Heart rate issues

"woodydelsur" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been walking for almost a year now and have gotten
pretty serious

about

Quoted message said:

it within the last 4 months. The info I have states my
target heart rate should be about 125 bpm. When I first
started walking it was very easy

to

Quoted message said:

get my heart rate up. Now, I'm walking 5 miles at about 4
mph. Even at that pace, it's difficult to get my heart
rate up past 105 (I found out today that my resting heart
rate is now 52!!!!). I've added leg weights

(2

Quoted message said:

lbs per leg) and that has helped a little but I'm still in
the 115-120 range.

Are there any other tricks to help? At 4 mph, it feels
that if I walked any faster I'd be jogging and I don't
want to run....... Someone else on this board said they
walk about 5 mph. It's difficult for me to imagine doing
that..... my short legs would be really flying.....

On the other hand, is this much to do about nothing? Is
the 115 area

"good

Quoted message said:

enough". That puts me at about 65% of max.

Thanks!!

--

Woody

Congratulations! Your heart rate is merely reflecting your
increased fitness.

I suspect that your problem is fairly common. I know in my
own case that it is difficult to get my HR up as high as I
would like while walking. Conversely, it's hard to keep it
down to a manageable level when running/jogging.

So, I ride my bike(s) instead. Not only do you go faster
(generating your own cooling breeze in the process), and
save pounding on your knees, but you can control your heart
rate to a very fine degree, unless you're riding up and
down big mountains. I typically ride with a heart rate
around 140-145 (with intervals and hill climbs spiking up
into the 160's or low 170's). For me, that range provides a
good aerobic workout, and burns a bunch of calories (500-
800 per hour).

I still like to walk with my kids and dog, and do consider
it as exercise. Walking is also better for preventing
ostheoporosis than cycling. But, if I want to get a
"workout", it's on the bike.

GG weightware.comweightware.comOpen ↗ Your Weight and Health Diary

"woodydelsur" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been walking for almost a year now and have gotten
pretty serious

about

Quoted message said:

it within the last 4 months. The info I have states my
target heart rate should be about 125 bpm. When I first
started walking it was very easy

to

Quoted message said:

get my heart rate up. Now, I'm walking 5 miles at about 4
mph. Even at that pace, it's difficult to get my heart
rate up past 105 (I found out today that my resting heart
rate is now 52!!!!). I've added leg weights

(2

Quoted message said:

lbs per leg) and that has helped a little but I'm still in
the 115-120 range.

Are there any other tricks to help? At 4 mph, it feels
that if I walked any faster I'd be jogging and I don't
want to run....... Someone else on this board said they
walk about 5 mph. It's difficult for me to imagine doing
that..... my short legs would be really flying.....

It sounds like you are doing very well. The resting heart
rate is an excellent measure and is fun when you give blood
or have your pulse taken for any reason. What do you want
to accomplish? You could start race walking, go farther (or
quit for a few months.) I'm not sure about the leg weights
but there are vests used for training and testing that can
add a lot of weight which is evenly distributed. They are
expensive but a divers weight belt works almost as well.

I'm six feet and have to pay a lot of attention to hit 4mph
and find it almost impossible to concentrate enough to hit
five and still walk. Damn trees, and sky and flowers and
stuff keep getting in the way.

How old are you?

"woodydelsur" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been walking for almost a year now and have gotten
pretty serious

about

Quoted message said:

it within the last 4 months. The info I have states my
target heart rate should be about 125 bpm. When I first
started walking it was very easy

to

Quoted message said:

get my heart rate up. Now, I'm walking 5 miles at about 4
mph. Even at that pace, it's difficult to get my heart
rate up past 105 (I found out today that my resting heart
rate is now 52!!!!). I've added leg weights

(2

Quoted message said:

lbs per leg) and that has helped a little but I'm still in
the 115-120 range.

Are there any other tricks to help? At 4 mph, it feels
that if I walked any faster I'd be jogging and I don't
want to run....... Someone else on this board said they
walk about 5 mph. It's difficult for me to imagine doing
that..... my short legs would be really flying.....

On the other hand, is this much to do about nothing? Is
the 115 area

"good

Quoted message said:

enough". That puts me at about 65% of max.

Thanks!!

--

Woody

JM,

I'm 44. Using the formula 220-44=176 max heart rate, my
target should be around 123.

I've taken the off the leg weights and I'm trying to walk
faster. Over 5 miles, I'm able to average around 4.25 mph.
But even then the heart rate stays mostly around 117 bpm.

Woody

"JM" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

How old are you?

"woodydelsur" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been walking for almost a year now and have gotten
pretty serious

about

Quoted message said:

it within the last 4 months. The info I have states my
target heart

rate

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

should be about 125 bpm. When I first started walking it
was very easy

to

Quoted message said:

get my heart rate up. Now, I'm walking 5 miles at about
4 mph. Even

at

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

that pace, it's difficult to get my heart rate up past
105 (I found out today that my resting heart rate is now
52!!!!). I've added leg

weights

Quoted message said:

(2

Quoted message said:

lbs per leg) and that has helped a little but I'm still
in the 115-120 range.

