Can't keep my heart rate up, or I get winded fast.

[amdhunter]

I'm still going at it at the gym, mostly on the treadmill, but doing some light weights to balance myself out.

I've slowed down the weight loss (at 215lbs right now) but it may be because I've increased the amount I eat a bit. I'm not sure if that is the cause, so I am cutting food intake back a little.

Lately I can't get my heart rate high, even though I am running faster, and for much longer lengths of time.

I've been trying to target a heart rate of 160-175, but when I push myself to raise it that high, I get tired fast. WTF? I was previously able to hold those heart rates for much longer, so I don't get what is wrong.

I'm still having a lot of trouble running in the park - I'll get winded within 5 minutes or so, and I no longer have anyone to really help me. It sucks big time, I was hoping to be able to do at least a mile non-stop on the street vs. a treadmill.

Am I just tired? I am still as excited as I was when I first started, but I am getting bummed out. How can I recover my previous endurance at higher heart rate?

 

[HendrixFan]

Running outside is much more difficult than a treadmill. The best way to build endurance running outside is by running in intervals, as fast as you can for as long as you can. Walk for 2 to 3 minutes as your heart rate and breathing catch up, the run again. You should find that you are able to job longer distances this way.

As far as getting tired, how is your food intake? As your workouts intensify the food you eat should do more to provide energy to burn. Over the years as I have added to my exercise regimen I have had to adjust my diet accordingly to make sure I have enough energy to make it through the workouts. While my weight has remained constant my food intake has increased in quantity and I have to be much more selective on what goes on the plate.

 

[neocpp]

Actually, for me anyways, I tend to have lower HR as I get in shape (but I think this is fairly common). I have to run faster in order to maintain previous HR levels, and I do tend to get tired more quickly if the HR goal is high enough. I don't really worry about it too much though, and just go by "feel".

If you've been going hard for a while, you should take some recovery days. It becomes a lot more difficult for me to get a decent workout in if I run hard for more than a few days in a row.

EDIT: I'm not so sure about the intervals. While they will help a lot to gain speed, doing high intensity stuff without knowing basic form is a recipe for injury. You can try it if you want, just be careful. Personally I'm not comfortable doing it even if I've only been out of practice for a few months. I need to get back into running first before I fire off the intervals, although that usually only takes a couple of weeks since I've been running for years now.

 

[Ghiedo27]

Has it just seemed harder since you started running outside or is it harder to maintain the same HR while doing the same exercises as before? You may not be eating enough or recovering enough between workouts.

I would consider taking it easy for 3 or 4 days and check your waking heart rate before you get out of bed. You should see it drop from day to day if you have over-worked yourself. If that's the case, I'd continue resting with light exercise until your waking HR plateaus.

I'd track calories and check that against your BMR to make sure you're getting close enough to it so you don't go into starvation mode, too. But really, that sounds like classic overreaching to me. Higher perceived exertion to reach same HR? Get some more rest.

 

[KMc]

This is EXACTLY what happens to me in early spring when I'm riding the indoor trainer 4 days per week. Usually after a couple of hard weeks, I hit a period where my HR just won't elevate. Consequently, I get fatigued very rapidly.

The immediate solution is to take some days off and recover. The longer term solution is to make sure you are working scheduled rest days and easier recovery workouts into your normal routing.

Regularly tracking your waking heart rate as suggested above is a simple and effective way to see if you are overtraining.

 

[amdhunter]

Has it just seemed harder since you started running outside or is it harder to maintain the same HR while doing the same exercises as before? You may not be eating enough or recovering enough between workouts.

I am working out faster than ever and holding it longer, but even so, I don't feel I can keep up like I was doing previously. I have to really concentrate on going or I am worn out fast.

Maybe I am really am tired. I recently stepped up to 3 days of gym, and one day of running outside. Maybe the extra gym day is what is killing me.

