Resting & Max HR

[RodTi]

Hello All,

 

Resting HR - if I use my Polar to get my average HR whilst potting around the house, in the evenings - will this do? Or by resting - do they mean "resting, i.e. lying down, not moving"?...

 

How long should I measure for?

 

As for max - if I've been using a HR monitor for a few years - which can give me the highest rate my ticker has ever raced at, over this period of time - then does it make sense, in ignoring what might have been a never to be repeated "peak", to assume my max HR to be a few beats lower - i.e not 193 but say 189/190?

 

Does it really make that big a difference, a few beats/minute either ways?

 

Need to input these stats into my Garmin Edge to set up my training etc...

 

Many thanks!

[covie]

lol for some reason i read somewhere you need to measure when you just wake up and for some reason your bladder needs to be empty.

[stewie911]

Measure your resting hr when you wake up in the morning. Put it on and wait a minute or so and then record the lowest that it goes.

 

As for max the best is to do a stress test. The highest my hr usually get to in racing is about 95%.

 

1 or 2 beats won't really make a difference

[Trubie]

Does anyone actualy ever know their true max hr? Dont think so.

Just use the max Polar reading you have, and add another 5 or so beats.

Its just an indication anyway.

 

As for resting, much more meaningful. Take it while you still lying down. Dont know about the empty bladder theory.

[mtb_Josh]

My bladder is never empty when I wake up

[stewie911]

Well, polar says mine is 184 and I have never gone over that, but have on 3 occasions reached it.

 

1. Doing trail running intervals and then running a big hill as fast as I could.

2. Doing a 5km trailrun race. (Got 2nd place, so was really really really pushing it to keep guys off my back)

3. Hitting a nasty hill with the bike and pushing to the limit while having a bad hangover.

 

So, I'd say I think 184 is pretty much as accurate as can be

[DMC007]

Does anyone actualy ever know their true max hr? Dont think so.

Just use the max Polar reading you have, and add another 5 or so beats.

Its just an indication anyway.

 

As for resting, much more meaningful. Take it while you still lying down. Dont know about the empty bladder theory.

 

One could use this method to determine your MHR for cycling. There can be marked discrepancies between the estimated MHR and real life results (up to 5% of athletes can have heart rates 20 beats above or below the ESTIMATED figure). And if you are in shape, the typical decline of one beat per minute per year doesn't always hold.

 

Warm up thoroughly (maybe 15 minutes on the flats). On a long, steady hill (doesn't have to be steep)increase effort every minute for at least 5 minutes until you can't go any faster (sitting, not standing). Then sprint for 15 seconds (it is OK to stand at this point). Stop, get off the bike (this is for safety reasons - not mandatory) and immediately check your heart rate at its maximum for a full 30 seconds - then double that number. This will give you a practical maximum heart rate in beats per minute. Similar results can be obtained on a stationary trainer.

 

CALCULATING YOUR PERCENTAGE OF MHR :

Once you have determined your MHR & RHR you could go further and do this calc.

RestingHR55 - MaxHR182 = 127bpm

127 x your % that you want, say 70% = 88.90

88.90 + RestingHR55 = 144bpm.

Therefore 144bmp = 70%

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[RodTi]

Thanks Hubbers...

 

Popped the HR belt on for a bit... +/- 20 bpm difference between pottering around the kitchen, and lying down chilling... So figure first thing in the morning will be way closer to what it should be!

 

Will check it out...

 

PS - I assume that in the same way that all of us are different wrt max HR, so we're different with resting HR?

 

Or is there an "ideal" resting HR zone?

 

PPS - wasn't the Big Mig's resting HR something stupid like 26 bpm? That can't be right, can it?

[DMC007]

Well, polar says mine is 184 and I have never gone over that, but have on 3 occasions reached it.

 

1. Doing trail running intervals and then running a big hill as fast as I could.

2. Doing a 5km trailrun race. (Got 2nd place, so was really really really pushing it to keep guys off my back)

3. Hitting a nasty hill with the bike and pushing to the limit while having a bad hangover.

 

So, I'd say I think 184 is pretty much as accurate as can be

 

...Whats your age Stewie?

