Max Heart Rate?

[stevenhogg]

I've been able to start riding hard again (thanks to CST), but want to make sure I don't fall into the old habits of overtraining. I have a heart rate monitor that I can use, but find that the default Max Heart Rate (MHR) seems kind of low. 220-47=173.

I've checked out some info, but they just talk about the various ways to calculate.

I went riding yesterday and did some (3) hill sprints. Max heart rate hit 186 during the sprints, then recovered to about 135 within a couple of minutes after each sprint. RPE was a 9-10 for the sprint, but had plenty of time between to recover. Felt good on the way home and didn't wake up with any DOMS or fatigue.

So:

Is your MHR the highest you should attain or can attain?

Should I set my %MHR based on the calculation or the observed max?

Thanks

[AdamS.]

The max heart rate is determined from what the average max HR is safe for a person of your age. It isn't surprising that if you exert yourself up to 9 or 10, your HR will go above 100%. As long as you don't have any heart problems or you didn't have a doctor tell you not to exert yourself that much, you should be fine. It's a good sign that your HR drops back into recovery so quickly.

If you want a more customized HR, you can use the Karvonen method (http://www.briancalkins.com/HeartRate.htm). It takes into account not just your age, but your resting HR as well, which I would guess would be pretty low for you. Measure your HR first thing in the morning for a week and average it out to find what your resting HR is.

[Aengus]

I've been working on the same thing and it's taken a while to get the heart monitor calibrated to me. I started outon the default scale with the instrucion book and after a few weeks od trial and error I think i go it pegged in to me.

I started out in what I though was the 80% bracket but I had my max heart rate to low and I was constantly training on the outside of the zone. i could tell becasue I wasn't working very heard and I was STILL outside the zone. SO I raised my maximum HR and kept the percentage at 80% and I spend more time in the target zone now and I drop down to my low end of the zone (65% maybe?) in about a minute or less.

A heart monitor definalty adds another level of awarenes to your training.
I have a good friend who trains for Iron Man compititions and has givein me some good advice on them.

[stevenhogg]

The max heart rate is determined from what the average max HR is safe for a person of your age. It isn't surprising that if you exert yourself up to 9 or 10, your HR will go above 100%. As long as you don't have any heart problems or you didn't have a doctor tell you not to exert yourself that much, you should be fine. It's a good sign that your HR drops back into recovery so quickly.
I did read somewhere that there is about a 40 bpm spread at any age, so I guess that the only rule is that it goes down as we age - until we hit 0. :eek:


If you want a more customized HR, you can use the Karvonen method (http://www.briancalkins.com/HeartRate.htm). It takes into account not just your age, but your resting HR as well, which I would guess would be pretty low for you. Measure your HR first thing in the morning for a week and average it out to find what your resting HR is.
Interesting method, almost seems counter intutative in that those with a lower resting HR would hit 50% sooner, (I would have assumed that a lower resting HR would get you a higher maxHR) but actually it makes very good sense. It still does the max the old fashioned way (220-47=173) so I guess I'll have to adjust mine like Dale.

Thanks guys

[stevenhogg]

A heart monitor definalty adds another level of awarenes to your training.
I have a good friend who trains for Iron Man compititions and has givein me some good advice on them.
Hey Dale, if you have any cool pointers I'd appreciate it.

By the way, what activities do you use the monitor for?