Struggling to reach peak heart rate

[sassykins1]

Hi all.

On top of 1 hour daily dog walks, I’ve been doing approx 5 x 1 hour high intensity workout classes (mostly Les Mills) a week for a few years now. I vary the classes and the instructors vary the exercises so it’s never the same thing each time. I got a Versa 2 for Christmas, having never seen my workout data before, and I’ve been really surprised and disappointed.

Even though I push myself really hard throughout my workouts so I’m dripping with sweat and can barely breathe (and genuinely can’t put any more effort in), I might only reach peak for 1 minute per hour and burn 450-500kcals. My average workout heart rate is 135bpm, which makes no sense when I’m going flat out for most of it. All my workout friends who are equally as fit say their Fitbits show they spend 10-25mins in peak and they burn up to 650kcals per session. What am I doing wrong? Why can’t I get in to the peak zone? I’d really appreciate your help.

Thanks,

Sarah

[shipo]

Keep in mind, the 220-Age formula for calculating peak heart rate is bunk and has long been thoroughly discredited.  That Fitbit still uses it is silly.  The fact is, any individual's peak heart rate may "happen" to align with that formula, but most of us do not, some of us don't even come close.  I assume you, like me, are in that latter category.

[Heybales]

Some people have a diesel heart (low rev big power), some have a sport bike heart (high rev low power).

The tired 220-age as shipo said is outdated. You may have a diesel heart, lower HRmax than calculated.

Now, if you are semi in shape and been doing this for a month, and that is your max HR reached, then I'd suggest your HRmax be manually set to the high / 0.9.

So in essence - you are getting in to YOUR peak zone if you can't really talk many words but 1 or 2 at a time between breaths.

Your Fitbit just isn't set correctly to know that.

And your calorie burn per HR won't be valid for that interval type of workout anyway - it'll be inflated.

HR formula for calorie burn is only a decent estimate (and still reasons to be inflated anyway) for steady-state aerobic, same HR without the jumps you are getting.

I hope you aren't doing the workout just for the calorie burn - if you are steady state intense will actually burn more than intervals.