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Limbs Fall Asleep Easily? Causes, Solutions to Numb & Tingling
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Though a neuromuscular disease may cause what’s described as “numbness and tingling” sensations, let’s focus on the phenomenon of your limbs “falling asleep.” (more…)
ALS Muscle Atrophy vs. Benign Atrophy: the Difference
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Atrophy means muscle wasting; this outcome may have a non-fatal cause, but the appearance comparison is something that’s on the mind of a lot of very worried people. (more…)
How to Take Your Heart Rate on Your Body While on a Treadmill
Taking your heart rate on your body rather than the machine is more accurate.
When using a treadmill, here is how to do that. After all, a machine’s recording may be very innacurate.
Though checking heart rate during treadmill use shouldn’t be obsessive, you should be aware of your heart’s effort during the exercise to ensure that your heart rate stays within a safe range for your age and individual physical condition.
Consult with your doctor if you’re on any medications. Some drugs, such as beta blockers, influence exercise heart rate. Caffeine and nicotine also impact it.
Find out what your resting heart rate is by taking a 60-second pulse for three consecutive mornings while still in bed and calm. Add the numbers and divide by three.
You can do this with a heart rate monitor or by manually palpating (feeling) at the two following sites:
- Radial artery. This is the preferred site. If you’re right-handed, place your index and middle fingers just below the left side of your left wrist while palm is up; and vice versa if you’re left-handed.
- Carotid artery. Locate the “Adam’s apple” of your neck; either side of it practically lines up with the outside corners of your eyes. Place index and middle finger on one side, OR the other, but not both. Keep thumbs off neck. Do not press hard or this may slow pulse and cause dizziness.
Taking Heart Rate While Using the Treadmill
You will be walking at a comfortable pace on the treadmill during the heart rate check.
Maintaining movement during the check will prevent lightheadedness or blood-pooling in the legs.
Novice or poorly-fit exercisers, and people on blood pressure medication, are especially vulnerable to faintness and blood-pooling during sudden cessation of activity.
Another reason to keep walking on the treadmill is to maintain your focus and prevent the temptation of quitting the exercise altogether.
You needn’t continue moving at the exercise pace. Slowly walking will suffice.
There is no need to exit the treadmill to take your pulse. Walking will work just fine for the heart rate check — even if you had been running on the treadmill.
The machine’s computer that checks heart rate while your hands are on the sensors may not be accurate.
This is why, when I was a personal trainer years ago, I told my clients to take their pulse manually with their fingertips, and I preferred the radial artery for the reason mentioned earlier.
Yes, the sensors on a treadmill can give a false reading. Walk slowly on the tread and palpate for your pulse.
Details About Taking the Radial Pulse
Locate your radial artery. Begin with a count of 1 (your heartbeat). Continue counting the beats for 10 seconds. Multiply by six.
It’s possible to incorrectly take the heart rate via the following means:
Incorrectly starting the count; not starting or ending during the time frame; losing count during the time frame; and improper finger placement.
If the beginning and end count are missed, an error of 12 beats per minute can result!
Your ideal heart rate range can be best determined by your physician, in concert with a certified personal trainer.
For apparently healthy people, frequent heart rate checks while using a treadmill are not necessary.
However, some healthy people (those who have been declared healthy by their doctors) are obsessed with this.
They have what might be called a “heart rate chondria.” You need to work on overcoming this.
Constant heart rate checks while using a treadmill may interfere with the efficacy of the workout.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Five Squat Exercises for Women Including Postmenopausal
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How Do Overweight Women Benefit from Judo?
Learn how the benefits that derive from Judo training can help women who are overweight. (more…)
Pros & Cons of Fitness Ball Exercises for Older People
The stability ball, also known as the Swiss or balance ball, is rather popular among older people who exercise at gyms.
When I was a personal trainer my clients of all ages used a big fitness ball sooner or later. I modified the difficulty level to the client’s individual level of fitness.
If you’re an older person, those big, bouncy balls you see at gyms, health clubs and physical rehab centers can benefit you.
There are beneficial exercises, using the Swiss ball, for people of all ages and fitness levels.
I had my most fit clients using the big ball, assigning them routines that the average person could not possibly do.
Meanwhile, I had frail or older clients also doing exercises with a ball, but of course, these were matched to their fitness level.
I recommend that people over age 60 include the balance ball in their exercise routines. This includes sitting on the ball while pressing dumbbells overhead.
However, I absolutely urge against doing the majority of your routines with the ball.
This is because this tool does not mimic real-life movement in space. It’s great for a small portion of exercises, but not for most of them.
Pros of a Big Fitness Ball for Older People
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• They aren’t intimidating.
• They add variety to exercise.
• Many routines can be “cool” and funky, a creative change from more traditional routines that can get dull after awhile.
• Many routines are quite effective, such as lying on the ball and pressing dumbbells overhead.
• Can be used by all levels of fitness in older people.
• Highly portable.
Disadvantages of a Fitness or “Balance” Ball for the Older Person
• Does not substitute for basic strength training routines.
• It’s actually possible for people to slide or “fall off” a Swiss ball.
• Provides only limited strength training for the upper body, since balance gets involved and thus makes it more difficult to focus on strength output.
Some people end up spending too much of their exercise sessions with this tool, when instead, this device should be more of an adjunct to a comprehensive fitness regimen that’s based on traditional cardiovascular and strength training routines.
Balance ball exercises are too numerous to list here, but these devices, when purchased, come with illustrated routines.
You can also create routines, plus have a personal trainer demonstrate some that align with your fitness goals.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
Clever Ways to End the Intimidation of Lifting Weights
Here are super powerful and clever ways to end your intimidation over lifting weights.
Turn your intimidation into excitement and eagerness — you’ll be looking forward to every weight workout! (more…)
Is Obesity Selfish? Is Getting Fat Not Fair to Family?
The war rages whether or not obesity is selfish.
It’s like, “How can that mother allow herself to get that way? Her young kids will lose their mother early in life.” Have you heard it put that way before? (more…)
Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients Over 85
Patients over age 85 can benefit from minimally invasive aortic valve replacement.
Don’t let age stop you from having this life-changing procedure. (more…)
