Maximum Heart Rate question

[Adamo]

I recently got a gps watch that I use for my runs and I've been monitoring my pace and heart rate. I typically do long slow runs (5-7 miles at about a 9:00 - 9:30 pace) but yesterday I did a short fast run and I noticed that my average heart rate was 151 bpm (which translates to 85% of my MHR, I'm 42 years old) but I also noticed that my heart rate got up to 183 bpm on 2 occasions. According to the MHR calculation of 220 - AGE = MHR, my MHR would be 178 but yet I hit 183 on my run.

What do you make of this? Did I put myself in jeopardy by getting my heart rate up so high? Is the MHR calculation only an estimate and that, in fact, my MHR may be much higher than 178? Or, is my GPS totally wrong?

Any input on this would be appreciated!

thanks

[ckn]

Originally Posted by Adamo

I recently got a gps watch that I use for my runs and I've been monitoring my pace and heart rate. I typically do long slow runs (5-7 miles at about a 9:00 - 9:30 pace) but yesterday I did a short fast run and I noticed that my average heart rate was 151 bpm (which translates to 85% of my MHR, I'm 42 years old) but I also noticed that my heart rate got up to 183 bpm on 2 occasions. According to the MHR calculation of 220 - AGE = MHR, my MHR would be 178 but yet I hit 183 on my run.

What do you make of this? Did I put myself in jeopardy by getting my heart rate up so high? Is the MHR calculation only an estimate and that, in fact, my MHR may be much higher than 178? Or, is my GPS totally wrong?

Any input on this would be appreciated!

thanks

Max heart rate is only an estimate using a formula and the 220-age one is a bit outdated. The most recent, and slightly more accurate, formula is 214-(0.8 x age) for men, and 209-(0.9 x age) for women

That said, the only really accurate way to find YOUR MHR is to measure it!

Here's a decent article on the subject

Heart Beat: Finding Your Maximum Heart Rate
By Joe Dunbar
Developing a training programme involves measuring just how hard your heart can work - but it's not as simple as you might think


If you're the proud owner of a new heart rate monitor, you'll doubtless be wondering just how high you can make it go. And it wouldn't be a bad idea. Coaches and athletes often like to establish a maximal heart rate (or MHR) in order to calculate training heart rates - usually as a percentage of this value.

The traditional strategy is to use the formula of 220 minus age to 'guestimate' your max. This is often used in health clubs. Here, charts show age-related MHR and training heart rates for cardiovascular fitness development. For example, if you are 40, your estimated MHR would be 180 (ie 220-40). You can then calculate training heart rates from this, using a formula such as 70 per cent MHR (which would be 126).

It's quite simple, but unfortunately it's not accurate for everyone. American sports scientists have modified the basic formula to allow for gender: 214-(0.8 x age) for men, and 209-(0.9 x age) for women. However, this still gives a generalised result.

If you want to find your true MHR, you'll have to do a little work and some measurement with your heart rate monitor. But it's not as straightforward as taking a peak reading from a race or a hard training session, no matter how exhausted you might make yourself. When it comes to your heart, it's how you work up to your max that counts.

Sports science laboratories often use a graded treadmill run to establish MHR. The speed of the track is gradually increased until you can no longer keep up, and your heart rate at this point is assumed to be your MHR.

However, findings from Oslo have suggested that a combination of short runs will give you higher readings still, and this would seem to be your best option. Run as fast as you can evenly for three minutes (ideally on a treadmill), rest with two or three minutes gentle running, and then repeat your three-minute maximal run. During the second run you should get a higher MHR value than with any other method, though use your monitor to take readings throughout it, as your heart rate may peak before the end (see below). Shorter, faster bursts don't appear to work, as the leg muscles then become exhausted before the cardio-respiratory system.

Other factors contribute to MHR values (see below) and should be taken into account before you set off on your rush to exhaustion. Needless to say, you should be in good physical health before you do any intensive exercise, let alone running to your body's upper limits. If you are in any doubt at all, always get a medical check-up.

Recording your MHR

* Make sure you're healthy and well clear of injury and infection
* Ensure that your transmitter belt is attached securely and dampen the electrodes
* Warm up thoroughly for the task
* If your heart rate monitor records data, set the recording interval to five seconds and view the data after your test.
* Otherwise, view the receiver every 10 seconds in the last minute of your effort, as the max may not be at the very end.

Factors affecting your MHR

Warm-up Both the duration and intensity of your warm-up will affect your heart rates in your test. A longer warm-up of moderate intensity will give higher readings than a quick, light jog, because your body temperature and muscle blood flow will be greater.

