Concerned HR Max

[Robrider]

Measuring max heart rate is a bit out of vogue at the moment. Trainers such as Joe Friel say that its more damaging to try and measure it that its actually worth. It is also not a very good indicator for training, because it will fluctuate as you get fitter. He sates that you should rather measure your lactic threshold (using a 30 minute time trial) and work off that. Its a much better indicator of the level you should be training.

 

For example, 2 people might have the same max HR, but one has a threshold at 85% and the other at 90% of max. They should not be training at the same HR to achieve the same effort.

[Robrider]

Damn that's high!You must have a really small heart

 

Or he's a budgie

[The expat cyclist]

Some useless info:

Saturdays race was 1:27 minutes for me and the stats are:

Max HR 170

Avg HR 161

1712 kCal

 

Then Monday was 1:30 on the IDT and the stats were:

Max HR 171

Avg HR 155

1591 kCal

[swartpiet]

Totally agree with the other guys here. The 220 method has never been proved to be accurate and never will be. There is just to many factors. And even for one person your Max HR will differ depending on your fitness levels as well. As you get fitter and your cardio vascular system gets stronger and more efficient your Max HR may come down. Your heart is a muscle and therefor has the ability to grow stronger and even increase in size/volume. Therefor with the correct long term exercise you can increase the strength of your heart and the volume it can put through with one beat/pump making it much more efficient. This will bring down the amount of beats/pumps needed to throughput the same amount of blood.

 

I know this is a mouthful but I proved this theory on myself. I started serious training for mountain biking 16 months ago. When I started my max HR was tested at 207. It is now 200. I avg 186 on a race and feel fine right through.

 

I always say your max HR is what your max HR is.

[SeaBee]

Brilliant. Thanks a mil Think I will need to re-calibrate my Polar FT80 according to the 3 zones again (sigh). My last funride was on Sunday (35Km) and my average HR was 186 so I'll need to up my max HR. Any suggestions on what the 3 zones would look like ? Start and end HR's for each zone...

 

Nick, find your resting HR and use Karvonen method to set up your zones.

[Lucky Luke.]

I am concerned, my max HR for the past week has been about 70-80 bpm. Sometimes when I get up out of this chair to make my 6th coffee I can squeak into the 80's. Should I be worried?

[toadwart777]

Definitely take Robrider's advice on training to "Lactate Threshold" and structure your training zones around that. I would also suggest to everyone out there to read Joe Friels blog.

 

http://www.joefrielsblog.com/

 

he has tons of usefull training information and is happy to share his knowledge with the general public. I am a Personal Trainer and I have learnt a lot from reading it.

[Tuxstir]

Or he's a budgie

 

 

yeah a budgie that wieghs in at 6'4" and 85kg..

 

i've just got a better pump in me than you

[Nick G]

Ok so this creates a small problem in the fact that if anyone has a Polar watch or any HRM then as that person gets fitter they would keep needing to update the "3 zones" of their HRM ? Mmmmm, not so keen on updating my watch every other weekend

BUT maybe I can just set it to what it is now and then check in about a month or so to see if any change has occured.

 

Would really be nice to get my HR down. Thanks for all the brilliant advice

[Nick G]

Nick, find your resting HR and use Karvonen method to set up your zones.

 

Brilliant will do that - thanks for this