Heartrate while doing HIIT went over 200 is that okay?

During my last HIIT session I walked for 2 minutes then ran at 6.5-7 for a minute, did this off and on for 15 minutes. At time I would grab the machine in between running and it'd say i was at 202.

Sure I was sweating like a pig. When i got finished my face was beat red, still like that when i got home.

My question is, is that a bad thing? I've just got to start doing something besides walking at a steady pace for 30 minutes! I usually walk at 3.5-4 for 30 minutes 3-4 times a week and it's getting really old.

i'm going to venture to say that the machine's reading was inaccurate (the machines are often inaccurate when they measure my heart rate too, so it's not broken or anything). 

6.5-7 isn't super fast, not dangerously fast anyway, unless you're a formerly sedentary person, which it doesn't sound like you are. 

I may throw on DH's Heartrate Monitor next time and see what it really is at. He's got one of the Polar ones. Maybe that will be more accurate.

always fun to compare data.  be sure to put in your stats in the "user" section if you're going to look to it for heart rate suggestions, calorie burn, etc.  hope the change in routine was fun.

I'm gonna agree with caloriecountingme- the equipment calculations are never accurate - and if you lived to talk about the heart rate getting that high and didn't die then its not a bad thing!

The "maximum heart rate" thing is on average and its not a one size fits all thing.  If I followed the formula I would have exploded my heart several times.

I can get my HR to 205 for about 30 seconds while doing HIIT. Basically if your alive to talk about it, your ok :) But thats doing 15% at 10MPH. I assume 6.5-7 is a pretty hard run for you?

HR Maximums are pretty much scatter charts, you'll find super atheletes where their max HR's are all over the board. I'd say its only a bad thing if your completely out of shape, and are pushing yourself that hard. But if your decently used to cardio (I'd hope so for doing HIIT, its not really a good beginner workout), i'd not worry much.

Update: Note thats with a Polar F6, weight ~194 (~19% BF), male, age 25.

The same thing happened to me when doing sprints during hiit.  My heart rate went up to 205 according to my Polar f6.  i'm a female, 34, weight around 180

200 + BPM is putting you at risk for sinus tachycardia. If you're 18 to 25'ish years old and in very good condition then it's OK to get your HR that high for very brief periods of time. If you're not in shape, then you could cause damage to your heart muscle, and are putting yourself at risk of fainting.

My stats are fairly close to yours (except with slightly higher weight) and I do HIIT and get my heart rate up to 185-190.  This is using a Polar heart rate monitor so I know it is pretty accurate.  I have yet to hit the 200 mark, but I believe you may have because the machines aren't THAT accurate and could have been slightly overestimating. And I also believe that it isn't the worst thing in the world at our age.

With that said, my cardio program was designed by my gym and a system that takes your heart rate and metabolism into effect.  If it wasn't safe I don't believe they would have given me that program and told me to follow it.  On my chart my highest segment in the training my heart rate should be between 177-203.  So my answer to your question is unless you are doing the exercise and it doesn't feel ok to you, you should be fine.

Call your doctor before you start a routine that intense. I wouldn't believe anything a "fitness trainer" tells me about my heart.

The whole point of HIIT is to get your heart rate as high as you possibly can.  As noted above HIIT is not for beginners.

Original Post by vortexcc:

Call your doctor before you start a routine that intense. I wouldn't believe anything a "fitness trainer" tells me about my heart.

It is not a "fitness trainer" it is a system that one of the most world renowned gym uses.  If people died/got heart attacks from it, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be in existence anymore.

without the right supervision any program can be bad for you :p... or if some idiot just does it without understanding it.

http://www.stevenscreek.com/goodies/hr.shtml

Maximum heart rate for a female: 226 - age

So, I'm 16, and a male (220 - age), so my max heart rate is 204. I can regularly get up to 180/190 on an elliptical. I've only once reached 204, and it wasn't particularly pleasant (or sustainable).

As long as you don't work at your max heart rate too long, and you don't feel PAIN / excessive discomfort.. you should be fine. Why work out THAT hard, though?

Getting the gains is better than the pain, if your body can get used to it even for 1 sec more than it would normally, that is one more second you can push yourself to the end... again i see it only worthwhile if you compette in something.

Since the "220- age" forumula doesn't apply to everyone I think a better formula to use is

http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/libra ry/activity/thr.htm

this link has the karovian formula as well as the "perceived rate of exertion" scale.

Obviously if you are still breathing standing and not experiencing discomfort (chest pain, Shortness of breath, lightheadness, nauseau vomitting) then you aren't truly at your "maximum heart rate" what may be the max for me having worked out for a few years now is going to be a lot higher than another 48 yo female who is just starting to work out.