 

[amdhunter]

This is EXACTLY what happens to me in early spring when I'm riding the indoor trainer 4 days per week. Usually after a couple of hard weeks, I hit a period where my HR just won't elevate. Consequently, I get fatigued very rapidly.

The immediate solution is to take some days off and recover. The longer term solution is to make sure you are working scheduled rest days and easier recovery workouts into your normal routing.

Regularly tracking your waking heart rate as suggested above is a simple and effective way to see if you are overtraining.

I'll have to try this in the morning. Maybe I'll take today and tomorrow off, so I have 4 days to relax before hitting the gym Monday. (I usually do Mon, Wed, Fri at the gym, and Sat in a nearby park.)

 

[amdhunter]

EDIT: I'm not so sure about the intervals. While they will help a lot to gain speed, doing high intensity stuff without knowing basic form is a recipe for injury. You can try it if you want, just be careful. Personally I'm not comfortable doing it even if I've only been out of practice for a few months. I need to get back into running first before I fire off the intervals, although that usually only takes a couple of weeks since I've been running for years now.

I'm actually very terrified of injuring myself. I've had a couple of scares, and the balls of my feet (by the front toes) are starting to sting a little bit. Usually it clears up fast, but I am definitely noticing it. All I can do is Google or ask here for help, because an injury would devastate me not only physically, but emotionally as well.

I'm going to try slowing myself down, but add a huge incline to see what happens. I notice if I add even a little incline, my heart rate increases and I get winded, but I might find a balance between speed and incline that works for me.

 

[QueBert]

if you set the treadmill at 1.5-2 incline it will mimic running outside.

 

[Miramonti]

Doesn't anyone else think 160-175 is high?? I've been doing p90x and one workout (plyo) briefly takes my hr to 170...it's very brutal...and I can only maintain that for 10 seconds, maybe a little more, maybe less.

160 is very high for an average person to sustain, muchless at your size/weight. 160-162 is my average heart rate doing Insanity pure cardio, and that's a b@stard. I'm much lighter, fairly healthy with low body fat, and 160 is a tough workout. 170 is annihilation for any sustained length of time. I have not even seen 175 nor do I want to, lol.

 

[neocpp]

if you set the treadmill at 1.5-2 incline it will mimic running outside.

For me it's typically the "squishiness" of the treadmill that feels the most different from running outside. That and the lack of quick pacing variation...

I'm actually very terrified of injuring myself. I've had a couple of scares, and the balls of my feet (by the front toes) are starting to sting a little bit. Usually it clears up fast, but I am definitely noticing it. All I can do is Google or ask here for help, because an injury would devastate me not only physically, but emotionally as well.

I'm going to try slowing myself down, but add a huge incline to see what happens. I notice if I add even a little incline, my heart rate increases and I get winded, but I might find a balance between speed and incline that works for me.

Yea, there's no need to hammer it every day. If they're just blisters it's fine and will clear up relatively quickly, otherwise you are probably running on your toes too much. Don't heelstrike, but try to land slightly further back. Incline might help, but same advice applies as before -- be careful. I destroyed my achilles tendon from running too much and too fast up hills.

 

[neocpp]

Doesn't anyone else think 160-175 is high?? I've been doing p90x and one workout (plyo) briefly takes my hr to 170...it's brutal...and I can only maintain that for 10 seconds, maybe a little more.

160 is very high for an average person to sustain, muchless at your size/weight. 160-162 is my average heart rate doing Insanity pure cardio, and that's a b@stard. I'm much lighter, fairly healthy with low body fat, and 160 is a tough workout. 170 is annihilation for any sustained length of time.

I don't think that is particularly high, but my own reference is pretty skewed since my HR is high. Sustaining a 7:30 minute mile typically puts my HR into the 180s, but I don't feel too strained (I can hold that pace for over 5 hours). Hitting 5:30s puts me at around 220, and 5:00s are 230+. Running 800 in 2:05 or so probably puts me at ~240 peak, but I obviously can't hold that for very long.

