high heart rate readings

leana

my wife(33) has started using my heart rate monitor this week and has just started training for a sprint triathlon. on a fairly easy cycle the other night her heart rate was regularly hitting 197bpm without her going at her maximum effort and she has just come back from a very easy run with 5min run 5 min walk intervals and she was hitting 207bpm on the runs again not at maximum effort.

do these readings seem very high to some of you more experienced peeps out there.

thanks
P

locteau

Well if we assume that a quick approach for a women would be 225(max) - 33 (age) = 198bpm this looks suspicious if she was not at her max.

It does not mean it is impossible, this is a theory figure (use 220 for men) but I would check with another Heart rate. Or make sure there is nothing making interference with it (maybe another HR watches) etc... Or simply run look at your cardio, stop and take the pulsation manually for 15secondes X 4 and compare the results (approximately at +-10)

The brand of the HR can be sometimes a problem if they are not coded, or misread the Belt.

I think if you make those little tests and still have this figures a check up will by a GP, but I am sure you know this already.

What are her pulsation when she resting, or in the morning?
Does she have High Blood pressure?

Hope this help

leana

Her resting hr is approx 60 and she has low blood pressure. She was heavily involved in sports in her teens and even then had a high heart rate. I use the same hr monitor and dont get readings like that.

locteau

Maybe she can reach a higher HR than most athletes which is possible.

It would be interested to do some test to confirm this.

How does she feel physically when she reach 200, headache or pain, tiredness etc... and then the next day or 2 hours later after the session?

SucCes09

Could it be related to the placement of the chest strap - i get similiar readings if my Garmin is 2-3 CM too low.

leana

Hi its the missus here:) I'm an hour finished the run/walk and I feel grand, still a bit flushed and calves are achy but thats it. When I reached 207 earlier I was mid way through my 2nd 5 mins of running so I was panting but not at the point of collapse or anywhere near it, I'm thinking of stopping with the hr monitor and just training without it because if I tried to stay in the zones I'm supposed to I'd never get past walking:rolleyes: I've been exercising on and off for the past 6 months & I am unfit but didn't think I was that unfit.

Edited to add: sucCes09 have just seen your post, it felt like the strap was up good and high but I'll check that the next time just to make sure-thanks

locteau

I just noticed that you are only walk/run and actually starting to train again.

I got a wee bit excited about the triathlon etc....

So it would not be a big issue then. If your cardiovascular system is not fit it is normal for your HR to go high then.

It should stabilized itself with time and especially when you will be able to run a minimum of 12 min.

leana

Thanks Locteau, I think I'll ditch the monitor for a while and try it again in a month then see where I am.

locteau

I think it can scare you out when you start, the most difficult is to build up those 12/15min non stop to win the first big battle of aerobic fitness

Tell us how you get on in a month, or maybe 6/8 weeks which would be the average for people starting.

keep the good work

911sc

It is possible to get miss-reading with HRM if the probe is dry, or at least i do sometimes with my 405HRM. Wet the probe(s) before you out it on, and reading should then be accurate.

**Timbuk2**

You could always take a lab test to see what your max HR is, if it matters.

Any formula used to calculate MHR can be way off, and is far from accurate.

I'm 29 years old, so in theory my MHR should be 191 bpm. However, the highest I've seen it go was 204bpm, and I felt like I was giving it my all then so I assume my max is very near 204bpm.

MHR doesn't vary with fitness, and despite what the formula might suggest it does not decrease by 1bpm every year.

TFBubendorfer

To be honest, by the sounds of it this is more likely a false reading from the HRM than a true HR value.

I get ridiculous high readings at times if the HR strap isn't moistened before I put it on. This usually resolves itself after a mile or two.