# How to Lower My Heart Rate



## PeterPoggi (Nov 5, 2018)

Hi everyone, hoping I can get some some good advice here on passing a 10.1 METS treadmill stress test.   

I'm 64, overweight, and using the term "Sedentary" to describe my activity level over the last 25 years working from home would be _generou_s. I am trying to change all that, however, and so looking for the most effective and sane way to last the full 9 minutes before achieving my target HR of 140.  My BP remains good 118/86 throughout the test. 

The treadmill test protocol is: 

*MPH**% Grade**Minutes**METS*1.710%34.62.512%373.414%310.1

Here are my last two results:  I've_ improved_ over 30 days, but not yet there...

*Date**Resting HR**Maxed at 140 after**Recovered to % of Max HR*Oct 2nd 2018956:15104%Nov 5th 2018857:2494%
 



In the one month between tests, I've varied my alternating day workout.  Sometimes I'll do 20 minutes at 15% but a pace of only 2mph.  Sometimes I'll do less time but at a higher speed.  What would some of you suggest as the best workout to keep that HR down longer?   Thanks in advance!


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## Keesha (Nov 5, 2018)

Ok I’m into health and fitness but this is too technical for me to follow or care to. 
The only thing I vaguely measure are my distances . I walk very briskly. If I want to increase my walk I’ll do a half trot/ half walk type of thing. I measure my heart rate occasionally at the drug store but usually only at the medical office so it’s rarely.

Now realistically I think the chances of you keeping this plan up are slim to none. 
Your track record is Zero exercise in the last 25 years and you are currently 64. 

What I’d suggest is finding some nice places around your area that are fun and easy to walk in. Commit to doing it each day at the same time until you’ve established a habit. You need to get the fun and habit included in your exercise solution. Well! You don’t have to BUT it’s been proven that you are more likely to do something that’s fun and turn it into a habit, than one that’s not.

Once youve established a habit then kick it up a knotch by increasing the distance. You might even want  to drive to your preferred walking area. 

You have definitely improved in a month and you might be able to keep it up so I hope I’m not discouraging you. 
I’m just being ultra realistic but you could certainly prove me wrong and I hope you do.


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## PeterPoggi (Nov 5, 2018)

Thanks, appreciate your comments, but I am looking for something a bit more specific and using a treadmill.  Don't worry about my chances of continuing. Just like with investments, don't use past performance to predict future results.  I've "signed up" and made the commitment for personal reasons to work out consistently using a heart monitor, indoors, on alternating days. 

I'm hoping that there's someone here who can recommend a specific regimen.


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## Keesha (Nov 5, 2018)

Yes, you’re right. I didn’t realize you signed up for a gym. I thought you had started on a treadmill at home so I assumed all wrong. I’ve never checked my grade level so have no idea but I shouldn’t have been so discouraging. 
Let me start over. 

Im sorry I can’t help you Pete because  I don’t know enough about it to answer you but good for you in joining a gym and diving right in to something so advanced. It should make an incredible difference to your overall health. 

I wish you the best


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## Camper6 (Nov 5, 2018)

Number one piece of advice I can give you is to lose weight. You say you are overweight.  That puts an extra load on your heart.

But that's no easy task as anyone who is overweight will tell you.


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## Butterfly (Nov 6, 2018)

I have a treadmill at home and RELIGIOUSLY go on it 30 minutes every day (plus a 5 minute cool down at a quite slow pace).  I think it will take a while for you to see dramatic results, but keep after it.  The fact that you've seen some results after only 30 days is very encouraging, I think -- as they say, it's a marathon, not a sprint -- and you can't expect 30 days to undo 25 years of inactivity.

The weight advice from Camper is right on -- every extra pound makes your heart and lungs work harder.


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## Keesha (Nov 6, 2018)

I guess I just assumed that he understood  that losing weight would make things easier but now I don’t feel so bad that I couldn’t answer the question either. Lol


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## woody (Nov 6, 2018)

Peter,

Congratulations on your goal!  It is a good one.  I also took up walking for health reasons.  One thing that helped me with goal/program was to find a 5K (to walk it) and then a training program for it.  Google is surely your friend here.  One program that I like and have suggested to others can be found at: https://www.halhigdon.com/training-programs/5k-training/walkers-5k/

Also, if you are looking for more technical, formula 'stuff', years ago I took an online fitness walking course and made a few blogposts about.  I took it down awhile back because some of the links are no long there, but in case you are interested, I reactivated it (for a month or so...):  http://walkingtoretirement.blogspot.com/p/online-fitness-walking-course.html

Good luck!


