Ask the Trainer: am I exercising hard enough to get results?
Running expert Matt Forsman
Measuring heart rate is an effective way of monitoring intensity during exercise. It helps the exerciser know if they are working too hard or not hard enough. But determining the correct target heart rate can be confusing. This question comes from a reader who is using a heart rate monitor and needs to know if he is achieving the best results. Ask the Trainer fitness expert Matt Forsman responds.
Get Your Rear in Gear reader: I am starting to exercise more regularly. I want to work harder, but feel like my heart is pounding. So I bought a Polar FT60 heart rate monitor. It indicates my highest heart rate for TRAINING is 150 (I am 54 years old, though in better shape than many people, not seriously overweight). The problem is that my heart gets up to 150 with VERY little activity. If I walk at only 3.7 mph, my heart is already in the 3rd of 3 training zones on the Polar, whereas it says I should be mostly in zone 2. I’m not out of breath. So is this my fate? It seems no matter how much exercise I do, my heart rate still climbs into that 3rd range or above even at a very moderate level. The exercise videos all yell at me to try harder, but if I do, my heart rate will be 170 or even above. It never improves, seemingly, no matter how much I exercise. Do I really need to keep it down in the 130s?
Matt Forsman: Before I delve into the heart rate monitor question, if you feel like your heart is pounding all the time you are likely pushing too hard during your workouts.
Granted, in order to become more fit, you do need to challenge yourself ‘periodically’. But, pushing yourself hard ALL THE TIME increases the chance of injury/aggravation. You may not be doing this, but it’s worth mentioning.
According to Polar’s website, they recommend determining your max heart rate by taking 220 and subtracting your age. Using this equation, your max heart rate should actually be 166 and NOT 150 as you indicated.
With this in mind, your Level 3 ‘moderate range’ should be between 70-80% of this or 116-133 approximately.
Bear in mind, that the formula provided by Polar is a ‘general’ way of evaluating your max heart rate and/or target training zones. In fact, Polar says, “Lastly, the most precise and accurate way of determining your individual maximum heart rate is to have it clinically tested by a cardiologist or exercise physiologist through the use of a treadmill or bicycle maximal stress test. If you are over the age of 40, overweight, have been sedentary for several years, or have a history of heart diseases in your family, clinical testing is recommended.”
Given that you are 54 and it ‘sounds’ like the maximum heart rate suggested by Polar (presumably derived from the formula they provide) doesn’t ‘feel’ like a maximal effort, a more substantive clinical test to determine your ‘true’ maximum heart rate may be the best bet to better determine the appropriate training ‘zones’ for you.
Matt Forsman (‘Marathon Matt’) is a USTAF/RRCA certified professional running coach based in San Francisco, California. His passion for running has enabled him to help thousands of runners in the SF/Bay Area achieve and exceed their running goals. Matt’s group training programs have grown from 30-40 in 2005 to over 200 today. Additionally, Matt supports a myriad of San Francisco/Bay Area non-profit organizations. Get more information about Matt Forsman’s programs at MarathonMatt.com
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