Increasing heart rate over 110bpm?

[7ftStick]

Hi, new poster here. I'm aware this is a fairly common issue for those newly initiated to the world of strength training, but I'm having trouble finding an effective solution. I've been attending coached S&C sessions twice a week (amongst other training) for about 4/5 months now, and in all that time I've yet to record a heart rate over 110bpm, no matter how hard I train, how little rest I take between sets and exercises, or how unfamiliar I am with the program. At first I put this down to inaccurate counting on my part (I was doing this manually), or simply waiting too long before doing so, however I've since been using a Fitbit Charge HR, which is giving me the same numbers.

At 21 years, weighing 74kg and measuring 7ft in height (yes, 7), I can squat my bodyweight but on a dumbell flat press I can only just manage 12.5kg in each hand. Schwarzenegger I am not. That said, what I lack in muscular strength I make up for elsewhere, with a resting heart rate of ~65bpm, and an estimated VO2 max of 55 litres (based on a 2k ergo, VO2max Calculator | Concept2)

So, my two questions:
How can I push my heart rate up when my body simply doesn't have any more to give?
And does it matter if I can't push my heart rate over 110?

Thanks

[hbriem]

So, my two questions:
How can I push my heart rate up when my body simply doesn't have any more to give?

Put on about 40kg of muscle. I recommend the Starting Strength Linear Progression to begin with.

And does it matter if I can't push my heart rate over 110?

No.

[MBasic]

Hi, new poster here. I'm aware this is a fairly common issue for those newly initiated to the world of strength training, but I'm having trouble finding an effective solution. I've been attending coached S&C sessions twice a week (amongst other training) for about 4/5 months now, and in all that time I've yet to record a heart rate over 110bpm, no matter how hard I train, how little rest I take between sets and exercises, or how unfamiliar I am with the program. At first I put this down to inaccurate counting on my part (I was doing this manually), or simply waiting too long before doing so, however I've since been using a Fitbit Charge HR, which is giving me the same numbers.

At 21 years, weighing 74kg and measuring 7ft in height (yes, 7), I can squat my bodyweight but on a dumbell flat press I can only just manage 12.5kg in each hand. Schwarzenegger I am not. That said, what I lack in muscular strength I make up for elsewhere, with a resting heart rate of ~65bpm, and an estimated VO2 max of 55 litres (based on a 2k ergo, VO2max Calculator | Concept2)

So, my two questions:
How can I push my heart rate up when my body simply doesn't have any more to give?
And does it matter if I can't push my heart rate over 110?

Thanks

Are you still make progress only the main lifts?
You still add weight to the bar workout to workout?
Why no bench presses? why DB's?
Do you deadlift? and how much?

Do you even eat, bro? 163# at 7' is incredible

[DeriHughes]

Hi, new poster here. I'm aware this is a fairly common issue for those newly initiated to the world of strength training, but I'm having trouble finding an effective solution. I've been attending coached S&C sessions twice a week (amongst other training) for about 4/5 months now, and in all that time I've yet to record a heart rate over 110bpm, no matter how hard I train, how little rest I take between sets and exercises, or how unfamiliar I am with the program. At first I put this down to inaccurate counting on my part (I was doing this manually), or simply waiting too long before doing so, however I've since been using a Fitbit Charge HR, which is giving me the same numbers.

At 21 years, weighing 74kg and measuring 7ft in height (yes, 7), I can squat my bodyweight but on a dumbell flat press I can only just manage 12.5kg in each hand. Schwarzenegger I am not. That said, what I lack in muscular strength I make up for elsewhere, with a resting heart rate of ~65bpm, and an estimated VO2 max of 55 litres (based on a 2k ergo, VO2max Calculator | Concept2)

So, my two questions:
How can I push my heart rate up when my body simply doesn't have any more to give?
And does it matter if I can't push my heart rate over 110?

Thanks

You've been lifting for 4/5 months as a 21 year old male (I assume, given your height), and you're squatting 74kgs? Something is odd here. You need to ask some questions of your strength coach, because they don't appear to be making you strong.

What does your heart rate hit when you do balls-to-the-wall, puking, want-to-die cardio?

[manveer]

Wow... GOMAD is for guys like you.

[Bergstedt]

I have a heart condition that is treated with beta blockers and other medicines. I ate a very high dose of beta blockers during the first couple of years after my diagnosis, and they made it literally impossible for my heart rate to go over 110 bpm. I still progressed and got stronger, even if it took a little while longer for me since I had such bad resilience and couldn't handle the volume as well as someone who's not eating beta blockers.

But as others have mentioned: you weigh very little for your length. How much did you weigh when you started training? How much stronger have you gotten? Have you had your heart checked up? Or the rest of your body, for that matter, considering how thin you are.

[Chris McCarthy]

If you are unable to get your heart rate above 110bpm doing ANYTHING then I would take yourself along to the Doctor's Surgery pronto. Relative Bradychardia during exercise could be indicative of a whole lot of things you do not want to have.

Out of interest, are you / were you under Doctor's care for issues relating to your height?

[7ftStick]

@MBasic Yep, still making steady progress, although I'm not upping the weight quite as much as I was - one of the main reasons for posting is to try to avoid hitting a plateau (I don't have time to train more frequently). Nowadays I'm adding between 2.5-5kg to the first set, then dropping it on later ones if I can't finish that set with good technique. Kind of like a drop set I guess?

The reason for no benchpress is simple - at this stage I just do what the coaches tell me, I trust their judgement more than my own! The plan changes every few weeks, they did have bar press in before Xmas, but I kept injuring my back during normal training (rowing, if I haven't mentioned that already), so managed to miss all those sessions.

Deadlifts are usually around the 55/60kg mark - haven't done them for a couple of weeks though. And yes, I do eat! I've struggled to eat enough for as long as I can remember, but sorted that now and I'm putting away an average of 3500kcal, and steadily increasing.

[7ftStick]

@DeriHughes I know it's slow - I've been putting it down to only doing two sessions a week, and the fact we're constantly changing things up, so for 3/4 weeks we'll have squats down, then it could be another 3/4 weeks before we come back to them, at which point I have to emind myself to get the technique right... All in all it's a slow way to build weight, but seems to me like the best way to train everything in such a short space of time. (And yes, I am male, sorry, forgot to point that bit out!)

On a 2k ergo test piece I can *sometimes* register up to about 120bpm. After which I need to sit on the machine for 5/10 minutes just to get back to thinking straight. And lifts (elevators) become shining beacons of hope.

[7ftStick]

@manveer I drink at least 6 litres of whole milk a day, and I train 3 hours a day. I need a GOMAD 2.0!