Previous activityYou need to be fresh to be able to perform at your true max. If you have trained hard on the previous couple of days, you are unlikely to be able to run at sufficient intensity to register your genuine MHR.

ProtocolRather than one continuous run to exhaustion, or a graded test, try a couple of hard three-minute bursts after a thorough warm-up.

Running environment Research has shown that you are likely to get slightly higher readings if you run on a treadmill rather than outside. A treadmill can also help you keep level pace in your three-minute bursts, and may help to prevent you setting off way too fast and fatiguing early.

Mode of exerciseIt's important that you use the mode of activity that you're training for. For example, your MHR from a cycle test is almost certain to be lower than your running MHR, unless you're also a highly trained cyclist.

[wildstang]

Originally Posted by Adamo

I recently got a gps watch that I use for my runs and I've been monitoring my pace and heart rate. I typically do long slow runs (5-7 miles at about a 9:00 - 9:30 pace) but yesterday I did a short fast run and I noticed that my average heart rate was 151 bpm (which translates to 85% of my MHR, I'm 42 years old) but I also noticed that my heart rate got up to 183 bpm on 2 occasions. According to the MHR calculation of 220 - AGE = MHR, my MHR would be 178 but yet I hit 183 on my run.

What do you make of this? Did I put myself in jeopardy by getting my heart rate up so high? Is the MHR calculation only an estimate and that, in fact, my MHR may be much higher than 178? Or, is my GPS totally wrong?

Any input on this would be appreciated!

thanks

on the part of the question about putting oneself in jeopardy really is dependent on your conditioning. say 4 instance a person is a couch potato and dosent get much cardio yes in jeopardy there. if your quite active and in decent shape it wont hurt one bit health wise other then pulling you out of the fat burning zone. when sprinting for example ones heart rate skyrockets.

[Adamo]

Is it still true that exercising in the 75-85% range of MHR is ideal for improving aerobic conditioning?

[Adamo]

Here are some interesting numbers. I didn't do exactly what the above article says but I went on a 5 mile jog at about an 8:30 pace then I cooled down a bit and then did 4 x 20 sec. hill sprints and after 2 of the sprints my heart rate reached over 200 bpm, the highest reading being 217!

I'm going to try and repeat this to make sure that it's somewhat accurate.

I'm not sure what to make of this. I've always been trying to train in the correct target heart rate zone for age, based on the old '220 - age' formula at about 75 - 85 % of MHR but now it seems I need to rethink all this.

[ckn]

Originally Posted by Adamo

Is it still true that exercising in the 75-85% range of MHR is ideal for improving aerobic conditioning?

75-85% range is the target area for maximum fat burn and cardio endurance, so yes

[helpmespock]

have someone watch you, when you keel over they take your pulse. thats your maximum heart rate. If you live to do cardio again subtract 10 % and everything will be rosy.

[ckn]

Originally Posted by helpmespock

have someone watch you, when you keel over they take your pulse. thats your maximum heart rate. If you live to do cardio again subtract 10 % and everything will be rosy.

A bit extreme

Also, it's not exactly accurate as a slow build-up to max heart rate will give you a higher count than if you did it as an all-out burst from cold. That's one of the valuable things a good warm-up does, it gives your cardiovascular system a bit of an extra edge over a "cold" system.

[Steel_UK]

Digging up this old topic, today on a run I tackled the steepest hillside in the area, a good mile and a half alone on a hillside where cars are usually in second gear before I went into the old quarry. I was surprised to find I was getting my heart rate up well past 200bpm, with an approximate of between 220 and 240 bpm.

Whether or not getting it that high did more harm than good I don't know, but I doubt it given that I felt fine and had no breathing issues etc. than what would be expected for moderate to intensive levels of activity. I've breathed harder when squatting for 20+ reps!

Thoughts?

[PurfectTom]

If one is conditioned then yes one may get to MHR and maintain it for a while, but at recent exercise ECG (treadmill test) technician was quite adamant that despite feeling fine, the test was over when I got to over 90% MHR as this is associated with increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heart beat) - which was a polite way of saying (a low) risk of dropping dead and she rather wanted to be certain of getting home on time :-) The exercising guidelines for MHR are not about what one can achieve, but what is most productive in terms of fitness, stamina and cardiac well-being .

[Steel_UK]

I understand that ideally my heart rate should be lower for sustained periods, but I had no idea what my maximum heart rate was now. I guess now that I have a better idea of where the max rate lies (somewhere between 220 and 240 I'd think), I can plan where I should have my heart rate for when keeping it up for extended periods. So using the 70% theory, I should look to keep it around 158-168bpm.