Can't get heart rate up

[Tillymint1971]

Hi, again. I have managed to get my home Cardio Rehab going and a routine that works except maybe it doesn't. It's 10 weeks since my quadruple heart bypass and for several weeks now I have been doing Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home for a Healthy Heart in the morning and then walking around the woodland walkway (1km) near my house in the afternoon. As time has gone on I have increased the pace and in the last week or so the distance (2-2.5km) always observing what the physio told me about aiming for 13 on the Borg scale. But as a result I am not exercising in my target range which I was told should be 103-118bpm (based on an ECG score?).

My Apple watch is recording everything and I have been unable to get out of the 80's and then I made it into the 90's. Adding a 1kg weight to the morning exercise took me into the late 90's and sometimes as high as 105bpm. Walking outside there is a stretch with a slight incline and if I walking fast I can get to 100-103pm for all of 100m. I have tried pushing myself to get my heart rate up but then I often feel unwell later in the day and once or twice felt fatigued and unwell the following day. I can feel it in my chest too. Is this OK and why can't I get my heart rate up the target? I was told it didn't matter and to focus on Borg scale but lots of people seem to be exercising at a higher bpm.

[gilreid1]

It is maybe not what you are doing but how. Try attached

youtu.be/-JsuNKbAAkU(Not working as expected?)

[Tillymint1971 in reply to gilreid1]

Yeah, tried this. Happier walking and doing Walk at Home. Love Leslie Sansone. There are quite a few videos with workouts at varying levels but I don't do some of the arm movements.

youtu.be/u08lo0bESJc(Not working as expected?)

[Tillymint1971]

Thanks. So are you saying that my target rate changes? Can I re-calculate it (Physio did ECG score less my age and -30 for beta blockers) or that I should just focus on exercising? (And yes, on lots of drugs!) Reassured that you don’t think I need to increase intensity yet.

[Tillymint1971]

Thanks - that’s really helpful, and reassuring, to know I’m doing the right thing, in the absence of any contact with either physio or cardiologist!

[080311 in reply to Tillymint1971]

Hi, I was told at the beginning of cardio rehab that when I was walking I was to still be able to talk to someone next to me or if I was on my own be able to sing! Have had some strange looks!

[Tillymint1971 in reply to 080311]

Yes, sometimes my husband walks with me and we talk.

[Hidden]

Hi. I'm coming up to 11 weeks post double heart bypass and, like yourself, am trying to find a home cardio workout plan that works. Have to admit though that I have given up trying to monitor my heart rate and instead focused on doing some form of daily exercise that pushes me without being too strenuous.

[Tillymint1971 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Judge_Dredd - hope you're doing well. We'll get there!

[Outforawalk]

Hi - I had HA at the start of March and I’m working my way through cardiac rehab. I have a heart rate monitor (strap around chest) and discussed target rates with the physio, her advice was that while heart rates were useful to know, don’t get fixated by them; the guide to how hard you’re working is in your ability to breathe and hold a conversation.

Wrist monitors are also not as reliable a chest monitors according to posts I have read on here.

Good luck in your continued recovery.

[Woodensider]

Hi there, I use a chest strap HRM, & a wrist smart type watch, the chest strap monitor is way more accurate. Check your HR while excercising with the good old fashioned finger on your pulse & count against a watch for 30 seconds. I can regularly get a difference of 40 BPM between the watch & what it actually is!

[dunestar]

I'm doing the BHF cardiac rehab Level 3 video. I find this kind of exercise get's my heart rate higher than straight walking, although it's nice to get out in the fresh air. What's really important is to have a long warm up and build up gradually. This is stressed in the BHF videos. I find I can avoid feeling unwell that way. With walking I find it's a bit more difficult to gauge your effort.

[Tillymint1971]

I'll try this one. Thanks.