I feel like a beginner again.....

[Red Rock]

Well, I have been participating in the monthly goals of doing exercise by day. Since my exercise has not been consistent or a whole lot, my brother who is an physical trainer has been helping me out. I have been staying in my heart rate zones and doing between an hour and an hour and a half. For February, I have been concentrating on the base. So far this month, I've been fairly good.

My point is this: It was a nice sunny day outside today, so I thought I would go for a walk outside and not be on the treadmill for a change. My walking route went uphill and flattens out for a while and then goes back up. When I was walking uphill, I intentionally went slower to lower my heart rate. Coming home was a more gradual downhill, so no taxing of the heart. My only other problem is that I like to walk fast...like 3.5 mph. So how long does it take to go from a base heart rate to a more "normal" rate? summer is coming and I want to be able to enjoy the outdoors with hikes and all that fun stuff.

Thanks for your experiences and input.

Red Rock

[Irulan]

Do you have cardiac trouble or are you a super out of shape person so that heart rate while walking is a big deal? I walk all the time for exercise and I never think about heart rate. I walk pretty briskly, faster than some, but I can tell you it's never fast enough to put me into a fitness zone ( as in moderately high effort; breathing hard, aerobic zone 2-3 type stuff). I ride my trainer with my HRM, but don't ever bother when walking So my input is, if you really want to get your heart rate up maybe ramp up your cardio, or not worry about it while walking.

[Red Rock]

Irulan, no known heart issues. It seemed weird that I would jump up that far in heart rate on a walk. Like 70-80 percent of my resting rate. I don't think I'm in that bad of shape. Maybe I am without knowing it? I have not done a whole lot of serious exercise for a while and that is why I am starting by walking. Someday I hope to be back on the bike without issues.

[indysteel]

Red Rock, whatever came from your endocrinologist appointment? If I recall, you were experiencing--at least at one time--a hyper phase from Hashi's. If that's the case and you haven't otherwise gotten it under control, then that would might explain why your HR is running high. It might also explain muscle weakness, fatigue and/or generally feeling like you're not in very good shape.

[Red Rock]

Well, we have met. I've done more blood work, and the uptake scan, which i looked at while there with the tech. Something is definately going on. I will get results and plan soon. At least I will hopefully, know what the cause is and what is going on. My only other problem is no health insurance. My life would be much easier if I had that and a job.

[OakLeaf]

I don't usually monitor my HR on a walk, but on the occasions I have, it's not at all unusual for me to run in the 90s on a brisk walk, which would be 180% of my resting. Now, that is still in zone 1 for me and wouldn't send me into oxygen debt, and it would return to base (not to resting) pretty quickly. Is that considered abnormal?

[smilingcat]

When I was in super condition, just getting ready for a workout would cause my HR to jump up in anticipation of the workout. Even walking my bike out the door and my HR would be >180% of my resting.

The telling sign for over training and lack of base conditioning is the time it takes your HR to return to resting rate after you stop working out. If you over train, it takes longer to return. If you don't have the base, it takes longer to return.

[Red Rock]

Smilingcat and others:

Thank you for your responses. I will check the length of time for the HR to come down next time I'm out.