Thread: Rest heart rate

I know my weight is a problem , the heart rate monitor is just a guide , that is all. I had been and seen a GP previously ,when he meassured my blood pressure and had told me that I needed to do something about high blood pressure I drink quite a few cups of coffee in day , perhaps this may also be a contributing factor.

A colleague of mine regularly walks through Hyde park during his lunch breaks and I've been seriously thinking of joining him but am scared of twisting my ankles. my partner regularly makes fun of my weak and swallen ankles.

I also found swimming was the best form of excercise and really do miss doing a few laps in the pool. I too have a mountain bike in the garage and which has been collecting dust.

Originally Posted by Numpty's Missus

...as you are supposed to do something like 90mins at max HR per week....

I know you are a nurse, but even elite athletes can't exercise at their max heart rate for very long! 90 mins per week - 12 minutes per day at max HR - it's not possible. I used to train with the QAS cycling squad (and I won 2 Qld State titles in track cycling) - I could hold (or, more accurately) approach max HR for about 3 minutes during interval training - you discover a lot about yourself when you push yourself to the extreme, which is what max HR training is.

Max Hr training is anaerobic exercise - the average person is advised to undertake aerobic exercise only.

Originally Posted by Numpty's Missus

Have you tried those ankle supports you can buy at chemists? Might be worth a try putting them on if you are going for a walk and seeing if they help

Thanks NM , I'll make some enquiries , it would be great to have something to supprt the Fat & swallen ankles

Another option to the aquarobics is an exercise bike. You can watch tv & get fit at the same time. All in the privacy of your own home... And no, we dont need photos of you in lycra...

And I am not sure if you drink them or not, but stay away from those energy drinks, like Red Bull, Mother, V ect. They will send your heart rate thru the roof faster than a Defender down the highway.

Originally Posted by Basil135

Another option to the aquarobics is an exercise bike. You can watch tv & get fit at the same time. All in the privacy of your own home... And no, we dont need photos of you in lycra...

And I am not sure if you drink them or not, but stay away from those energy drinks, like Red Bull, Mother, V ect. They will send your heart rate thru the roof faster than a Defender down the highway.

I never touch those high energy drinks , the only energy drink i do drink is urm....... beer

My understanding re "exercise heart rate" is 70% to 80% of your max. You can work out your max heart rate (workshop formula)........220 minus your age.

In my case 220 minus 56 = 164 x .75 = 123.

Originally Posted by numpty

My understanding re "exercise heart rate" is 70% to 80% of your max. You can work out your max heart rate (workshop formula)........220 minus your age.

In my case 220 minus 56 = 164 x .75 = 123.

Although this is probably off the topic and somewhat esoteric, I thought I'd add something to Numpty's post...

Nah, there is no single % of max HR zone for exercise. There are a few commonly used schemes which are based on exercise "ranges" which are used to guide HR training. As a former cycling coach, I used a system with 5 zones...

1) Warm up - moderate (50-60% of max HR)
2) Sub Aerobic - fat burn (60-70% max HR)
3) Aerobic - cardio endurance (70-85% max HR)
4) Anaerobic - hard endurance training (85-96% max HR)
5) VO2 max - maximum effort (up to 100% HR)

These % numbers are first set as above as a starting point. An athlete is then put through a session where their breathing and exhaust gases (from their mouths only!) are measured, along with blood samples, to calculate exact lactic threshold - then the above zones are fined tuned to the individual.

For the average punter, exercising at the sub aerobic level (this is perhaps slightly misleading - it's still aerobic, the sub aerobic term comes from a relationship with lactic threshold) is the best place to burn fat and lose weight.

Another thing is that a particular exercise session would generally only use a few of the zones - most often 2 - warm up and one other, depending on an athlete's program.

The 220 minus you age is a very rough approximation. My max HR for example, at age 42, was 195. And anyway, max HR will vary widely - even for elite athletes. Lance Armstrong's max HR is something like 200. Other pro cyclists can have numbers as "low" as 170.

The real number of importance when measuring fitness is your VO2 - or volume of oxygen your body can absorb per minute.

So, for the average punter interested in losing weight - use the 220 minus your age formula - get an approximate max HR and try to do at least 40 minutes a day at least 3 times a week with a 10-15 minute warm up and then maintain 60-70% max HR. Breaking exercise up into intervals is better still - if anyone wants some info on doing that, let me know.

Mate, I crashed through 40, gave away active sport and piled on loads of weight through gross inactivity. Blood pressure went up and stayed way too high.
Whilst Im working on the 'lifestyle factors' I reluctantly accepted that I needed a little scientific help - blood pressure tablets. You might want speak to your GP about getting on some blood pressure medication while you work on your fitness and weight.
Stroke risk absolutely scares the youknowwhat out of me.

Craig