Heart rate gets too high

[vla]

Hi Cathe,
First of all just want to say thanks for your hard work you do to get the best videos ever for fitness. I just gave my daughter one of your videos for Christmas.

My question is to do with the heart rate I see displayed on my monitor when I work out. I am 56 and my heart rate jumps up to 160 and beyond in the workout (High Step Circuit) even though I modify it to beginner or what I believe to be beginner.I try to complete the entire workout 3 X's a week, but I end up not achieving that goal because of the concern of the heart rate. I don't have any health problems except for hypothyroidism and am medicated for that. Could you please suggest a vertically impaired workout for me using this video. I like that it touches on all muscle groups and cardio, too.

Thanks, Vela LaCasse

 

[RapidBreath]

Not Cathe

Hi, I'm not Cathe, but I thought I would chime in, I hope you don't mind.

Do you experience that elevated heart rate with other forms of exercise? Is it just the plyos? (are there any?) If you need to work up to HSCkt, its perfectly acceptable to do the beginner's rotation, I did. Its ok to do as many reps as you can and then walk in place until your heart rate comes down.

I often see a heart rate in the 160s during my jogging but I am only 32 years old and I understand that a person is supposed to have a slower heart rate as they age.

I hope some of that helps,

Alisha

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Vela!

Some things to keep in mind are that thyroid meds can sometimes increase the heart rate, if you're a coffee drinker caffeine increases the heart rate, and heart rate monitors can be off by about 5% too.

Keeping all this info in mind, you also need to use perceived extertion when you are exercising. How are you feeling? Too winded? Over challenged? Under challenged? It is very normal for the heart rate to spike to higher levels at various points in the workout (ie: more intense segments of the workout) and at these times you should be breathing a little heavier too.

When using perceived exertion, you should be able to do the workout comfortably without gasping for air (unless there is a section of the workout that is purposely performing intervals or higher intensity drills). You should be able to speak in 2 to 5 word sentences with a SLIGHT breath behind your words if you were asked to do so. If this is where you are, you are working out in a safe range. But if you feel this way yet your HR monitor displays a very high number, it could be do to the reasons I mentioned above or perhaps for other reasons that you should discuss with your doctor.

As far as High Step Circuit goes, you can cut back on any portions where you feel really winded and join back in when you feel more recovered. I would continue to do this throughout the duration of your workout. Listen to your body and work comfortably hard but not too labored to where you feel defeated. In other words you should be comfortably challenged. However, if you do not feel challenged (or barely challenged )yet your HR monitor displays a high number.... again, I suggest you talk with your doctor as to why.

Good Luck with everything and keep me posted.

Hi Cathe,
First of all just want to say thanks for your hard work you do to get the best videos ever for fitness. I just gave my daughter one of your videos for Christmas.

My question is to do with the heart rate I see displayed on my monitor when I work out. I am 56 and my heart rate jumps up to 160 and beyond in the workout (High Step Circuit) even though I modify it to beginner or what I believe to be beginner.I try to complete the entire workout 3 X's a week, but I end up not achieving that goal because of the concern of the heart rate. I don't have any health problems except for hypothyroidism and am medicated for that. Could you please suggest a vertically impaired workout for me using this video. I like that it touches on all muscle groups and cardio, too.

Thanks, Vela LaCasse