During tempo runs I typically get up to ~210 because I like to a bit under 6:00 depending on the distance. I have some friends from college (also runners) who would max out at 185-195 though, so maybe 160-175 is high for a normal person.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Doesn't anyone else think 160-175 is high?? I've been doing p90x and one workout (plyo) briefly takes my hr to 170...it's very brutal...and I can only maintain that for 10 seconds, maybe a little more, maybe less.

160 is very high for an average person to sustain, muchless at your size/weight. 160-162 is my average heart rate doing Insanity pure cardio, and that's a b@stard. I'm much lighter, fairly healthy with low body fat, and 160 is a tough workout. 170 is annihilation for any sustained length of time. I have not even seen 175 nor do I want to, lol.

There is a fair amount of variation in max heart rate abilities. Some people can reach 220bpm, some can only reach 220-(2 x their age). 160-175 is fairly typical in an individual going from a relatively untrained state to a trained state. I can sustain 165bpm for a prolonged period of time without problems, especially during intense circuit training. My max heart rate is actually less than estimated (estimated to be about 195, max typically ~188). So keep in mind there's a fair amount of variation.

And has already been mentioned earlier, bpm at a given workload does decrease with training. However, it can also be elevated in a state of overtraining as well (especially resting HR). I don't imagine it's overtraining though, as that takes a fair amount of time and intensity to develop. Honestly, I'd question what device he's using to track his heart rate (if he's not taking his pulse). I know there are some HR monitors (especially those built into the exercise machines) that are terribly inaccurate and an unreliable. That means they don't give you the actual value and they, in fact, can give you inconsistent, varying values even if your HR isn't changing.

 

[exdeath]

Only way to gradually not be winded is to force yourself to be winded all the time and increase cardiovascular capacity. If you never operate at the limit, the limit will never increase.

Make sure to eat like 30-60 minutes beforehand. A banana will help with muscle fatigue and a shot of carbs.

 

[Miramonti]

There is a fair amount of variation in max heart rate abilities. Some people can reach 220bpm, some can only reach 220-(2 x their age). 160-175 is fairly typical in an individual going from a relatively untrained state to a trained state. I can sustain 165bpm for a prolonged period of time without problems, especially during intense circuit training. My max heart rate is actually less than estimated (estimated to be about 195, max typically ~188). So keep in mind there's a fair amount of variation.

And has already been mentioned earlier, bpm at a given workload does decrease with training. However, it can also be elevated in a state of overtraining as well (especially resting HR). I don't imagine it's overtraining though, as that takes a fair amount of time and intensity to develop. Honestly, I'd question what device he's using to track his heart rate (if he's not taking his pulse). I know there are some HR monitors (especially those built into the exercise machines) that are terribly inaccurate and an unreliable. That means they don't give you the actual value and they, in fact, can give you inconsistent, varying values even if your HR isn't changing.

I'm surprised at that kind of variation and numbers that high, but perhaps I shouldn't be surprised everyone isn't like me. I can't imagine a workout with my heart rate 180 or more. Ironically that's not to say I don't have aerobic endurance, which in general is my strong point.

 

[amdhunter]

There is a fair amount of variation in max heart rate abilities. Some people can reach 220bpm, some can only reach 220-(2 x their age). 160-175 is fairly typical in an individual going from a relatively untrained state to a trained state. I can sustain 165bpm for a prolonged period of time without problems, especially during intense circuit training. My max heart rate is actually less than estimated (estimated to be about 195, max typically ~188). So keep in mind there's a fair amount of variation.

And has already been mentioned earlier, bpm at a given workload does decrease with training. However, it can also be elevated in a state of overtraining as well (especially resting HR). I don't imagine it's overtraining though, as that takes a fair amount of time and intensity to develop. Honestly, I'd question what device he's using to track his heart rate (if he's not taking his pulse). I know there are some HR monitors (especially those built into the exercise machines) that are terribly inaccurate and an unreliable. That means they don't give you the actual value and they, in fact, can give you inconsistent, varying values even if your HR isn't changing.

