Hello all! I recently purchased a HRM (a Polar F4) and after plugging in all the info and figuring out what my target HR should be, I put it to use. I am currently doing C25K and HIIT 3X a week (alternating days) and I was surprised when my watch started beeping at me, signaling I was over my target HR. I really didn't feel like I was working all that hard and just kept going at my normal pace (which put my HR between 170-180, my target HR is 119-156).

So today during my HIIT workout I made a real effort to slow it down to keep within my target and I had a hard time doing so. I felt like I was barely working and yet my heart rate still went above my target HR.

My question is, should I just ignore the target HR zone and keep judging my workouts based on how I feel or should I keep slowing things down to stay within my zone? I know that figuring your target HR is more of an estimate and if I really want to know exactly what it is I should schedule a visit with my dr, but I was curious if anyone else experiences this and if so, have you changed the intensity of your workouts or kept them the same?

Thanks so much in advance for any input!

HR can get very confusing at times. I would think that your HR monitor is a bit off if you're not feeling that you are working out hard enough. Sometimes
rate of perceived excertion (RPE) is more accurate. RPE measure how you really feel... I also like to use the talk test, if I can talk but don't want to, I'm working out hard enough...

I'm not sure how HR monitors work, I don't own one, I always use RPE for my workous, but maybe yours is not set at your MAX HR... MaxHR is 220-your age = Max HR...

These are just some thoughts I am putting out to you..

Here's a good article Confused About My Heart Rate
She has some very good ideas, let me know how if it did help...

I forgot to add that you then multiply your MHR by 0.6 (60%)to get your lower exercise range and by 0.85 (85) to get your higher exercise range. If you are a beginner work in the 60% range if youre intermediate or advanced work in the 85% range...Hope this helps...

Thanks so much for your reply! I'll be sure to read the article and work the numbers and see what I come up with.

Thanks again!!