First monitored workout

I could get used to this heart rate thing. My watch, which is a Polar watch, is nice. If you haven't read the post about me getting one, skip down below and then come back here. It'll make more sense.

I strapped on the sensor around my torso and went about my workout. One unexpected positive side effect was that the machines I used read my heart rate monitor as well. The bike I used to warm up and the treadmill I used during my cardio portion of my workout had the same measurements as my watch did.

My resting heart rate was at around 51 or so, which is pretty good. I got my heart rate up to around 120 after my 5-minute warmup session. I did four different weightlifting exercises, all on machines. I found that my third set in each was the one my heart rate increased the most afterwards. I got my heart rate up to the 140s during the third sets of all of them. For the most part, though, it was around 120 or 130.

On the cardio part, I saw some intersting things. I wish I could have kept track of the times and the heart rates during those specific times but I made some mental notes.

After my 5-minute warmup, my heart rate was at about 120 or so. Initially, my heart rate got up to around 160 when I ran at 7.3 and dipped down to the low 150s during the 5.7 times. At the end of my first 12-minutes of rounds, my heart rate was somewhere in the low 160s during the last 5.7 run. I walked three minutes and it got down to the high 140s.

But my heart rate was consistently high afteward. I was at or above 170 for most of the following 7.3 runs. During the last portion of my interval session, I noticed that my heart rate was staying higher. It was in the mid-160s during my 5.7 runs and got up to the mid-170s during the 7.3 runs. So even though I hadn't maintained the same consistent pace, my heart rate was going up and down and overall was pretty high, which is a good thing.

My two-minute sprint, which is at minutes 35 and 36 of the entire 42-minute session, were pretty high. I was at the high 170s and got up to my maximum heart rate of 187 by the end. It was interesting to see it climb and climb as I ran and ran. Monday was the fastest I've ever run on the 'mill before as I got it up to a 9.0. It was certainly challenging but something I was able to accomplish without a lot of extra effort, so I suppose in some ways it's time to amp up those cardio sessions. Maybe I'll go to a 6.0 and 7.5. We'll see.

So here are the statistics from my first Polar workout session:

Date: 06/16/08
Total time: 1:09:03
In zone: 36:40
Avg hr: 143
Max hr: 187
Cal: 844

I'll have to figure out what my target heart rate zone is. If and when I go see my doctor I'll try and find that information out. Until then, I'll have to scour the Web to see what I come up with.

I suppose my next challenge will be using the Polar watch to see how I run during my outdoor running sessions, but for now I've been limited to the gym. I am anxious to see how I do outside with the watch so I'll go on a run this week with it and see how my heart rate differs from the gym workouts.