Is my heart rate normal? (Read 958 times)

Stop, find your pulse on your wrist or carotid, count the number of heartbeats in 15 seconds. Multiply by 4. That's your real pulse rate. Now look at your HRM. What does it say? I use a HRM monitor too and I'd say this is almost certainly a problem with the HRM. If you can run that pace at 80 bpm you're a freak. Mine typically gives a very high reading (175 or so) at the start and that's also an error that is fixed once I start sweating and get a good contact with the chest strap.

True, but this graph clearly reflects something different. 175 solid instantly out of the gate is not likely, warm-up or not. The issue with false high readings due to contacts not being moist enough is a well-known issue. I happen to moisten my HRM strap with saliva if I don't have any water available. Crude, but effective. Just like Scout's mom.

I agree 100% with your assesment of that initial graph, something funky is definately going on there. The 175 makes little sense, nor does the extremely low rate that follows. I was merely comenting on the idea that an initial elevated HR is a false reading. It might be a false reading if there are contact issues i.e. not wet, but a somewhat elevated initial HR spike is a pretty normal occurence even when the HR monitor is functioning absolutely perfectly. I certainly will allow that false readings are posible if there is poor contact with the strap.

Regardless of how I measure it my HR does go through the roof the first few minutes of my workout. Although the starting at 175 is odd, were you moving before you turned it on? Mine usually starts at 85 or whatever tying my shoes and racing around finding the last bits of running gear puts it at. Then even though I start out at an insanely slow pace by the time I hit the end of my street I am usually around 160-165, then after about 5 minutes I am down to about 125-130 I used a different monitor yesterday while walking on the treadmill and I was up at 156 when 1 minute in - WALKING, but 5 minutes later I could not get my HR above 125 no matter how many degrees of incline I threw at it. (Wasnt allowed to run) Odd that I even checked because I dont use an HRM usually, but I was bored. I was working with a personal trainer in January who kept saying I was in horrible cardiovascular shape because he would have me warm up for about 1 minute and then take my HR. But the fact that you dipped down into the 50's makes me think your HRM is not working properly.

Either change the batteries, get sweaty before you start running, or see a doctor.

I think that defies the laws of physiology.

Actually it doesnt. Your heart rate increases because with a fairly sudden increase in load your demand for oxygen increases faster than your respiration response to the need for extra oxygen. As soon as your respiration catches up heart rate comes back down.

Not necessarily a false high reading. when you start from a stop at the beginning of a workout; often your heart actually does go into a faster rhythm due to the sudden change in activity level then comes down once you are warmed up. this is exactly why a good warm up is essential, especially when racing or hard training because your heart and breathing won't need to make this huge adjustment. It is pretty normal to have your highest HR levels at the very beginning of the workout due to this heart aclimation effect. It is not a false reading, it is a true reading although it is not an acurate depiction of the rate that you would normally have, given the pace, once you are warmed up.

I think there may be something to this. Below is a typical HR graph of mine from a few days ago. I am in shitty shape, so that may be a big reason.....I don't think it is impropper use of the HR monitor, however. On this route I go at a slight downhill for the first 2/3 of a mile or so and my HR is about as high as it is when I run a long hill at the 2M mark.

Normal is boring. Why do you want your heart rate to be normal? Be extraordinary.

Well I was probably hoping you would say this guy is a legend - sign him up for the next Olympics, but I thought there may be a more prosaic explanation i.e. equipment failure. I went for a run this morning but annoyingly I had left the HRM at work. Anyway I will do another long run at the weekend and will thoroughly moisten the connections this time.

So, I was a little suspicious of the Garmin HR monitor results based on this thread. I ran the same route as the previous HR graph I published. The only difference is I ran the HRM strap under water before I put it on to head out the door. When Garmin says "WET" they mean it. Check out my run from this AM. Disregard the blips in the early part of the run, I am sure that is when my dog had to stop for his potty breaks. Garmin HRM users.......WET your HRM strap per their instructions if you want more accurate results right off the bat.