Max Heart Rates

[Navias007]

Hi, I'm sure this topic or similar topics have been posted but I couldn't find anything.

My max heart rate is 172 bpm. Recently I was ill for a 2 week period. I started riding again and ever since I was ill I cannot get anywhere near my max. Right now 145bpm is the best I can do yet my speed etc... over the same distances I have done in the past hasnt change at all. 

Could 2 weeks off the bike really be the reason?

Any advise would be appreciated.

[Titleist]

Are you sure you hr monitor is working right? Battery might be getting flat.

[ZamaK]

That would mean your fitness has improved drastically! If performance  hasn’t changed, but max HR has gone down.

Seems more like a fitness fixer than a serious sickness. What was wrong if u don’t mind me asking. 

Edited May 12, 2021 by ZamaK
Missing word

[Patchelicious]

Lower HR doesn’t always mean increases in fitness.

I used to regularly get above 200. 
When I became unfit I couldn’t get it near 190. After some training it’s back up at 200.

A drop from 170 to 140 means something is broken. Maybe try a different HR strap or battery to see it is that. There is also the chance that it was misreading before and is now reading correctly, but then 140 would be low-ish max.

If it’s not the HR strap, then it’s you that’s broken and you should get that checked out.

Edited May 12, 2021 by Patchelicious

[Navias007]

Cant be the battery, I'm getting the same readings off another hr monitor. Ive checked settings etc... also all good. 

I expected to lose some fitness but not to that extent. Just a bout of flu, nothing crazy.

Gonna persevere for anothewr week and see what happens.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

 

[Patchelicious]

21 minutes ago, Navias007 said:

Cant be the battery, I'm getting the same readings off another hr monitor. Ive checked settings etc... also all good. 

I expected to lose some fitness but not to that extent. Just a bout of flu, nothing crazy.

Gonna persevere for anothewr week and see what happens.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

 

However you mention that you still do the same speed and time over a set distance.

Maybe post two similar Strava rides where the HRs are so vastly different, perhaps that will leave some clues.

[aquaratza]

It can take a long time to get over an illness. Some people on the forums have indicated very long recovery times for symptomatic Covid infections and normal Flu can also be very nasty. What doesn't kill you doesn't necessarily make you stronger.

Edited May 12, 2021 by aquaratza

[fanievb]

being ill usually result in my threshold HR being higher, when I get fit again it comes down, not the other way around.

(Remember your max HR is just that, your max, and don't believe the 200 min age, its crap. BTW have you ever had a max HR test?)

After C19 last year, my HR took 2 months to return to "normal operating speed"

I agree with the others, it looks more like device issues than your HR

[amac]

What was your average HR before your flu and how does that compare to your average HR now ?

 

How long and far are you riding ?

[lechatnoir]

a few things - get someone else to try the strap, make sure the contacts are wet enough, borrow a smart watch and A/B the two together, change the battery (no really do this thing), or perhaps it's your body just telling you to take it slower for a bit. 

[The Guy in Pink]

The Pink Mouse is 64 but she gives 45 minutes of spinning class each morning at the local gym- to a group that wants to be pushed hard. She complained to me a few weeks ago that her maximum heart rate is decreasing and no matter how hard she pushes herself  she cannot get over 160bpm. 

I told her I think it's because she is getting very fit, but as she has not done much running for a while why not see what happens if she pushes herself on the treadmill, as it's a different set of muscles with a different fitness level.

She pushed herself and did a PB 5km in 25minutes. Averaging 162BPM and peaking at 180BPM.

[The Guy in Pink]

36 minutes ago, fanievb said:

being ill usually result in my threshold HR being higher, when I get fit again it comes down, not the other way around.

(Remember your max HR is just that, your max, and don't believe the 200 min age, its crap. BTW have you ever had a max HR test?)
 

Yip,  220 minus age does not work for those of us that have kept active all our lives. It works for normal sedentary types - Use it or lose it. 

The best test is chasing a overloaded truck or bus up a mountain, when properly warmed up. 

[TNT1]

11 hours ago, aquaratza said:

It can take a long time to get over an illness. Some people on the forums have indicated very long recovery times for symptomatic Covid infections and normal Flu can also be very nasty. What doesn't kill you doesn't necessarily make you stronger.

Yeah, but exercise during recovery would normally make you're HR spike, not remain subdued, wouldn't it?

[Vetplant]

1 hour ago, TNT1 said:

Yeah, but exercise during recovery would normally make you're HR spike, not remain subdued, wouldn't it?

What I am wondering about is whether or not these viruses (Covid+Flu) actually attacks the heart muscles in such a way that it cannot pump as fast as it used to.

Imagine your legs have an infection, I doubt they will be able to reach the same speed and power as they would when healthy. Now transfer that theory to your heart muscles. Something is going on that prevents it from operating optimally, maybe?

It is weird that this is not the first time in the past 18 months that I've heard of this "lower-heart rate" thing when returning from illness. ????‍♂️

Edited May 13, 2021 by Vetplant
Spelling

[TNT1]

1 hour ago, Vetplant said:

What I am wondering about is whether or not these viruses (Covid+Flu) actually attacks the heart muscles in such a way that it cannot pump as fast as it used to.

Imagine your legs have an infection, I doubt they will be able to reach the same speed and power as they would when healthy. Now transfer that theory to your heart muscles. Something is going on that prevents it from operating optimally, maybe?

It is weird that this is not the first time in the past 18 months that I've heard of this "lower-heart rate" thing when returning from illness. ????‍♂️

Covid (and other viruses like flu) can lead to myocarditis, inflammation of the heart muscle lining, the symptoms of that are heart palpitations, which would be spikes of faster heart rate.

I don't have it off hand, but there are some links in the show notes of the latest Science of Sport podcast to some studies around this.

[dasilvarsa]

Medication Takes Long to Get Out of Your System.

I took Antibiotics and Could Not go above 130 Now It's back to 163 Max

I'm 62 and 3/4 Years Old.