Is a high heart rate a precursor to performance?

[porky]

I'm 36 with a max hr of 201. My friend did the low impact training (maintaining a low heartrate trainning 140 max)for the epic last year.

I on the other hand maintain around 160 max' date=' and a general ave of 136.

I beat him on steap hills. But he can maintain for longer on the level roads.

My cal rate is around 1150kcal/h were he runs around 850kcal/h at the same pace. So in conclusion, he can maintain due to the lower hr. body weight also plays a part. I'm 110 kg were he's only 81kg.

[/quote']

 

This is actually a very good and very normal heartrate for endurance activities - approx between 140 and 160 bpm is the recommendation - you dont really need a moniter to work this out either - around 140 bpm is "comfortable talking or steady conversation pace", above 160 bpm few can hold a conversation.  

[GTRacing]

I train mostly lsd (long slow distance 3 hrs at 140bpm max) with ssi or lti at the end of these rides.

[skelmpie]

Cardiac output = stroke volume * heart rate. Cardiac output only suggests the amount of blood that is circulated in a certain period of time(useally per minute).  But the composition blood also differs from person to person(i.e. amount of haemoglobin,red blood cells, free fatty acids, insulin etc..) The best way to determine aerobic capacity of an individual, without use of a powermeter and heart rate monitor, is to have a VO2max test done in a lab. 

[GTRacing]

I read in the ride mag that after two - four weeks of no training your blood volume reduces by 5 - 10%

Overall endrance performance 5 - 20%

 To inprove your fintnes, do you need to do train more than 4 hrs a week at moderate to high hr? 

[boeing]

 

Cardiac output = stroke volume * heart rate. Cardiac output only suggests the amount of blood that is circulated in a certain period of time(useally per minute).  But the composition blood also differs from person to person(i.e. amount of haemoglobin' date='red blood cells, free fatty acids, insulin etc..) The best way to determine aerobic capacity of an individual, without use of a powermeter and heart rate monitor, is to have a VO2max test done in a lab. [/quote']

 

VO2 max is the only way to determine aerobic capacity. Chris Froome's max heart rate was 160 odd a few years ago, im not sure what it is now. Max heart rate has no relevance on performance whatsoever. Resting heart rate is more important, as it is an indication of how efficiently your heart is working.

 

[boeing]

 

I read in the ride mag that after two - four weeks of no training your blood volume reduces by 5 - 10%

Overall endrance performance 5 - 20%

 To inprove your fintnes' date=' do you need to do train more than 4 hrs a week at moderate to high hr? 

[/quote']

 

Fitness is a loose term. Aerobic fitness requires you to put in aerobic training sessions. Intensity plays an important role too. Its not black and white, as everyone is different. Ideally, training 4-6 hours a week would be a start, but that will only get you so far

 

[Roders]

I'm no boff on this either but my team mate and I' date=' both in our early 50's, have been training and racing together for many years.

My max HR is 178, he can still get close to 200. He seems to be able to out - accelerate / sprint me easily, but on a long haul or hillclimb I can ride him off at will. I don't know if this correlates to anything.

[/quote']

 

Phew, I think your bud has a V6 in that moniter and I think its over reading.

 

At 50+ years young 200 bpm is very high, unusually so in fact. As one ages the heart wall naturally becomes more "calcified and less supple" theres nothing one can do about this, its just a process of ageing.

 

Staying fit and healthy slows the process down but it will never stop it completely, so correspondingly as we age the max BPM our hearts can attain is reduced.

 

Reaching a beat rate of 200 at that age is phenominal - I know the max rates of some really good athletes (and I am talking 7 hour Comrades finishers) in their late 30s early 40s who max out at around 185 - fairly similar to you at 178 which is still very, very good for your age. 

 

Please dont get me wrong, I am NOT doubting your word, I am just saying its highly unusual.

 

 

 

 

We have often wondered about the huge discrepency between our heart rates, If riding together, same workload, he's always a good 15 beats faster than me. As I said he does seem to have massive short burst acceleration but no real endurance. This guy is a multiple comrades runner as well, untill the high impact running got to his joints.

[porky]

 

 

 

We have often wondered about the huge discrepency between our heart rates' date=' If riding together, same workload, he's always a good 15 beats faster than me. As I said he does seem to have massive short burst acceleration but no real endurance. This guy is a multiple comrades runner as well, untill the high impact running got to his joints.

[/quote']

 

Interesting Roders.

 

I wonder if your bud has ever had a heart sonar? Maybe you could ask him?

 

If he has, what was the prognosis?

 

Please understand, I am NOT a doctor, but from my experience I am going to make an assumption and I would be interested to know if its right.

 

I am going to say you bud has a significantly smaller heart than average (which in itself is a good thing) and its not that unusual, however what is unusual, is that it appears due to the demands he has placed on it in the past, his heart has adapted to run at a higher resting and max BPM than normal for your age group (I am also 50 and max out at around 175 which is very similar to you) - I could never attain 200.

 

Again, I am not a cardiologist, but I have chatted to one or two about this kind of thing as I also have a heart defect in that my heart skips a beat every 4th cycle - its never bothered me but obviously its something I keep an eye on.

 

Everyone bases there standards on the norms BP 120 OVER 80 / normal pulse of 72 etc,etc, but there are so many variables involved and the body been the magnificient machine it is - just adapts.

 

Maybe you could ask your mate and let us know - I think its really interesting.!

 

 

[nochain]

I'm no boff on this either but my team mate and I' date=' both in our early 50's, have been training and racing together for many years.

My max HR is 178, he can still get close to 200. He seems to be able to out - accelerate / sprint me easily, but on a long haul or hillclimb I can ride him off at will. I don't know if this correlates to anything.

[/quote']

 

Phew, I think your bud has a V6 in that moniter and I think its over reading.

 

At 50+ years young 200 bpm is very high, unusually so in fact. As one ages the heart wall naturally becomes more "calcified and less supple" theres nothing one can do about this, its just a process of ageing.

 

Staying fit and healthy slows the process down but it will never stop it completely, so correspondingly as we age the max BPM our hearts can attain is reduced.

 

Reaching a beat rate of 200 at that age is phenominal - I know the max rates of some really good athletes (and I am talking 7 hour Comrades finishers) in their late 30s early 40s who max out at around 185 - fairly similar to you at 178 which is still very, very good for your age. 

 

Please dont get me wrong, I am NOT doubting your word, I am just saying its highly unusual.

 

 

 

 

We have often wondered about the huge discrepency between our heart rates, If riding together, same workload, he's always a good 15 beats faster than me. As I said he does seem to have massive short burst acceleration but no real endurance. This guy is a multiple comrades runner as well, untill the high impact running got to his joints.

 

What is your Treshold hrt as a % of your max compared to he's?

You should alway's check your efforts as a % of your treshold hrt not your max..for example you are climbing at 102% versus he might be at 105% and riding next to you.

[Flea]

It is like comparing a diesel and a petrol motor - generally you would put the diesel on the heavier vehicle and a petrol in a lighter sportier number. Had this with a lighter training partner - he is always 20+ bpm higher than me.

[SwissVan]

 

Ask your mate to check in his users manual what his bore and stroke is.

I suspect if you compare yours and his you will see that his stroke is significantly shorter while his bore is the same or larger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Roders]

I think my VO max is 168 bpm (thats when the legs start to reject me) I can climb at a constant 165 bpm for an indefinate period, climbing is one of my strengths.

Incidently my bud can outdrink anyone who will go one for one with him, don't know if this is significant