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## PeterPoggi (Nov 6, 2018)

woody said:


> Peter,
> 
> Also, if you are looking for more technical, formula 'stuff',


Thanks Woody, YES!  That's what I'm looking for 
I read the articles - it's actually the "Long Term Muscular Endurance" goal that I'm striving for.  The article gives an example protocol for Power Endurance, but unfortunately I couldn't find one for Long Term Muscular.


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## Keesha (Nov 6, 2018)

woody said:


> Peter,
> 
> Congratulations on your goal!  It is a good one.  I also took up walking for health reasons.  One thing that helped me with goal/program was to find a 5K (to walk it) and then a training program for it.  Google is surely your friend here.  One program that I like and have suggested to others can be found at: https://www.halhigdon.com/training-programs/5k-training/walkers-5k/
> 
> ...





PeterPoggi said:


> Thanks Woody, YES!  That's what I'm looking for
> I read the articles - it's actually the "Long Term Muscular Endurance" goal that I'm striving for.  The article gives an example protocol for Power Endurance, but unfortunately I couldn't find one for Long Term Muscular.




Someone DID know! Very good :clap:That’s great Pete. I’m glad you got the information you were seeking. Good stuff. 
I hope you keep it up and let us know how you are doing.


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 6, 2018)

Pete, I'm not an expert on exercise or heart rate, but I do take walks outdoors every day and use the treadmill at the gym now and then.  I can only recommend that you strengthen your heart by doing the treadmill daily if possible, start with 2.5 miles an hour since you know you can already do 2, and stay with it for 30 minutes...use the first and last 5 minutes to warm up and cool down, maybe at 1.5mph.  Remember to always stretch your legs before and after a workout.

Twice a week, increase your speed and length of the workout, to increase your endurance and strengthen your heart.  Remember to breathe while you exercise.  I'm 65 and overweight, but not obese, and I've been doing a half hour at 3.3 mph on the treadmill, along with some time on the exercise bike and elliptical.

  Any of these aerobic exercises will help you reach your heart rate goal....just don't overdo, and listen to your body.  But, challenge yourself too, you'll be surprised how easy it becomes, how much better you feel mentally and physically and how quickly the pounds will slowly disappear. 

Kudos for making this very important change for your health, you won't regret it.  Good luck! :sunglass:


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 6, 2018)

You might do something like this also,  just when you're around the house and in the mood to get your heart pumping.


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## Camper6 (Nov 6, 2018)

Take up golf.  18 holes plus walking between holes is about 6 or 7 miles and it's fun.


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## retiredtraveler (Nov 10, 2018)

First, you do realize (?) that a lower, resting heart rate is not very indicative of anything. It is the recovery time that is a large determinate of cardiovascular health. That is, how long it takes to bring down your heart rate after raising it through exercise.
   Having said that, interval training is one technique that is considered one of the best training methods.  You want to do a warmup for several minutes, then get your rate up to your target (140) doing whatever it takes on the treadmill to do that. You then push yourself at that HR for 1-2 minutes. Then, back off so HR comes back to around 100. Keep repeating the cycle of pushing the hr for a couple of minutes, then backing off for a couple of minutes. Just keep alternating high intensity with relative resting. You can research HIIT yourself to get some ideas. This technique yields far better results then longer workouts. It's not simply the length of time you work out, it's the intensity. You'll work your heart far better doing 45 minutes of HIIT, then twice that time with lower intensity.

   I'm 68, have been working out since my 30's, and I do aerobics and weight training 5 days a week. My HR will go from 140+ to 100 within a minute, and keep dropping, which is what I'm aiming for. I have to work at a much higher rate than you do (as you would expect), but you can get the same results by pushing yourself to whatever maxes you out.


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## PeterPoggi (Nov 10, 2018)

retiredtraveler said:


> First, you do realize (?) that a lower, resting heart rate is not very indicative of anything. It is the recovery time that is a large determinate of cardiovascular health. That is, how long it takes to bring down your heart rate after raising it through exercise.
> Having said that, interval training is one technique that is considered one of the best training methods.  You want to do a warmup for several minutes, then get your rate up to your target (140) doing whatever it takes on the treadmill to do that. You then push yourself at that HR for 1-2 minutes. Then, back off so HR comes back to around 100. Keep repeating the cycle of pushing the hr for a couple of minutes, then backing off for a couple of minutes. Just keep alternating high intensity with relative resting. You can research HIIT yourself to get some ideas. This technique yields far better results then longer workouts. It's not simply the length of time you work out, it's the intensity. You'll work your heart far better doing 45 minutes of HIIT, then twice that time with lower intensity.
> 
> I'm 68, have been working out since my 30's, and I do aerobics and weight training 5 days a week. My HR will go from 140+ to 100 within a minute, and keep dropping, which is what I'm aiming for. I have to work at a much higher rate than you do (as you would expect), but you can get the same results by pushing yourself to whatever maxes you out.


