Heart rate question

[jps]

I know the formulas for target heart range given your age and resting heart rate, etc, etc, etc.

What I want to know is how dangerous is it to go above assuming you are physically fit?

I ask this because I wasn't really paying attention the other day while on the elliptical. My heart rate is typically between 150-160 while I run 3 to 5 miles in 26-45 minutes (I'm 41). I know I'm basically somewhere between 80-90% max with that rate and I do fine with it. I sweat and breath hard, but it's not undoable by any stretch. I feel just fine when I do it and afterwards.

However, this weekend, I pushed myself a little bit harder and wasn't paying too much attention to my meter initially. I set the elliptical on it's highest level and away I went. I only made it two miles, it took 17 minutes. My legs were like rubber when I finished. About 3 minutes in, I saw my heart rate at 187, which surpasses the 100% max for my age. Though my legs were burning, I really did feel fine - sweating hard, breathing somewhat rapidly, but it didn't feel like I was overdoing it either. So I kept an eye on the monitor the rest of the time and it was anywhere between 184-195 until I finished.

Is this damaging? Is it good?

[MCS]

Not a cardio guy, but from what I have read, the danger comes when your Blood Pressure rises beyond 50 pts from resting. They say it creates a state of oxidative stress. Plaque forming stress. Maybe stop and check your BP when your heart is elevated like that. I am envying you right now, man I would like to push to 185, feel good?

Also read, you may want to look into this, that you can take Vitamin C, E, to combat the effects of this oxidative stress. I just went to the store today to get my supply of Vitamin E.

[Gordonm]

It is not going to hurt you but you are out of your cardio bulding range. I'm no expert on this but above your range is not doing you any good cardio wise. I will do it for short bursts but I try to maintain 145 to 155 while riding for extended times. I have on occasion hit 175 and I feel fine. I'm 46 and ride quite a bit.

[Scratch]

The formulas that use age to estimate max heartrate are simply estimates, a person can have a max heart rate that is higher or lower than what is estimated by the formula. The only real way to find out max heart rate is to have it either tested for in a laboratory or by doing a very strenuous set of repeated intervals with the final interval that goes to that extremely uncomfortable situation of maxing out or very nearly maxing out the heart rate. It helps to have a good heart rate monitor to catch that.

[jps]

Thanks guys. I already take a ton of Vit's C and E MCE. It did feel good to hit that number and keep it there for awhile - after I finished.

I didn't worry because I didn't get lightheaded, wasn't nauseous, etc. My legs were burning hard, but it felt as if that were the limiting factor so I wasn't too worried - in other words, my legs were going to give out before anything else.

I don't want to overdo it, but it didn't feel like I was.

I plan on getting back to just the 150-160 range. On that particular day, I just felt stronger, more amped and ready to go so I went for it. It's not going to be something regular. But some days it seems you have more to give.

[fgummett]

I'd suggest it is a question best answered between yourself and your Doctor. My understanding is that in health, the heart like the other muscles, responds favourably to an intermittent challenge by becoming stronger. I guess the risk is if there is some other weakness in the pump or the plumbing that may not be up to the additional stress.

[Caravaggio]

I do not think it is a good idea to exercise at more than 75% of your MHR every work-out session and for a prolonged period for the following reasons:

a. too much exercise
b. too much stress on your body
c. injuries
d. fatigue
e. compromise of immune system
f. burn-out
g. burning just sugar, not fat.

Some coaches and health-care professionals believe that exercising at such a high level (ie, more than 75% of MHR) leads to sugar-burning rather than fat-burning, and may not actually be the best idea for weight loss.

For me, I normally do not run beyond 75% of my calculated max. heart rate. Once in a while, I run all-out, but only at very short sprints, with long rests in between each sprint and no more than 20 min. total (for the sprints and rest), and only after a long warm-up and followed by a long cool-down.