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Heart rate questions ?

774 Views 5 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Rattus, Jul 18, 2006

Rattus

Discussion Starter · Jul 16, 2006

I went to the local gym yeterday and was looking at the heart rate guides on the machines.

They have a range for weight loss, then a range for cardio workout at a higher heart rate. My first question is (don't laugh) surely the higher your heart rate for your workout the harder you are working and the more fat you burn ? is that correct or is there an optimal range for fat burning ?

Secondly, I jogged at 12.5kmph for 15mins then checked my heart rate while still jogging..it was a steady 175bpm. I felt fine and could have easily pushed myself harder, I wasn't puffing hard.

But the chart says this is the top of the cardio target range for a 25yr old, I'm 38, and supposedly should be aiming for much lower.

So because I can easily sustain the top range of 25yr old, does that mean I'm as fit as a 25yr old should be ?

The fit test on the treadmill gave me a result of "excellent"

woo hoo.

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Poncharelli

· #2 · Jul 17, 2006

I don't think that test means much.

Try this better:

http://www.drwoolard.com/fitness_calculators/oneandhalfmile.htm

I rate average for a 1.5 mile run......but I don't run much, I'm a cyclist.

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Mtnz2Sea

· #3 · Jul 17, 2006

cool website

Thanks! It has a lot of great info. NJ Jess

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Reset

· #4 · Jul 18, 2006

From what I remember, you effectively burn fat once you stop burning sugar. So if you train at an high hearth rate, you won't train really long so you won't burn much fat. You have to train around 130 for a longer period. That way you'll burn more fat.

The targets you're talking about are strictly related to your goals. If you want to improve your cardio, endurance and burn fat, train lighter and longer. To build muscle power and explosion, you aim at higher heart rate for less time.

A good way to combine both is to do include some peaks in your run or bike ride.

Hope this helps

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SeanL

· #5 · Jul 18, 2006

Exercising at a higher level will certainly burn more calories, but you won't necessarily burn more fat. The process the body uses to create energy from fat is quite involved, so as you exercise harder the body can't make energy from fat fast enough, so it resorts to carbohydrate stores. I don't remember the exact HR range that you should train at for weight loss, but I think it's in the range of 60%(give or take a little bit) of your HR max.

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Rattus

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 18, 2006

OK, thanks for that

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