sucks”

(Jo) #17

I want that one too!!! Let me know if he finds one.

(Alec) #18

Jo
Be careful, I might decide to make it a goal to convert you to running! It will get ugly… :joy::rofl::joy:

(Jo) #19

You don’t know my stubborn streak. Dutch girl digging in her wooden shoes! It’s impossible to run in those anyways…

(E.O.) #20

Saw that Mayo Clinic has an article about Maximum Heart Rate.