weird heartrate thing i noticed

[dreww]

II've done cardio pretty much the same way for years. Mid intensity and rate about 130 to 150bpm. I still do it that way and feel the same out of breathless I always have....but now its very hard to get my HR above 120. It sits about 110 to 120 and never breaks 130. Anyone know why?

My theories are that the heart is suddenly more efficient, pushing more blood with each pump. Good right? Well if that's the case, the added efficiency probably has come from heart enlargening. Probably not so good.

What do you guys think? Im a little stumped.

 

[nuknuk]

are you taking an anit-estrogen?

 

[Metal85]

When you do the same thing with cardio stuff, your body as a whole becomes more effecient at it, and makes u work less over time to do the same thing. I read an article on this a few years back about walking and jogging. It basically said if u walk often, u need to throw in bursts of brisk/speed walking and if you jog to throw in sprints, or else over time your not doing very much. The best thing I can think to do, (assuming you dont already do this) is mix up what you are doing. If you are only doing the treadmill throw the stepper and bike in here and there and constantly swap them around. Keeping a low heart rate shouldnt be a bad thing, I would be more concerned if you did a good amount of cardio and your rate hasnt gone down over time, thats the point of doing Cardio,heart health.

 

[dreww]

are you taking an anit-estrogen?

no I am not. Is this an effect they can have?

and metal, I do switch up cardio between bike, incline treadmill, elliptical and stairs.

 

[mickdoo]

I talked to a Doctor about something like this, she told me, "when the heart needs to pump, it will pump as fast as it needs to."

 

[Boomer]

when your at that 120 are you out of breath or is it easy ?

 

[saudades]

^ ^ ^ That would be my question also.

 

[dreww]

Yes...at 120 I would say I 'feel' the same as I did at 140....winded and exhausted.

 

[Boomer]

i dont mean to be rude but id say your out of shape.

Have you put on much size recently since you were running at a higher HR? Putting on weight weather it be fat or muscle means your body will require more oxygen, so at a lower HR you will feel winded.

As you get fitter you heart grows, your blood volume increases and you can push more blood around our body easier, this oxygenates your body alot better, meaning at 120BPM you shouldnt feel winded at all... the fitter you get the higher your HRM (heart rate Max) will be. meaning not only can your heart pump more blood per pump it can also pump alot faster for alot longer.

if you want to get fitter, then just keep up with the cardio, maybe even through in some high intensity interval training to get more out of your workouts... you will notice a difference in as little as 4 weeks, also as you drop some weight you will get fitter aswell