Are there any other tricks to help? At 4 mph, it feels
that if I

walked

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

any faster I'd be jogging and I don't want to run.......
Someone else

on

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

this board said they walk about 5 mph. It's difficult
for me to

imagine

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

doing that..... my short legs would be really
flying.....

On the other hand, is this much to do about nothing? Is
the 115 area

"good

Quoted message said:

enough". That puts me at about 65% of max.

Thanks!!

--

Woody

The fitter you get, the harder it is to get your HR up more.
Have you considered a weighted vest? It would spread out the
weight load but still make you work harder.

Do you have some good hills on your route? You might be able
to get your HR up more for at least part of the time. I have
hills of varying difficulty in my neighborhood. Yes, "ups"
come with "downs" somewhere (if you do a closed loop), but
you do get that extra work on the "ups". I also have the
option of taking a bus "down" and walking "up" to get home.

Anyway, 117 isn't that far from 123, and these formulas are
only guides. Note that your target will get lower as you
age! heh heh. bj

"woodydelsur" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm 44. Using the formula 220-44=176 max heart rate, my
target should be

around 123.

Quoted message said:

I've taken the off the leg weights and I'm trying to walk
faster. Over 5

miles, I'm able to average around 4.25 mph. But even then
the heart rate stays mostly around 117 bpm.

Quoted message said:

Woody

The 220 - Age formula tends to underestimate MHR for
those over 40

Try 205 -(0.50 X Age)

205 -(0.50 x 44) = 183 in your case. This formula more
accurately determines my MHR. 205 -(0.50 x 48) = 181, I
feel its 178 in reality just by my experience over the
years running.

Generally you can run/walk at 65% of your MHR, 0.65 x 183 =
119 in your case, and still benefit from the run/walk.

Dont get too caught up in the numbers, learn to listen to
what your body is telling you.

Jim

"woodydelsur" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

JM,

I'm 44. Using the formula 220-44=176 max heart rate, my
target should be around 123.

I've taken the off the leg weights and I'm trying to walk
faster. Over 5 miles, I'm able to average around 4.25 mph.
But even then the heart rate stays mostly around 117 bpm.

Woody

"JM" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

How old are you?

"woodydelsur" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been walking for almost a year now and have
gotten pretty serious

about

Quoted message said:

it within the last 4 months. The info I have states my
target heart

rate

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

should be about 125 bpm. When I first started walking
it was very

easy

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to

Quoted message said:

get my heart rate up. Now, I'm walking 5 miles at
about 4 mph. Even

at

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

that pace, it's difficult to get my heart rate up past
105 (I found

out

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

today that my resting heart rate is now 52!!!!). I've
added leg

weights

Quoted message said:

(2

Quoted message said:

lbs per leg) and that has helped a little but I'm
still in the 115-120 range.

Are there any other tricks to help? At 4 mph, it feels
that if I

walked

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

any faster I'd be jogging and I don't want to
run....... Someone else

on

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

this board said they walk about 5 mph. It's difficult
for me to

imagine

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

doing that..... my short legs would be really
flying.....

On the other hand, is this much to do about nothing?
Is the 115 area

"good

Quoted message said:

enough". That puts me at about 65% of max.

Thanks!!

--

Woody

JM and woody:

Try a backpack. Time to load up a real weight. 40 - 80Lbs
should do it.

"woodydelsur" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

JM,

I'm 44. Using the formula 220-44=176 max heart rate, my
target should be around 123.

I've taken the off the leg weights and I'm trying to walk
faster. Over 5 miles, I'm able to average around 4.25 mph.
But even then the heart rate stays mostly around 117 bpm.

Woody

"JM" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

How old are you?

"woodydelsur" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been walking for almost a year now and have
gotten pretty serious

about

Quoted message said:

it within the last 4 months. The info I have states my
target heart

rate

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

should be about 125 bpm. When I first started walking
it was very

easy

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to

Quoted message said:

get my heart rate up. Now, I'm walking 5 miles at
about 4 mph. Even

at

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

that pace, it's difficult to get my heart rate up past
105 (I found

out

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

today that my resting heart rate is now 52!!!!). I've
added leg

weights

Quoted message said:

(2

Quoted message said:

lbs per leg) and that has helped a little but I'm
still in the 115-120 range.

Are there any other tricks to help? At 4 mph, it feels
that if I

walked

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

any faster I'd be jogging and I don't want to
run....... Someone else

on

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

this board said they walk about 5 mph. It's difficult
for me to

imagine

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

doing that..... my short legs would be really
flying.....

On the other hand, is this much to do about nothing?
Is the 115 area

"good

Quoted message said:

enough". That puts me at about 65% of max.

Thanks!!

--

Woody