[Solstice]

Well, polar says mine is 184 and I have never gone over that, but have on 3 occasions reached it.

 

1. Doing trail running intervals and then running a big hill as fast as I could.

2. Doing a 5km trailrun race. (Got 2nd place, so was really really really pushing it to keep guys off my back)

3. Hitting a nasty hill with the bike and pushing to the limit while having a bad hangover.

 

So, I'd say I think 184 is pretty much as accurate as can be

So how did you establish your 184 and how the resting heartrate?

[stewie911]

I'm 24.

Resting hr is 39. Overall I have a very low hr. Still trying to figure out if it's a good/bad thing when it comes to performance.

 

Solstice, the 184 I got from doing a max hr test on my polar. It then also computes your VO2max, and I confirmed the 184 with that 3 things I named.

 

Resting hr I measure with the polar when I wake up in the morning. I immediatly put on the hr strap, turn on the hr function and lie still for a while and then take the minimum reading

[stewie911]

One could use this method to determine your MHR for cycling. There can be marked discrepancies between the estimated MHR and real life results (up to 5% of athletes can have heart rates 20 beats above or below the ESTIMATED figure). And if you are in shape, the typical decline of one beat per minute per year doesn't always hold.Warm up thoroughly (maybe 15 minutes on the flats). On a long, steady hill (doesn't have to be steep)increase effort every minute for at least 5 minutes until you can't go any faster (sitting, not standing). Then sprint for 15 seconds (it is OK to stand at this point). Stop, get off the bike (this is for safety reasons - not mandatory) and immediately check your heart rate at its maximum for a full 30 seconds - then double that number. This will give you a practical maximum heart rate in beats per minute. Similar results can be obtained on a stationary trainer.CALCULATING YOUR PERCENTAGE OF MHR :Once you have determined your MHR & RHR you could go further and do this calc.RestingHR55 - MaxHR182 = 127bpm127 x your % that you want, say 70% = 88.9088.90 + RestingHR55 = 144bpm.Therefore 144bmp = 70%Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

To get the percentages just use this:

 

If you want 70% of max, then multiply maximum hr by 0.7

 

Max(183) x 0.7 = 128bmp

[DMC007]

I'm 24.

Resting hr is 39. Overall I have a very low hr. Still trying to figure out if it's a good/bad thing when it comes to performance.

 

Solstice, the 184 I got from doing a max hr test on my polar. It then also computes your VO2max, and I confirmed the 184 with that 3 things I named.

 

For your age should you not be reaching a higher MHR?

[Minion]

For your age should you not be reaching a higher MHR?

The 220-age formula has a standard deviation of around 8-10bpm. Around 16% of 24 year olds could be expected to have a MHR lower than 186bpm.

 

The reasoning behind taking a pee before measuring your RHR is that a full bladder is uncomfortable and adds to your stress levels. This raises your HR above true RHR.

[Scoe]

I'm 19 and on no less than 4 occasions, on different race days I've hit +218 bpm on my monitor... I know it's not the norm, but is this plausible or may there be a problem with the HR or maybe me?

My resting is around 45bpm on the HR.

I often average about 185bpm on the shorter XC races (+-2hrs)

[Wrigs]

I'm 24.

Resting hr is 39. Overall I have a very low hr. Still trying to figure out if it's a good/bad thing when it comes to performance.

 

Solstice, the 184 I got from doing a max hr test on my polar. It then also computes your VO2max, and I confirmed the 184 with that 3 things I named.

 

Resting hr I measure with the polar when I wake up in the morning. I immediatly put on the hr strap, turn on the hr function and lie still for a while and then take the minimum reading

 

 

On the whole the lower your resting HR is the better and 39 is pretty awesome. At 24 you will have a massive HR range between max or Theoretical max and your resting HR and the bigger this range is the more you have to work with.