I'm using the hand sensors on the treadmill itself, and a cheap eBay heart rate monitor when I am outside. I definitely sweat a lot more then either sensor hits the 170 mark.

I am trying to keep at 160-170 because I tried an online heartrate calculator, and it said that was my ideal area to gain endurance and stamina, which I what I really want to build now.

 

[amdhunter]

Only way to gradually not be winded is to force yourself to be winded all the time and increase cardiovascular capacity. If you never operate at the limit, the limit will never increase.

Make sure to eat like 30-60 minutes beforehand. A banana will help with muscle fatigue and a shot of carbs.

Hmm, I've been making it a point to eat nothing 3-4 hours before going to the gym. Is this not a good idea?

 

[Miramonti]

Hmm, I've been making it a point to eat nothing 3-4 hours before going to the gym. Is this not a good idea?

I've heard not eating 1 hour beforehand, which Tony Horton repeats in p90x routines, but never heard avoiding food 3-4 hours before working out. I would be worried about losing energy early while working out under those circumstances.

 

[Ghiedo27]

Eating 3-4 hours before hand isn't a bad rule if you're talking about a full meal. But even then, having a small, easy to digest snack before a workout can make a huge difference if you're having issues with low energy.

Regarding HR, just keep in mind how individual the measurement is. You'll need to experiment a bit and figure out what HR you can sustain and at what point you really get winded and physically have to stop. Dial it back from there. Try staying about 5-10 or so bpm lower than what your tipping point is.

 

[QueBert]

don't eat 2.5 hours before, if you eat an hour before make it a snack that's lower on fat and higher on carbs. About 20 minutes before I work out I take my pre work out supplement. That gives me much more and much cleaner energy than any food I'd eat an hour or 2 prior.

Also the cheap HRM's from my experinece can be widely inaccurate. Maybe there's a cheap brand that's better than the others, but I never get great results with the few I tried. My gym has Lifefitness equipment so I bought a Polar HRM and it communicates with the treadmills. I like the constant HRM reading without having to grab the sensors, which I find difficult when I'm moving at a good stride.

 

[thomsbrain]

Doesn't anyone else think 160-175 is high?? I've been doing p90x and one workout (plyo) briefly takes my hr to 170...it's very brutal...and I can only maintain that for 10 seconds, maybe a little more, maybe less.

160 is very high for an average person to sustain, muchless at your size/weight. 160-162 is my average heart rate doing Insanity pure cardio, and that's a b@stard. I'm much lighter, fairly healthy with low body fat, and 160 is a tough workout. 170 is annihilation for any sustained length of time. I have not even seen 175 nor do I want to, lol.

This was my thought, too. ~145 is a sustainable HR for me. 160+ represents a big push, like the hard interval in interval training. I can do ~145 for hours at a time without stopping when doing long-distance bicycling, but over 160 is maybe one to two minutes max.

 

[amdhunter]

I went to the gym yesterday, after a week off. I just tried to run on the treadmill at a decent pace, not to tire myself off (which is 4.7MPH) and I held it for 2.5 miles. That is actually incredible to me. I didn't think I'd go more than half a mile or so...lol

My heart rate sustained about 145-155bpm, but I really want to up it a bit. I've found adding some incline really gets it up there.

So now my plan is to run as far as I can at a steady pace to warm up, then when I can no longer maintain that speed, I'll slow down and add an incline and when I feel up to it again, I'll run some more.

I did that yesterday and felt like I was going to have a heart attack (almost did too, saw my heart rate jump to 188 at one point, and my chest tightened...lol) Backed off quickly, and my entire body felt worked out, not just my legs.

I'm going to start to look into weights soon, I tried it for a little bit, but don't want to hurt myself - anyone know a good workout regimen for a weak guy trying to build tone, not muscle?

I'm actually down 53lbs now, and I think I'm eating more than ever and am still managing to lose weight. I noticed I actually get hungry now, but I still take reasonable amounts of food.

Thanks for any advice you can give.