This might be a stupid question...

redddraggon

But how do you work out your MHR? I've got a Polar CS100 - does that store the highest HR you reach? When ever I'm going at what I feel is my maximum I never think to look down at the HRM.

Any tips?

Bronzie

There is a suggested method here:
http://www.timetrialtraining.co.uk/S6Ma ... eTests.htm
but be aware that it may not be that easy to push yourself to the point where you are seeing stars / ready to puke.

My MHR (which is currently a contentious issue) is based on maximum recorded readings during bunch races and hard chaingangs where I KNOW I've been at my absolute limit because my legs have turned to mush and I've been dropped.

pedylan

220 minus your age.

Actually that might be a stupid answer. :twisted:

Your asking two questions? How to reach your HR max and how to record the value.

A ramp test where you increase effort every 1-2 mins by increasing resistance or upping gear whilst maintaining cadence will steadliy up your HR. When you can't increase effort to the next level get out of the saddle and go flat out for at elast 30 secs. That will achieve very close to max HR. (Do it on a turbo trainer, it ain't safe on the road).

My polar monitor (520I) will store mean and max HR for every exercise set (as well as other bike related and calorie data) so it's just a case of looking it up on the settings, check your manual.

oldwelshman

This is a strange one with MHR.
Sometimes I riide at 100% PE and my hr only goes to 155, and this happens generally on a shortish climb when I sprint up.
Other times on longer hills, I clim hardish, and hr goes to 150 then when I push for last couple of hundred metres it goes up to 170 so guess the ramp test is best way to get to it
I have also reached 170 in a race but only noticed after downloading data
Guesss thats because adrenalin kills the pain.

Jeff Jones

It takes a while for HR to respond to how hard you're going, so you need a long enough hill (or straight) to do a proper test. Something that takes at least 5-10 minutes to get up. Also, if you look down just after completing your effort, your heart rate will still be high; it might even go up slightly when you stop pedalling.

The last time I hit max HR (197) was in a race about 5 years ago where I'd attacked with 1km to go and stayed away to win. I've also reached the low 190s in max tests on an ergo and at the end of sprints when I'm very very fresh.

Note: training tends to lower your max because of heart muscle adaptations.

redddraggon

I can't use a turbo as I've got no mental strength to beat the boredom, although I've got plenty of long hills - I'll give them a bash until I feel like I'm going to die - sound like a plan?

celbianchi

I recorded mine via a hard hill effort. Good warm up, then find a long hill, prefereably getting steeper as you ascend. Go at it progressively harder until you feel you have no more to give, then get out of the saddle and hammer it some more. Keep hammering it until you are ready to fall off or collapse. Do it when you are fairly fresh.

If your unit downloads to a PC then you will see the max it recorded there, although mine (the 720) enables you to scroll through the file om the unit to see max and average for any given file.

I have never supassed the figure achieved in my test, even in racing, for instance in a criterium last night I jumped off the front 2 miles from a sprint prime, gave it plenty and got to 183 bpm (max is 189). Same with sprints at the end of road races.
In hill climbs at the end of the season I have never gone higher either and they are real puke inducing efforts.

Jeff Jones

redddraggon wrote:

I can't use a turbo as I've got no mental strength to beat the boredom, although I've got plenty of long hills - I'll give them a bash until I feel like I'm going to die - sound like a plan?

Yes, although don't go ballistic at the bottom. Ramp it up gradually and aim to give it everything at the top.

andy_wrx

The hill method will get you nearly there, probably within 2 or 3 bpm and that'll be good enough for practical purposes.
As Jeff says, it will probably still be increasing slightly after you've stopped, so keep watching it.

The problem will be actually going hard enough - you're on a real hill, real road, real traffic, etc and you ideally need to go to the point of falling off the bike and collapsing/puking.

But I agree about the turbo. I couldn't do it either, it would take more suffer-motivation than I can manage.
I've tried the ramp test to get VO2max and maxHR for running, on a treadmill linked to HRM and breathing through a mask - plain couldn't do it, too claustrophobic.
Got the maxHR through hillreps, but that's rather easier running than on a bike as there's not the same worry about going to the point of crashing onto the road.


The (220 - age) or (216 - agex85%) calculations are so way-out as to be useless, fine for someone taking-up gentle exercise for weight-loss or so on, but no good at all for proper scientific training.

liversedge

Race someone with similar abilities up a long hill and both really want to win it. When you get near the top sprint for glory.