How to Train if Your Heart Rate is Always High | Strength Running

Subscribe: bit.ly/33sO9Bq
Try AG1! bit.ly/2WZ8XRE
Coaching: bit.ly/2YgBLAv
A chronically elevated heart rate is almost always a case of aerobic deficiency syndrome. The solution is to address the deficiency!
Jason Fitzgerald is a USATF running coach, 2:39 marathoner, and the host of the award-winning Strength Running Podcast. He's the 2017 Men's Running Magazine's Influencer of the Year and his work has appeared in Runner's World, Health Magazine, The Washington Post, Lifehacker, and other major media.
Visit strengthrunning.com/ to see their award-winning blog, free email courses, and full library of training programs and coaching services.
Podcast: apple.co/2L19km1
Twitter: bit.ly/3aGos5e
Instagram: bit.ly/2FARFP2
Training Journal: amzn.to/3Va4DsA

[@Stevemulka]

Exactly this when I started running in January this year (63 yo with desk job). 10-months of zone 2 run / walking in the Malvern hills and my resting hr is 13 bpm lower on average. I can now run almost all of a 10k hill run in zone 2 far faster and at a lower hr than when I started :-)

[@JasonFitzgerald]

That's awesome to hear. Keep at it!

[@christopherbrand5360]

Walking is fantastic running training. People have got to understand that adding easy volume by walking is going to make them faster and keep them healthy!

[@of5458]

For me, what really has made a big difference is adding at least one weekly run at a higher intensity where my heart rate is upper zone 3 or squarely in zone 4. That has helped to reduce my HR so that I can run much farther while staying in zone 2.

[@tawnyrenee90]

It’s embarrassing but I’ve been running 2-3 times a week for 2 years and I still can’t run longer than 30 minutes at a time without my heart rate going up to 180

[@gtromble]

I had this issue when I restarted running this summer after several years off, at age 67. I was active, just a little overweight, and felt in fine shape. But running 1k spiked the HR near max, and I wasn't trying to run hard. Adaptation happened pretty quickly though, and within 2 months I was running 3-5 miles regularly with more normal heart rates.

[@JasonFitzgerald]

Love to hear it!

[@JulieGray-pj2kc]

Thank you for this information. Am a non-seasoned runner and late in life. Got doctor approval but it concerned me however now I understand!

[@RunWithDaniel]

Nice explanation👍🏾. I also discovered not from scientific point of view that if a runner has too much things going on in her or his life ( stress from personal issues, work related or other medical problem contributes to high heart rate. My analysis show women are leading. I suggest also one should focus on well being both psychological to be emotionally strong and build good mental to be able to get heart rate down. Overthinking, over focusing, too much pressure on ourselves also makes it worse. Calm down, slown down put smile on your face (self) and be positive. 😉 N/B that's just my thought adding on top of the recommendation given by Coach.

[@mbalong6525]

You can also build aerobic fitness on a bike or elliptical or an arc trainer. It’s also easier to dial in and maintain Zone 2 on an aerobic machine. It gives a more consistent heart rate than run/walk combos. Still run at a reduced rate, but augment with an aerobic machine to build that aerobic base faster. Still takes weeks or months, but helps.

[@kirakrukowski1701]

I think it's worth mentioning that if your heart rate is really high, you should have things checked out by a doctor, just to be sure it is safe to exercise. Also, I had a season where my heart rate was constantly high during running, even though I have been distance running for a long time, and it turned out I was magnesium deficient. As soon as I started supplementing, I was fine :).

[@JasonFitzgerald]

Absolutely. First, rule out any medical issues. Next, more endurance training!

[@theghostofpcs2391]

Yes, I was suddenly unable to keep my heart rate in zone 2. Turned out I have a fast thyroid.

[@sharkdom]

What do you mean by "really high"? Is it in absolute terms, or as a percentage of max heart rate?

[@derekwood8184]

This was me.. but with 6 years of running under me.. I have an insane sprint ability with no training (even at 50 yo).. I'm 11th on our parkrun finish segment on strava even at my age, there's over 1000 runners listed for that segment.. I had to slow WAY down, and add miles, I'd run a 1:45 Half marathon, my easy pace HAD to be 11:30/mile. eventually I was able to get to 9:00~9:30/mile at low HR at 50miles/week. I also did a lot of work at slightly higher HR, but only so long as it wasn't drifting.. so I did 1hr sessions at this slightly higher HR, eventually I pushed this up to 85% of HR max.. (measured, not calculated).. and I got my sub90min HM, sub40min 10k and sub19min 5k, that was a 9min HM PB, 3min 10kPB and 70sec 5k PB from 5months solid training.

