Max Heart Rate

[crisisjez]

Looking for a little advice. I know the theoretical MHR is approx 220 minus your age (im my case thats approx 170).
I exceed that on a regular basis and I find that at I can maintain 160 for several Hours and hold a conversation, which according to the same source I should not be able to do.
I am a little concerned that I am harming myself even though I am experiencing no ill efferct during or afterwards so can the wise owls on here have a quick look at my latest ride and comment if there is anything there. (Ridden this evening in those nasty winds) Or is my HRM phooey.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/191316096

TIA

[ewenm]

Your HRM isn't borked, the rule-of-thumb of 220-Age just doesn't work for everyone.

[offendi]

There's loads of formulae out there for guessing your max HR.

Ive found one method that actually works *

1. Find a long, steep hill
2. Ride up as hard as you can until you feel light headed
3. Your HR when you need to stop as might passs out is you maximum

Im several BPM above all calulated max's but my mates max HR is always under

• the is some debate about this but i choose to ignore it

[crisisjez]

offendi said:

There's loads of formulae out there for guessing your max HR.

Ive found one method that actually works *

1. Find a long, steep hill
2. Ride up as hard as you can until you feel light headed
3. Your HR when you need to stop as might passs out is you maximum

Im several BPM above all calulated max's but my mates max HR is always under

• the is some debate about this but i choose to ignore it

Using your method I'd be somewhere far North of 190bpm which can't be right.......
(not hard enough to try it either)

[anonymous-user]

My wife's heart races (nothing to do with me!) and her heartrate was 220bpm the other week. I ran a sub 19 min 5k the other night and max rate was 170, I cant get it any higher. ..

[lost in espace]

Jimboka said:

My wife's heart races (nothing to do with me!) and her heartrate was 220bpm the other week. I ran a sub 19 min 5k the other night and max rate was 170, I cant get it any higher. ..

Same here, but my wifes resting is much higher!

[AM04ARO]

I Have seen 185 as the maximum so far which is a little higher than what it 'should' be.

Running as opposed to cycling but I tend to be over 160 most of the time too. Normally I find that I am not needing to breath heavily however at 170+ I do

So HRM seems normal.

[Burrow01]

220- your age is an average, not applicable to everyone, cannot see what harm you would be doing your heart if you are able to hit and maintain those rates - it would be telling you soon enough if it was a problem

What is your resting heart rate?

If you are concerned go and see your GP and get an ECG - I spoke to mine a few weeks ago as my resting rate had dropped from 60 to 48 whilst I was training for a 100k ride - came back clear

Just wish I could get to your sort of rates without exploding (same age I suspect..)

[RRS_Staffs]

Im not an expert but would suggest your HR monitor is telling porkies

I am reasonably fit and approx your age at a guess, there is no way I can hold a conversation with a HR of 160bpm

cheers

[BMWBen]

Don't worry, you can't exceed your max heart rate.

I think all that happens when you reach and keep pushing harder it is you stop getting enough oxygen around so it's self limiting.

I know I'm close when I start to get tunnel vision and things lose the correct level of contrast

[crisisjez]

Burrow01 said:

220- your age is an average, not applicable to everyone, cannot see what harm you would be doing your heart if you are able to hit and maintain those rates - it would be telling you soon enough if it was a problem

What is your resting heart rate?

If you are concerned go and see your GP and get an ECG - I spoke to mine a few weeks ago as my resting rate had dropped from 60 to 48 whilst I was training for a 100k ride - came back clear

Just wish I could get to your sort of rates without exploding (same age I suspect..)

Resting heart rate this morning was 55. I have an ECG for work every 2 years so there's nothing wrong with the old pump, I also tried 3 HRM's last night at the same time and within 2bpm they all read the same.
As long as its ok I don't really care what the number is, just wish it meant I could pedal faster

[Fluffsri]

Jez I did a max heart rate test with the RAF, I recorded a 204 with a rest of 70. I used to race between 160 and 185 and now just riding to work Im always around 150 165, I can still talk unless its a big hill then Im buggered

Ive given up with HRMs now and just get on with it

[toxicated]

offendi said:

There's loads of formulae out there for guessing your max HR.

Ive found one method that actually works *

1. Find a long, steep hill
2. Ride up as hard as you can until you feel light headed
3. Your HR when you need to stop as might passs out is you maximum

Im several BPM above all calulated max's but my mates max HR is always under

• the is some debate about this but i choose to ignore it

My max HR was calculated at 205 in a slightly more technical way but essentially this. This graph is from a spinning class. Think it was training endurance rather than power - they all seem to merge into one once I've finished.

[crisisjez]

Fluffsri said:

I can still talk unless its a big hill then Im buggered

I hear that

[okgo]

You'll find it if you keep pushing as hard as you can.

I thought mine was 194 (24 y/o) but reached 195 in a race after then 196 more recently. Not sure what it means really, I ride with two lads, one my age one 27 that both have max of 205 and neither are fitter/faster than I.

[daz3210]

Could it be that the heart specifically is fitter though?

[okgo]

daz3210 said:

Could it be that the heart specifically is fitter though?

Not sure. I guess there's so much to it, vo2 etc.

[anonymous-user]

The only way to test is to find a big hill and push to failure or take a ramp test. The classic age - 40 formula is a very rough guide and HR is a very personal thing. One of the guys I train with is big into triathlons and cannot get his HR over 150 no matter how hard he pushes. My HR is well above what it should be using the calculation but my resting rate is low.

[Fourmotion]

Maximum heart rate is not a clear indicator of fitness. 2 people could have identical maximums, but one has to cycle at 45 km/h to achieve it, the other 25km/h.

Like okgo says, there are other factors.

For instance, your max HR might be 210, but if your anaerobic threshold is at 80% of this then you'll start to fatigue at 168bpm. Working to improve fitness will have more of a positive impact on the threshold and not the maximum heart rate.

Your VO2 max could also be achieved well before your maximum heart rate, so your oxygen supply could expire before you can even reach your heart's potential.

I'd suggest verifying either your HRM or your health, as holding 160+ for a few hours and being able to talk either means the HRM is reading high, or your heart is pumping abnormally fast for your breathing pattern (smoker maybe?).

[daz3210]

Is the resting heart rate any indication on fitness?

I had an echo-cardiagram about 3 weeks ago, and the lady that did it commented about my low heart rate being an indicator of fitness.