I am about a little over a week into my return froma 2 month layoff. I was doing the elipitcal machine yesterday, and about 28 minutes into it I started feeling really dizzy and felt like I might black out. I grabbed the heart rate monitors grips on the handles and my heart rate read 195! Now I know that is extremely high, but is it bad for you. What might have contributed to this. I was a little dehydrated from drinking the night before, but I had a full breakfast (a late one) and my multivitamins. thanks for any answers

Can't really give a good reply without more info: your age, the what was your hr preceding the 195 reading, what type of workout you were doing etc.
But 195 isn't necessarily bad

I am 24 years old, I am 5'6, and I weigh about 160. I usually don't grab the handles so I don't know what my hr was prior to that. I do grab the handles sometimes, but I don't see how it would be possible to be anywhere near the weight loss range and still break a sweat. I can barely keep it low enough to keep it at the top part of the cardio range. Are these ranges accurate??

From my experience they are pretty much useless. If I'm doing HIIT over 6 minutes I'll get the following readings... in this order

95, 120, 150,76,120, 150...

I am 24 years old, I am 5'6, and I weigh about 160. I usually don't grab the handles so I don't know what my hr was prior to that. I do grab the handles sometimes, but I don't see how it would be possible to be anywhere near the weight loss range and still break a sweat. I can barely keep it low enough to keep it at the top part of the cardio range. Are these ranges accurate??


Well your max heart rate is 196 (220 - age (24)). If you where at 195, how LONG where you at 195? That’s ALMOST 100% your max, and from what I know, that’s no good. If you’re looking to burn fat/lose weight, try and keep it with between 65 to 85% your max heart rate. 100% is WAY over doing it. I run 4 times a week, and keep my heart rate between 75 -85%.

You also need to drink like a fish, as a lack of water can really mess with you. I TRY and drink a gallon a day, but it's hard. You said you had a late breakfast; maybe it was a lack of carbs/protein???

Mind you I'm no Doctor, so take what I just said as advice.

I wouldnt judge the intensity and safety of you workouts by your heartrate. There are many other factors apart from exertion that can increase the heart rate (caffiene, stress), hence its not accurate. Not just between person to person but also you might be running the same intensity on different days and have dramatically different HR readings.

Also the HR dectectors on workout machines arent very accurate. Insead of 195bpm you could have been over 200bpm which is very dangerous.

You should judge the workouts by how you feel using the Rating of Percieved Exertion Rating (RPE) scale. If you start feeling dizzy and faint or uncomfortable stop exercise immediately, dont wait until your HR gets to cartain level.

I've got a potentially hazardous heart mumur so I have learnt to tell when my heart is pumping too quickly and slow doen without the use of HR monitors.

Marcus

Call your doctor and dicuss your exercise plan and the symptoms you are expereincing. A few simple - quick - and painless tests at the office can check you out in no time. You can also have a stress test done at a cardiologist that your family doctor can refer you to. The stress test consists of you walking on a treadmill at increasing intensity hooked up to a monitor. The doctor is present the whole time watching your heart. An assistant takes your blood pressure every 2 minutes.

No one on here is a doctor and can diagnose you across the Internet. I'm not saying something is wrong with you but 195 is high for your age and certainly you should not feel like you are blacking out.

If you are starting right in with HIIT and have not gotten into decent shape first you need to stop doing HIIT. I beleive John stated previously that he took 4-5 weeks to get into shape for HIIT.

Overstressing your heart, especially if you have poor cardiovascular fitness, can be dangerous. More so the older you get. That doesn't mean don't workout it just means take your time to build up your conditioning. Everyone wants results quick but Rome wasn't built in a day. You don't get out of shape overnight and you don't get back into shape overnight.

Don't play around with your heart. You only get one. Make the phone call to your doctor and see what he or she says about it. Be smart. :tucool:

Call your doctor and dicuss your exercise plan and the symptoms you are expereincing. A few simple - quick - and painless tests at the office can check you out in no time. You can also have a stress test done at a cardiologist that your family doctor can refer you to. The stress test consists of you walking on a treadmill at increasing intensity hooked up to a monitor. The doctor is present the whole time watching your heart. An assistant takes your blood pressure every 2 minutes.

No one on here is a doctor and can diagnose you across the Internet. I'm not saying something is wrong with you but 195 is high for your age and certainly you should not feel like you are blacking out.

If you are starting right in with HIIT and have not gotten into decent shape first you need to stop doing HIIT. I beleive John stated previously that he took 4-5 weeks to get into shape for HIIT.

Overstressing your heart, especially if you have poor cardiovascular fitness, can be dangerous. More so the older you get. That doesn't mean don't workout it just means take your time to build up your conditioning. Everyone wants results quick but Rome wasn't built in a day. You don't get out of shape overnight and you don't get back into shape overnight.

Don't play around with your heart. You only get one. Make the phone call to your doctor and see what he or she says about it. Be smart. :tucool:

Bump to that, good advice for anybody :tucool:

Marcus

thanks everyone for the good answers

MAX Heart-Rate can vary alot -- Mine should be 220 - 27 but I was able to push myself to 212 wich is quite a difference.

Everyone is different - best way is to go out running for some 45 min at a moderate pace then sprint up a hill and check ur MAX. I could not stand up - but its not something I do all the time...

And if ur elderly or fat or have a medicall thing dont do this at all


/D

something no-one has actually mentioned yet, check the machine! Take your own pulse next time and get a proper figure. Checking pulse is one bodly fuctions we can do just as efficiently as a machine.

If the figures the machine is telling you are correct, then ya i'd look at, going to see your doctor just for a check up and explain. But it's quite possable it's wrong.

I'm 25, 5'10 and i break sweat at around 140, i can't get close to 200 if i try, tho everyone is different.

I've checked my Elipticall Machine VS. My Heart Rate Monitor VS. Taking my own pulse...

The elliptical is very unacurate... About 15-20 bpms too high, and the Polar Heart rate monitor was only 3 bpms off compared to taking pulse by hand.....