3 questions about my exercises: heart, fat, muscles

Hi,

-Recently I've noticed that my heart isn't as strong as the previous year (... maybe it's age ...). I've been doing the following for a week already and see a bit of improvement. What I do is ride around my block. It starts pretty flat for about 200 m, then a 10 - 15 degrees incline for about 400 m, then flat for 200 m, and finally down hill for 400 m back to the start.

So basically: Warm up, Training, Cool down, and Rest. x 5 times

I just try to get my heart rate to my max or over which is about 190 beats a minute. On my session, I was able to get to about 191 beats, but now it only gets to about 187 beats. Does this mean that I've improved? One thing I do notice after the first week is that I feel that I can go for another repeat, but after 5 times my head feels the lack of oxygen (I guess that's what it is) already.

I do this 3 times a week.

-Now I've just recently learned that in order to burn fat, well at least more fat than carbs or protein during exercise, is that I have to keep my heart rate at 60% - 70% of my max. So I've started cycling around the track of a local high school for about an hour. This is one of the perfect ways. Yes? No? This will lean me up without taking too much of my muscles, right?

I do this 3 times a week. Not on the day of my heart strengthening.

-Ok, so I've started trying to do one arm pull ups. Well, I kind of started about two months ago, when couldn't even hold on. Now, I can hold on for a few seconds but I can't pull myself up, just can't do it, but I try. My question is that by hanging there and trying to pull myself up, even though I'm not actually able to pull myself up or moving at all. Am I actually building anything.

Thanks

1. How are you determining the strength of your heart?

2. You can't actually exceed your max heart rate. That's what defines it as your max hr (note, I'm referring to your actual max, not a calculated max based on age).

3. The "fat burn zone" is misunderstood and misapplied. The 'fat burning zone' is not the heart rate range where you burn the most calories.  It's the zone where the highest percentage of the calories you burn is from fat stores, but what that theory ignores is the total calories burned during the workout and the makeup (fat vs. glycogen) of the calories you burn for the other 23 or so hours per day.

Studies have shown that (even when controlled for total calories burned) higher intensity exercises (i.e. outside of the 'fat burning zone') result in more fat loss.

4. Assuming you can already do regular pullups, you could try doing negative one arm pullups (jump up so you start with your chin above the bar, and try to lower yourself as slow as possible). Also, chinups are easier than pullups - could you try one armed chinups?

1. When I'm out cycling and going up hills, it seems a bit harder (heart wise) than previous years. Well, I know for a fact that I have "slowed down/taking it easy" on my cycling since the weather got warmer. Also after I walk up the stairs, I can feel my heart thumping. It just seems to be working a bit too much for such an easy task. But other than the above, I don't know.

2. Yes, the max that I mentioned is based on age. I really have no idea what my biological max heart rate is.

3. I honestly don't really know what to do for my fat burning (or if I really need it). I'm lean already, it's that stubborn belly fat, bit of chest fat, and a bit of butt fat that needs some work. I actually have conflicting ideas about fat. On one side, without the fat I may look a bit more "aesthetically pleasing" (...I guess if I was ever naked, or at the beach). And on the other side, if I'm too lean, survival becomes extremely hard if I was ever out of food and not in a city or a place where I can easily get food. Like if I were to go on an adventure. ... and got lost. Or if food was ever to become scarce. Aside from food, one thing I've really noticed is that by being lean when the weather is cool, it is cold.

4. When it comes to one arm, I find that there's no way to do either pull up or chin up because my body just kind of turn to a more natural position (perpendicular to the bar). Maybe I'm not strong enough to keep my body in position. For regular pull ups or chin ups, I can't really do that many as just last start summer and then inactive for winter. But I can do them fully, by that I mean no jumping, no kicking, and when I come down, I go down all the way back to extended arms. Currently, for pull ups and chin ups I just do 5 reps 1 set 5 days a week and try for 10 reps on the 6th day. I used to try for 10 reps 3 times a week, but I find that by doing lower number of reps but more often, my body adapts much faster to the new load (for any exercise). For now, when I go for one arm, I kind of can move a little bit. But maybe I'm rushing it. Too bad (but good for my wallet) I'm not a member of any gyms. Training on the pull down bar machine starting with low weight may be the best to work my way up.

Or wear a backpack that has weights in it while you do regular pullups.