You mentioned that your pace isn't sustainable - how long are you holding it? I find that my heart rate doesn't respond instantly to changes in my pace, it takes a while for my body to pick up. So to increase my heart rate, I need to find a pace that I can hold for a bit. Intervals can help, as long as don't go all the way back to resting in the down intervals.

What resistance is the elliptical at? When I vary the two settings between 8 and 12 (i tend to do intervals) I have no problem getting my heart rate to 160 for sustained periods of time. 56 YO female, resting heart rate 75, typically do varied aerobic exercise every day. The only other thing that gets my hr that high is briskly walking up large hills.

You don't need a heart rate strap-- a polar OH1 armband will be fine for your purposes.

Did you mean you are rowing? (erging?). I find it hard to believe you are rowing with good form and a decent amount of effort for more than 10 minutes and not able to get into zone 2.

Anonymous wrote:I’d try the treadmill at an incline. 3.5 mph with 2-6 % incline might do it. Experiment.

Yeah I just want to avoid the impact of running. That’s why I like the urg, elliptical; I’ve done cycling and I think that should do it for getting HR up? I just hate the seat!

I think everyone is different. I have a similar resting HR, I’m a 40 year old slightly overweight woman . I can easily sustain a conversation with HR in the 140s and when I go for runs, my HR reaches 190 for brief periods when I’m really huffing and puffing and needing to slow down soon. So, ignore the metrics! You’re doing fine.

I’d try the treadmill at an incline. 3.5 mph with 2-6 % incline might do it. Experiment.

Since I can’t sustain a conversation— I’m likely in zone 2 or zone 3? Just my metrics are off?

Try climbing stairs. I walk up to the top floor at my office cross to the other side and walk down for a quick walk and the climbing gets my heart rate into cardio. Normal BMI and resting heart rate upper 50s low 60s.

PP - misunderstood you were on an elliptical. I find it hard to get my heart rate up on those. I used them during an injury rehab recently. Still think you should consider a heart rate strap. Especially if you eventually use a stationary bike. Wrist based monitor can definitely be off there.

Anonymous wrote:I would guess your heart rate is higher than your Fb says. Have you tried taking your own pulse after you stop after getting to the point where you feel like you're really working?

It matches the machines heart monitor (two hand grips).

I’ll try counting, thanks.

Don’t want a chest strap, I had them before and gave me awful rashes.

Also try running and see what your heart rate does. Nothing gets HR up like running. I'm 130 on the elliptical and hit 190s running.

Get a heart rate strap. The fitbit monitor on the wrist usually isn’t all that great and might not work all that great for an erg given your body position anyways. Sometimes the wrist monitor just works poorly for some people generally. Lots of options out there for chest strap monitors. Should pair to your Fitbit. If not, get something else like a used Garmin along with a heart rate strap if you are serious about training to heart rate zones.

You need to increase the resistance until it feels hard. Slower cadence, higher intensity.

I would guess your heart rate is higher than your Fb says. Have you tried taking your own pulse after you stop after getting to the point where you feel like you're really working?

So I have been doing urg workouts and elliptical workouts because I like the no impact nature.

I’m a fat old man, 47 years old, BMI 31, with resting heart rate of 68.

I’m trying to get to zone 2 cardio to improve my cardio health, which I think is 130 BPM on my Fitbit.

But I was going crazy on the elliptical tonight, way faster than anyone else and could only get up to 125, and that wasn’t sustainable at all — it was like all out arm and leg action like a crazy person.

Do I need to run, increase resistance even more (I’m at about st 6 dots?)? It just is a crushing effort to get my heart rate in the zone, is it supposed to be this hard? Is my lung capacity maybe too low?