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What is considered an intense workout?
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SilMarillion_68 posted:
Hi there,

Okay, I'm a 43 year old male. I weigh 170lbs and have a 34 inch waist. I would say that I am in "okay" shape -- my main goal is to loose some body fat, and just tone up a little; and maybe get a flat stomach.. About a month ago, I started jogging, and now can jog\run a 1 mile in 10 minutes. When I run, my heart rate goes to about 170. Is this too intense? Should I decrease the pace, and get my heart rate down to 160 (or less?) I usually run for a mile and walk for a mile; for total of 2 miles each day.

Once I stop running, and rest my heart rate drops back down to <130 within minutes.

Is jogging\running with a heart rate of 170 considered an intense workout?

My resting heart rate is 75 on average.

Any comments?
2 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:What is considered an intense workout?Hi there,<br /><br />Okay, I'm a 43 year old male. I weigh 170lbs and have a 34 inch waist. I would say that I am in "okay" shape -- my main goal is to loose some body fat, and just tone up a little; and maybe get a flat stomach.. About a month ago, I started jogging, and now can jog\run a 1 mile in 10 minutes. When I run, my heart rate goes to about 170. Is this too intense? Should I decrease the pace, and get my heart rate down to 160 (or less?) I usually run for a mile and walk for a mile; for total of 2 miles each day.<br /><br />Once I stop running, and rest my heart rate drops back down to &lt;130 within minutes. <br /><br />Is jogging\running with a heart rate of 170 considered an intense workout?<br /><br />My resting heart rate is 75 on average.<br /><br />Any comments?
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Rich Weil, MEd, CDE responded:
170 is equivalent to about 95% of the maximum heart rate reserve (HRR). This is a very high intensity. I wonder if you are taking your heart rate correctly because sustaining that intensity for an entire mile would be difficult. If you use a heart rate monitor make sure the contacts are very clean before you wear the strap. If indeed it truly is that high then you should mention it to your doctor since he or she should know your health best. Some athletes train that high, but it's not very common. As for the recovery, you're looking for it to drop below 12 beats of the highest heart rate within one minute after you stop exercising. So if your peak is 170, then within one minute of stopping it should be lower than 158

Here's the formula for HRR and an example of the method for someone 43 years-old, assuming a resting heart rate of 75bpm, and a training range of 95%. If you plug in other values, you will get other ranges.

1) 220-Age = Max HR

2) Subtract resting heart rate from Max HR = Heart Rate
Reserve (HRR)

3) multiply HRR times percent you want to train at

4) Add back resting heart rate.

Assuming a resting heart rate of 75bpm, 43 years old, and 95% training range:

220 - 43 = 177

177 - 75 = 102

102 x .95% = 96.9

96.9 70 = 171.9

A training range from around 60% to 85% is the range most people should train at.

I hope that helps. Rich
Report This| Share this:What is considered an intense workout?170 is equivalent to about 95% of the maximum heart rate reserve (HRR). This is a very high intensity. I wonder if you are taking your heart rate correctly because sustaining that intensity for an entire mile would be difficult. If you use a heart rate monitor make sure the contacts are very clean before you wear the strap. If indeed it truly is that high then you should mention it to your doctor since he or she should know your health best. Some athletes train that high, but it's not very common. As for the recovery, you're looking for it to drop below 12 beats of the highest heart rate within one minute after you stop exercising. So if your peak is 170, then within one minute of stopping it should be lower than 158 <br /> <br />Here's the formula for HRR and an example of the method for someone 43 years-old, assuming a resting heart rate of 75bpm, and a training range of 95%. If you plug in other values, you will get other ranges.<br /> <br />1) 220-Age = Max HR <br /> <br />2) Subtract resting heart rate from Max HR = Heart Rate <br />Reserve (HRR)<br /> <br />3) multiply HRR times percent you want to train at<br /> <br />4) Add back resting heart rate.<br /> <br />Assuming a resting heart rate of 75bpm, 43 years old, and 95% training range:<br /> <br />220 - 43 = 177<br /> <br />177 - 75 = 102<br /> <br />102 x .95% = 96.9<br /> <br />96.9 70 = 171.9<br /> <br />A training range from around 60% to 85% is the range most people should train at. <br /> <br />I hope that helps. Rich
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DeadManWalking57 responded:
SilMarillion_68

Are you warming up, THEN running 10 minutes, or you just start and run 10 minutes ?

If you don't warm up, your heart has no time to get ready for a harder workout, and you force it to work when it is not ready. Sadly, mind over matter, and not good for your heart.

Try a combination walk and jog about a minute each alternating the first mile, then you can try to run a mile straight, and follow up with a 1/2 mile cooldown just walking.

As Dr. Weil mentioned, if fit and training properly, your heart rate will drop at least 12 beats the first minute when you slow down. Besides that, it must drop 30 beats after two full minutes. If you don't see this, you are training too hard, and NOT doing good things for your heart.

You should probably keep your heart rate under 150 while you gain some fitness. That would be about 75% of heart rate reserve. If you have enough body fat to worry about, your fitness is probably pretty poor.
Report This| Share this:What is considered an intense workout?SilMarillion_68<br /><br />Are you warming up, THEN running 10 minutes, or you just start and run 10 minutes ?<br /><br />If you don't warm up, your heart has no time to get ready for a harder workout, and you force it to work when it is not ready. Sadly, mind over matter, and not good for your heart.<br /><br />Try a combination walk and jog about a minute each alternating the first mile, then you can try to run a mile straight, and follow up with a 1/2 mile cooldown just walking.<br /><br />As Dr. Weil mentioned, if fit and training properly, your heart rate will drop at least 12 beats the first minute when you slow down. Besides that, it must drop 30 beats after two full minutes. If you don't see this, you are training too hard, and NOT doing good things for your heart.<br /><br />You should probably keep your heart rate under 150 while you gain some fitness. That would be about 75% of heart rate reserve. If you have enough body fat to worry about, your fitness is probably pretty poor.
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