Q for all you out there.
I class myself as a fairly fit bloke. 6foot 2 ( 1 metre 87 fr the metrc pedants out there), just over 14.5 stone ( 95 kgs) and will be hitting the 40 year milestone in June. The old BMI says I'm over weight , BMI of 27 ish..and I reckon I could shift a stone if I could be arsed too.
I do have a HRM somewhere but can never be arsed to dig it out for rides
, but sometimes do remember to stick it on when in the gym. Last time I could be arsed to wear it to bed etc to capture my resting HR it was about 65.
So how come when I walk, daily chores etc, the rate shoots straight up to 100 plus?
On the treadtills in the gym, the alledged fat burn for my age group 115 - 120 bpm? Where as cardio training is 145- 155 bpm.
This morning did my usual warm up of stretches and checking out the fit yummy mummies, then did 25 min on the running machine, first 2 mins are warm up pace , which by this time my HR is clicking at 125..
Then 22 mns of constant hill climb, 1 minute intervals of flat and ever increasing incline steepness. By the end I'm sweating like a rapist , and HR is at 178..
5 mins on the cooldown, HR s down to 120.
Then do weights and swim to finish off.
So my Q's are...
Why the **** is the alledged fat burning HRM so low? If I exercised at that level, I would prob hit it doing the dusting around the house.
Does anyone actually use the HRM to get proper results?
Anyone actually got/ can reccomend any good books ref HRM use in training.
Or am I actually a fat biffer who's just painted a huge target on my arse for everyone to come and bitch slap...
Why the **** is the alledged fat burning HRM so low? If I exercised at that level, I would prob hit it doing the dusting around the house.
Could be why housework is included in all those "do some exercise every day to stay fit" lists. Bet if you dusted for an hour you would feel fairly tired...
If you go in for the "fat burning zone" - and there are plenty who don't - then it is very low compared with how you feel when you're exercising hard.
I use my HRM to:
- keep my HR down when doing a recovery ride
- check I don't go over threshold for too long when riding hard (as I know I'll blow)
- on the turbo, for intervals and sub-threshold tempo training
Don't worry about it. All those numbers you've compared yourself with are just averages and typical values. Everyone is different HR-wise, mostly for genetic reasons, though plenty of environmental factors, such as caffeine intake etc. Anyway, if you want to use HR for something constructive, learn what your heart does, then compare with that. However, unless you've got very specific training goals I would suggest that you should just use it as a recording tool rather than as a coach.
I use mine to record all my training, so I can compare weeks and different periods and try to quantify why I recovered from an injury two years ago faster than this year, that sort of thing. I look at my HR during training a bit, but I just carry on regardless of what it tells me.
The alleged fat burning zone on the machine is prob based on the 220-age guide which is not very accurate.
Do you know what your max HR is? If you do, using that pplus your resting rate you can work out what your fat burning zone is.
The fat burning level quoted is the minimum amount of exertion needed to burn fat, not the most efficient. The harder you train the more you'll burn. Anything else is an urban myth.
The majority of people will not benefit greatly from training with a heart rate monitor. They are of use to those who train on a daily basis to help them not over train and those with programs with specific heart rate zones. This I assume to be the minority.
I've never really got on with the training zone think, so mostly just use a HRM to see how high and how low I can get my pulse to go 🙂
Though at the moment i'm attempting to measure my running efficency by using one to give a Watts/BPM reading in sportstracks.
First of all, you need to go and get your Max HR lab tested for anything to be relevent, I did some guineau pig work at a sports performance lab, so went through the whole gubbins i.e Lactate tests, threshold tests, Vo2 max, and maximal HR testing etc. Its violently unpleasant, but until you know your own body properly then dont even begin to assess the relevance of HR on your training. Your numbers can be so different to another person of equivalent ability and achieve the same result.
BTW, 220 less your age is so innacurate its unbelievable, I am 37, the 220 theory would make my max 183, my actual max is 204.
As exampled here, myself included, most people use a HR monitor to compare like for like sessions in order to analyze whether their fitness level is improving. The more sessions you do the more reliable the comparison.
They are a fascinating tool that can be both helpful and destructive in equal measures.
I've had a HRM for a few years, and mainly use it out of interest to record a few things. I generally use the calories burnt function of it more than using the HR bands for training.
My resting heart rate is around 60 odd, but mine massively increases when I do exercise I generally average 180 for a 40min game of squash with a recent max of 202 though I've seen slightly higher. (I;m 31 btw)
I've just started doing some XC racing so over the next few months I'm going to use it to try and spot the threashold at which I'll 'blowup' I think this would be massively useful as I'm never sure when to go flat out, and finished yesterday's race with plenty of energy and the feeling I should have worked harder.
The harder you train the quicker you burn fat, but the less time you can sustain it for?
A low level fat burn zone is so that it can be sustained for a long enough period of time to actually burn an appreciable amount of fat. Its also guaranteed to remain aerobic, which is what you want to burn fat.
Its one of those 'one size fits all' approaches to training advice. Its a bit like the BMI, which doesn't account for fit people with more muscle than the normal desk jocky.
You need to stop eating those pies, my resting heart rate is a cool 52bpm 😀
Mmmm pies! Mine's a chiptastic 42 🙂
Someone's bound to come along soon with 30 sumink 🙂
Damn you Ian Munro, there was I thinking my 43 was low!!
I was surprised to achieve 47 the other day, although I could lose a stone just like the OP!
I have used HRMs on and off and have to say that other than curiosity value they do seem to be a bit confusing. Your fat burning zone on a spin bike say, feels way too easy compared to just riding along at a moderate pace.
We have to do the Cambridge step test in our medicals for work... according to the results I am 'Average'. I have a low resting heart rate of around 40bpm and finish the test at about 140bpm a bit warmish. My max heart rate usually tops out about 190. I think because there is a massive difference in the start and finish bpm they think i'm unfit. ❓
Anyway, the dog chewed the strap off my last Polar monitor, thats what he thought of them!