Heart Rate Obseevation

[-Alchemist-]

I have completed the first three weeks and am pleased that I’m recovering more quickly and don’t seem to be panting as much afterwards though breathing is still a bit too fast. I feel normal after my cool-down walk which is already a change from week one!!

What I’ve noticed on my Apple Watch though which is slightly alarming is during my 3 minute run my heart rate rose to 168, which for a light jog seems very high. This concerns me a bit for longer runs - my age determines that’s the absolute max it should go). Anyone else notice this or have this issue - or isn’t it an issue at all?

[Instructor57 Graduate]

Well done completing the first 3 weeks .As far as your heart rate is concerned , how do you feel ?

Wrist worn HR monitoring is not the most accurate and from what you have said you are using the 220-age formula which is unfortunately not a one size fits all , infact , far from it .

You will be better off going by perceived effort .... If you feel ok you probably are !

This post may answer a few questions for you !

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

[-Alchemist- in reply to Instructor57]

Thanks. I’ll not pay attention to it as I feel as I’d expect to but nothing such as faintness. I get a few palpitations afterwards but that’s normal for me.

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

As Instructor57 says, wrist heart rate monitors aren’t that accurate and better to listen to your body. On our first run my heart rate peaked at 185 and as that’s way above my max I asked my pharmacist daughter what the likelihood of it stopping was, she laughed and laughed. Going be perceives effort that first run had me gasping for breath and wheezing like a train but I felt fine otherwise.

Now when I run intervals I push myself and breathe heavy, heart rate never goes much above 170 which is still high but my fitness has increased over time so it drops quickly when I slow down.

And if you are panting then it’s not a light jog, slow down until your breathing is deeper but comfortable

[-Alchemist- in reply to SueAppleRun]

Interesting they’re not that accurate. I assumed they were spot on!

[SueAppleRun Graduate in reply to -Alchemist-]

I think they can get confused between pulse in wrist and feet hitting the ground when running, on a long run mine steadily increases even though on a long run I go so slow I’m barely breathing deeply, on short fast intervals where I get out of breath my heart rate doesn’t go up much. The interesting thing though is overall my heart rate is lower than it was at the start. But listen to your body, ask yourself if it feels ok? and have fun, I grin a lot while running

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to -Alchemist-]

Your device may be 100 percent accurate at taking readings but the figures that you are comparing to for averages are just that.....averages....and by definition most of us are not average.

It is explained in the post linked to by Instructor57

[LmNee]

Fab post and reassuring to read about smart watch heart monitors, as mine puts me in the "Max" heart rate for over 95% of my run (apparently sitting at 164-182 with a peak at 192!!!!!) Given I was able to still hold a conversation, I'm not convinced it was right, but then again my resting heartrate on the same watch is apparently down to 52bpm so I should have guessed it isn't great!!!!!!!!

[BlackCountryLee Graduate]

What a great thread! I’ve long mistrusted my Fitbit heart monitor and really just refer to mine for distance and time when out running. Think sometimes with all the tech we have now it’s important to listen to your body too.

[Bluestreek Graduate]

Hi as others have said wrist monitors are notorious for picking up cadence instead of heart beat. Also heart beat and pulse at your wrist aren’t the same! I had a heart problem it was stuck at 220 bmp but my wrist was dropping back to normal. Under those conditions the poor old heart can’t get enough blood through it to pump properly so your pulse drops. Always where a chest monitor when exercising! It could save your life, mine did.