Question about heart rate monitor reading while stepping

[LGB]

I've been working my up with Cathe's earliest stepping tapes because I just came from the Firm tapes. So I've been doing the "easier" ones. I also started with no risers, moved up to one riser, and just began using 2.

I'm now trying to use 2 risers, but my heart rate monitor goes off the high mark, so I'm working at the anaerobic (sp?) levels. This isn't a problem because I want to increase my ability to exercise with 2 risers, but I'm also trying to lose fat.

I've read in several places that to lose weight, one should exercise within the heart rate zone that's appropriate for their age. I'm not doing that.

During most of the workout I end up hearing the stupid "beep beep", telling me I'm off the range.

Does anyone know if this is a real problem if I want to lose fat?

Any suggestions? I feel there's nothing I can do if I really want to progress in my stepping. Eventually, my heart rate will become accustomed to the 2 risers and the heart rate will drop to the acceptable range.

What do you think?

Thanks Laura

 

[Gettingfit]

Laura,

Have you posed this question over at Video Fitness? I haven't seen many people talk about HRM's here but I know there are a lot of users over there. You may get more of a response there.

I have to tell you, a friend of mine is supposed to have picked one up yesterday. We're working out together tomorrow. It will be interesting to see how it works because I've never used one & am thinking of asking Santa for one.

Happy Thanksgiving.

I'm ready to take the next step! http://www.smilies-world.de/Smilies/Smilies_klein_1/a_smil09.gif

 

[LGB]

No, I haven't posted this anywhere else.

I love using my heart monitor and have used one for about 10 yrs. now!!!

I have a bad tendency to overdo things, and I'd often overexercise to the point that I get nausea - or worse. I'll leave it at that.

The HM has stopped that because I can see my limits.

The odd thing is, that eventhough my heart rate is over the top limit, I felt great and could have easily pushed even more than I was doing. In an attempt to bring the rate down, I stopped jumping around and raising my arms over my head. But I could have easily kept on going.

Thanks for the help - Laura

 

[Debra]

Hi Laura,

Alternating intensity of cardio workouts works for most exercisers. When you exercise in your target zone, you are using primarily fat for fuel. Long exercise sessions at moderate intensity will also teach your body to continue to metabolize fat at higher intensities. But you burn more calories at a higher intensity in the same amount of time along with challenging your cardiovascular system. As you work at an increasingly higher intensity, you burn more glycogen & less fat. When you're truly anaerobic, it's all glycogen.

Unless you're doing endurance work like running 1+ hour or cycling 90+ minutes, you don't have to worry about using up your glycogen during a workout. So a mix of workouts will probably work well.

I routinely use a hrm for 3 types of workouts: interval training, recovery sessions & endurance work. The hrm lets you check that you get your rate high enough during your intervals & that you recover before doing the next interval. A recovery session is just very low intensity to say hi to your muscles without challenging the heart. A hrm during endurance work lets one make sure they're not working at too high of intensity (& bonking!).

The standard 220 - age formula to determine zones is inaccurate for many people. Females hr's are usually about 5 bmp faster. The Karvonen method takes resting heart rate into consideration & seems to work better for people over 30. Check out fitnesstutor.com's calculator.

Hope this helps.
Debra

 

[naughtoj]

Your "zone" does not matter for a Cathe workout. That is, if you plan to do all of Rythmic Step, you will burn more calories using a 6" step rather than a 4" step.

Where it DOES matter however is in the area of fatigue. If I work out in what I like to call the "beep" zone too much, I will feel the impact on my joints. For me, lowering my step to 4" on some days really help me to not feel so battered and still keeps my HR up in the acceptable "zone". I have a HR monitor obviously and have been experimenting with how LOW intensity I can make Cathe without taking my HR too low. I have been adding a second cardio workout most days. Some days it is walking, some running. I have to pay close attention to the imapact quotient and intensity level of all my exercise pursuits if I plan to keep up this frequency. If I tried to do all my Cathe workouts on a 6" step (I am 5'1) and STILL run 3-4 times per week I would be in shin splint HELL!!

But for you, if you do not experience any negetive side effects such as joint aches, extreme fatigue, shin splints, etc, then I would say absolutely you should use your 8" step. HOWEVER, as soon as you feel any twinge of overuse or discomfort, say, aching in the knees, lower that step. I have been very pleased to discover that I am always in my "zone" when doing Cathe's even with a 4" step.

More intensity is not always better, but if you can, it is the way to go for total calorie burn and maximum fat loss. As Debra mentioned, it is invaluable to use your HR monitor for different workouts. I have Saturday workouts that tend to be of a longer duration and less intensity than my Cathe cardios. If I were to try to keep the intensity up and the duration up I would be SOL!!! Recovery sessions are good so make sure you pay attention to what your body is telling you!!

I am like you. I work out too hard most of the time, however, I seem to pay the bodily price more than you. Nice to know that you don't have to work as hard as you thought, eh???

Keep it up!!

Janice

 

[Lfam]

I'm a certified Heart Zones Blue Jersey cycle instructor and the responses here are excellent. For more information on heart rate training and using your heart rate monitor effectively, check out this website: http://www.heartzone.com/index.shtml

Heart Zones using this formula for figuring your maximum heart rate:

210 minus half of your age minus 5% of your body weight (for men add 4)

Linda