Highly Sensitive People HSP Community Group

The highly sensitive person (or HSP) is someone who cares deeply about everything ... feels emotions with great intensity ... is highly conscientious ... has a rich and complex inner life ... is very intuitive ... is often creative in a variety of ways... is easily overwhelmed and/or overstimulated. A HSP needs lots of quiet time,space, and freedom. If this sounds...

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HollieJ81 05/04/2011

I am just wondering if anyone else who is an HSP has difficulty working out at the gym. I know being highly sensitive causes a high heart rate and mine is high. I also have a heart arrhythmia. I seem to be really struggling with working out at the gym. I can't seem to push myself at all because if I do my heart rate goes up really high like 171 which is not good. When I say push myself I mean my incline on the treadmill cannot go past a 2 or 3 and my speed has to stay below a 5. I have been to doctors and they say my heart is fine it's normal. So why can't I push myself? Does anyone else have this problem? I am having such a hard time staying in shape and i just want to be healthy.
If anyone can give me any insight I would really appreciate it

Janvier 05/04/2011

I don't go to a gym so I'm not much help with this. I love to walk & I also have a stationary bicycle which is helpful for my knees. Hopefully someone else can offer some advice.

mechellebelle 05/04/2011

I just can't work out in public. I find it MUCH easier to work out in my living room to a DVD, or do a workout from memory. I don't like being watched and I can't push myself b/c that leads to a flare with my lupus issues. I can't always do exercises others do, in say a class setting, and rather than push to keep up or bend this way or that, I just do it all at home.

As far as pushing yourself goes, maybe try to push a very small amount at a time. The more you become fit, the lower your heartrate should go, so maybe just try going beyond your regular workout, say, for 3-5 minutes for a session. Over time you might be surprised how far you have come.

mechellebelle 05/04/2011

I meant, your resting heartrate should go down as you become more fit, meaning your heart is in better shape and can weather stresses better.

deleted_user 05/05/2011

I work out at the gym but listen to an ipod while I do, so I can ignore most of what is going on in the gym. It helps me focus on my own workout and not worry about the others around me.
I agree with the above posts that you should take it a little at a time and once you build your endurance your heart rate will not rise as high.
If your heart rate is in the correct range then maybe you should stay at the speed and difficulty you are at. You will be exercising the heart muscle if you are in the right heart rate range, so there should be no reason to increase your speed/difficulty until that speed becomes easier and your heart rate no longer raises as high with that level of exertion.

HollieJ81 05/05/2011

Thank you everyone for replying. Pushing myself a little is what I was doing but I guess i'm just not ready for a push yet.
kcdot40 thank you for your insight you are probably right about keeping the speed at the same level until my heart rate drops a bit at that level and then push it a little.
I am not a huge fan of the Gym but my husband loves it and working out with him is fun so I do try to avoid talking with too many other people and we go when it isn't very busy so it doesn't stress me out that much. What stresses me out is i worry there is something wrong with my heart but I have had it checked out and I was told it is fine I just have an arrythmia and nothing else.
Thanks again everyone

deleted_user 05/06/2011

I work out at home wiht a DVD exercise and my walks in my back yard. I would not like to be around other people working out or having be watched, kind of makes me feel self-conscious. At home I can take my time working out and get to a point where I can feel comfortable, put in a music you like. I do agree that once you can build up your endurance, your heart will be fine. Hope it will go well for you.

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