[@phillipschmidtke2001]

Great video, thank for suggesting this technique. How high is too high a heart rate for an easy run though? Can you define that by % of max heart rate, or some other metric?

[@JasonFitzgerald]

About 60-70% of maximum is a good range to target for your easy runs! Just be sure you have an accurate max HR reading...

[@phillipschmidtke2001]

@@JasonFitzgerald Thank you!

[@ApurbaAdhikari]

I am 29 and by 220-29 I should be 191 bpm max. i exercised some and it went upto 194. I thought that was my max limit and adjusted my zones according to it. after about 1 month of running, I tried a 5k max effort and it came out to be 203 (could be even higher). This changes my running zones completely. So, please do a Max effort 5k (with proper pacing), maybe rest about 3 to 4 days after that and set your zones. my MAF zone 2 is 146 max but actual 70% effort is 160 plus bpm. Huge Huge difference.

[@darrintouchet4063]

Just an approximation

[@augustohern5322]

Do you see this with people that are fit? I was training for a marathon (got hurt, probably pushing too hard) and my longest run was 22 miles at 8:30/mi pace, and my average heart rate was 170.

[@astasuleo]

I'm 43 Years old. I started walking for 3 months, at 100kg. Then at that 3 months period i lost 12kg and now im 88kg. The last 2 months i started running a bit, and then started to achieve 5km running per day. The last 2 week i try to get better timing in 5km running but really is hard to go below 30 minutes as my heart rate is going 169-175. That doesnt allow me to run faster and i dont know how to train to lower my hear rate. Should i walk more? Should i train at lower heart rate and forget about timing on 5km at the moment. Is it too early to run faster than 10km/h pace?

[@musicalcubes1462]

How is it now? Did you change anything last month? I have different circumstances, but same time and heartrate for 5k. I did some research, and based on that I'm planning to do really slow training for the next couple of months. My main goal is to stay focused on keeping my heartbeat at max 135. I don't want to train slow, but I think it is the best for now

[@astasuleo]

@@musicalcubes1462 I did chat ge the speed of running the 5km. What I did is to push myself running faster. At this stage as I have walked a lot and straighten my legs and knees I do not have a pain issues. So it was the time to speed up. 2 weeks ago I did the 5km in 28 minutes. Last week I push more and did it 26 minutes. Upcoming Wednesday I do have a goal to achieve 5km under 25 minutes. I haven't mentioned that my heart rate was 175-179 all the way from the 2nd km till the end.

[@musicalcubes1462]

@@astasuleo oh well that turned out different than I expected haha. Nice times. I think however that it's important to consider that pace isn't everything and to build it up slow. The goal is to become faster but with the same heartrate. But congrats on you times :) for me, training on that intensity is not doable, because of the additional cortisol being released. I already have too much cortisol without high training, oof

[@astasuleo]

@@musicalcubes1462 Keep it slow as possible and try to go for more than 5km. I have a plan to do the same in summer. I leave in a Mediteranian Country in Greece which in summer helps a lot running early in the morning or late in the evening which the weather is nice and the temperature is around 25 Celcius. I will do as you said, maintaining the speed and keeping the heartrate low as possible. But have in mind in our Age, (im 43 Years old, 84kg now) it is kind of diffucult to keep your heart rate lower than 150-160 bpm especially at a speed pace 12km/h which is at the moment my goal for 25 minutes --> 5km.

[@musicalcubes1462]

@@astasuleo yeah but I think 150-160 really is okay, that's quite different than 175. Also, I would recommend doing a self test on your heart rate zones, as the 220-age isn't always accurate. Good luck with your goal!! Good hormones release by reaching goals you've been working for :) I went on a walk yesterday (as I do almost everyday) and for me walking is already in zone 2. I used to walk longer distances last year, but I'm still recovering from two months of extreme stress which didn't allow me to leave my bed. And getting back some lost weight. I was simply exhausted after the 5km walk... so no real running for me yet