Thank you! That's exactly the type of advice I was hoping to get.  In order to pass my physical I need to keep below 140 for at least 9 minutes, the final 3 minutes at 14 degrees and 3.4 mph. My last workout I did 20 minutes, 15 degrees, but only at 2.5 mph. It did push me up above 140, more to around 150 - but from what you're saying, i may have benefited more go to 3.4 mph, even for a shorter duration.


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## StarSong (Nov 10, 2018)

I like that video, Sea Breeze.  Thanks for sharing it.


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## Keesha (Nov 10, 2018)

StarSong said:


> I like that video, Sea Breeze.  Thanks for sharing it.



Ditto! A thank you goes a long way.


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## retiredtraveler (Nov 10, 2018)

_".....It did push me up above 140, more to around 150 - but from what you're  saying, i may have benefited more go to 3.4 mph, even for a shorter  duration....". 				

_Yes. If you're motivated, you can do this. I see so many people at the gym do little more than show up. They bike at 3-4 miles an hour (walking speed), or spend an hour on the treadmill walking flat, and slow. They finish by looking like they didn't do anything for the last hour. For these intervals, you should hardly be able to talk and be very winded. You do that kind of training for 40 minutes, and you'll be physically spent. But, the more you do this, the quicker you recover and it makes for a shorter time on the treadmill (which bores the heck out of me).


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## PeterPoggi (Nov 10, 2018)

retiredtraveler said:


> makes for a shorter time on the treadmill (which bores the heck out of me).


Yeah me too.  I'm motivated. I need to pass this in order to get back on the firefighter "Fit for Duty" list. Otherwise, let me tell you - if I'm ever missing, don't waste those critical first hours looking for me at a gym.


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## oldman (Nov 11, 2018)

Maybe we can borrow from one another. I have too slow of a heart rate. I exercise way too much and "my normal" heart rate is 45-52 bpm. The doctor wants me to give up some of the exercising, but old habits are hard to break. I generally run 2 miles per day, 4 days per week and walk the 2 miles the other three days. I also go to a cardio workout class, one night a week and a Zumba class one afternoon a week. I am 6'4", so when I do Zumba, I look like I'm all legs and arms and a lot of the other people in the group get a laugh at my expense. My wife took a video of me a few weeks ago and I now know why they laugh at me. I have three more weeks of Zumba and then I am getting out of it, but for now, since I paid for it, I am going to finish it.


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## Trade (Nov 11, 2018)

oldman said:


> I exercise way too much



I have a video that might help with that. 

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## Keesha (Nov 11, 2018)

oldman said:


> Maybe we can borrow from one another. I have too slow of a heart rate. I exercise way too much and "my normal" heart rate is 45-52 bpm. The doctor wants me to give up some of the exercising, but old habits are hard to break. I generally run 2 miles per day, 4 days per week and walk the 2 miles the other three days. I also go to a cardio workout class, one night a week and a Zumba class one afternoon a week. I am 6'4", so when I do Zumba, I look like I'm all legs and arms and a lot of the other people in the group get a laugh at my expense. My wife took a video of me a few weeks ago and I now know why they laugh at me. I have three more weeks of Zumba and then I am getting out of it, but for now, since I paid for it, I am going to finish it.


Gosh. You’re in great shape. Those Zumba classes are not easy to do at all. That’s quite impressive. My heart rate is low but not as low as yours. Mines about 57 to 60 BPM.


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## PeterPoggi (Nov 12, 2018)

Trade said:


> I have a video that might help with that.
> 
> <font size="4">


I'm going to hire her as my personal trainer!


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## PeterPoggi (Nov 12, 2018)

retiredtraveler said:


> _".....It did push me up above 140, more to around 150 - but from what you're  saying, i may have benefited more go to 3.4 mph, even for a shorter  duration....".
> 
> _You do that kind of training for 40 minutes, and you'll be physically spent.


Ok, First time I did this is today. Before beginning, my resting HR was 85. Then got on the mill for 30 minutes, 1.25 miles, roughly 200 calories, and I brought my heart rate to between 150 - 160 three times during that duration. After about three minutes in the rest cycles however, I could only get my heart rate down to about 124.  I’m guessing that with practice I should see this number decrease over time?


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