When I give it a go on the static bike (for the c25K) my heart rate goes up to 130. I'm a little worried of the impact the exercise has on the heart. Can anybody tell me about the increase in heart rate? what is the dangerous zone?
My normal HR resting is 80 - I know this is high. I'd like to get it down!
Hey helingmic!
Your heart rate is perfectly normal, your exercising heart rate should be approximately double your resting heart rate so you are doing just fine! The only way your resting heart rate will go down is by becoming more healthy as it will have less work to do. A usual resting heart rate is between 60 and 70, so it's not too high. You may simply have a naturally high heart rate. I'm usually up to about 140 when I exercise vigorously. If you are really concerned about it still then you should consult your GP, as they will know more than anyone here.
Hope this helps some xx
Healthyeats, Thank you. I did check and found a revised formula which confirms exactly what you state; multiply your resting heart rate by 0.7 and subtract the result from 208. Example for me 80 x 0.7= 56; 208 - 56 = 152. Thank you for that.
There are a few different ways of calculating your maximum heart rate (which you should try not to reach...) and are related to age - the oldest (and simplest) is 220 minus your age (in my case 220-51 = 169) then there are different "zones" when you exercise - aerobic exercise is 50 to 70 % of your max HR - there are calculators online like this one:
runnersweb.com/running/hr_c...
Thank you. I saw this formula; then I saw the revised formula that I quoted. I don't know what this is based on. they give the formula without explaining it.
Yet I tried to find out the origin of the 220 - age formula. one report I consulted says that there is a big error gap. Here's the full explanation.
Thank you for your research.
Both the other replies above are sensible, but if you have any doubts about this issue you should consult your GP or practice nurse to talk it through, especially in relation to your other health conditions. Very few of us on here are medically trained and you should take any advice given here as vague guidance, not gospel.
You need to work out what your max heart rate is, first of all. A rough rule of thumb is 220-age. Moderate exercise is best performed at about 65-70% of your maximum.
If you are 65, that would give you a max of about 155, so a moderate rate would be closer to 105-108. 130 would be about 85% of max, which is at the upper end of aerobic exertion - if you were pushing yourself in a race for example. It is not getting into redline zone, but is fairly high.
There are a variety of different ways this is calculated. This link shows a bit more detail:
digifit.com/heartratezones/...
It is probably wiser to consult your doctor regarding safe ranges of exertion and your health, though, rather than just taking advice off the internet, to be honest.
IannodaTruffe & Rignold You are both right. I feel indeed that I have to be cautious, as I have COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. I have noticed a benefit from going to the gym 3 times a week. I think ( thinking is perhaps not scientific enough!) That it does me good, as my chest consultant found that I was transformed. My heart rate was not yet in question. The answer is probably individual rather than found in a statistic based on younger adult not affected with a disease.
I shall go and ask a professional. Thank you both.
#seemingly, I found a scholarly article on the fact that exercise training improves people affected with COPD in general ( I can confirm this from clinical evaluation by my chest consultant). Her's the reference:
I am very interesting in this topic, when I ran on the treadmill , I am running at level 7.5, at a space of 7.3, my heartbeat was showing at one point 162, then when I slowed down it went down to 132 , I am 48 years old, what is the normal max for my age.
I was told at the gym that the heart rate shown can be 10% of either way - no way to tell which, either over the number or under the number shown by 10 %. Still IMHO 162 may be alittle high/ I feel a little strange when I maintain 13-; i.e. I start having blurred vision. Now that's only me, but I prefer to be cautious, rather not say it doesn't matter. It's after all your heart pumpong so afst per minute, the blood running as fast in your body, having to be cleaned through the lungs and going back to the heart in no time!
They say that at rest, if your heart beat over 80, this is too high! Currently s I write to you, checking with an finger oximeter, my HR is 82, just over the limit. I am 65 years old.
Thank you for the reply, I never took any notice before, but now that you have mentioned it, I to get blurred vision in my left eye. Now I am very worried because I love my treadmill, and needed to improve on my runs. I wonder if it could cause a heart attack.???
I don't think it will cause a heart attack, but it's a sign that you are tired; time to ease a bit then start again.
Heart rate help. 
Heart rate observation 
Heart rate 
Heart rate 
Heart rate monitors 
