Is my max HR safe?

sturmey

My heart rate went up to a max of 188 today while climbing. Last previous max was 184. Only had the heart rate monitor for a couple of weeks.
I am 45 soon.Should I be worried?

nickwill

I'm 52 and have a max of at least 190. You have nothing to worry about. Rules of thumb which estimate your max HR from your age are totally discredited.
Do a search on the subject on the forum and on google and you will find lots of discussion on the topic.

Pokerface

Did you die?

Then nothing to worry about. 8)


I achieved a new max HR this past weekend - after using a HR monitor for 3 years. A few beats here or there won't make a difference - and your ACTUAL max HR is probably much higher than what you can achieve on a bike.

cougie

Why would you be worried ? If you didnt have the HRM - would you be asking this question ? You've probably had the same ride many many times over.

Ignore the 220-age rubbish - cos it is.

If you have any heart worries - go to your doc for an ECG - a HRM wont tell you anything at all.

Ginjafro

I am 45 too and I have clocked my heart rate at 185bpm up a long steep hill and I'm still here!
When I first got an HR monitor some 4 years ago, I was initially very alarmed to record upto 175bpm on my regular training rides. During XC races I would spend the majority of the time at above 170bpm, yet felt perfectly comfortable and to no ill effect. I've no idea what my actual max is but as far as my GP is concerned I am very fit and healthy and I maintain blood pressure at around 120/70 which is supposed to be good at my age. Incidently my resting heart rate has improved from 70bpm to 50bpm, which is also a good thing.

I have also read up a lot on the subject and now feel confident at maxing out at 185bpm+ or the high 170s whilst racing. However, I have found that over the last 5 years - whilst I have become fitter than any other period of my life - my heart rate has calmed down and I am able to perform better at a lower (160bpm) rate. Better results for less effort, brilliant!

So, I would say providing you don't have any serious health problems - don't worry!

solsurf

I can just tip 200 and I'm 35 so if you do the 220 - age I'm acutally 20 years old

sturmey

Thanks for the advice. No I didn't die while riding today, just got sore legs and lungs.

The main reason I ask the question is that I regularly read suggested training regimes in the comics which seem a bit tame.
They seem to talk about going up to a maximum of 85% of max HR for short periods of a training ride for best results-they never seem to say 'bust your gonads for 3 hours- it's good for you'.
My AVERAGE heart rate for today's 55 mile ride was 154 which I work out as being 82% of MAX heart rate. I am happy pushing hard on a ride-just don't want to overdo it.

jibberjim

sturmey wrote:

They seem to talk about going up to a maximum of 85% of max HR for short periods of a training ride for best results-they never seem to say 'bust your gonads for 3 hours- it's good for you'.

My AVERAGE heart rate for today's 55 mile ride was 154 which I work out as being 82% of MAX heart rate. I am happy pushing hard on a ride-just don't want to overdo it.

magazine training plans tend to be pretty conservative, 'cos they know the sort of people who follow them often go harder than they say anyway. Also don't assume that the max you saw on that hill was anywhere near your actual max, hills aren't always the best way to hit max HR depending how you approach them etc.

softlad

your max HR is exactly what the name suggests - ie, it is your maximum achievable heart rate. By implication, you cannot exceed it, or 'overdo' it....because if you exceed your max HR, then the number you thought you had was obviously not your max HR.....

It doesn't actually matter what your max HR is - it only matters what percentage of it you can achieve for a given length of time....

oldwelshman

sturmey wrote:

My heart rate went up to a max of 188 today while climbing. Last previous max was 184. Only had the heart rate monitor for a couple of weeks.
I am 45 soon.Should I be worried?

In a nutshell, no.

keef66

You'd only really find out what your maximum heartrate was if you happened to be wearing your HRM while cycling up Mt Ventoux being chased by a rabid rottweiler. Adrenalin gives the old heart quite a boost, which is why many report their highest readings during races.

kettrinboy

dont worry about it, as long as you have no underlying heart problems it should be able to take pretty much anything you can throw at it, its not like an engine that can be damaged through over revving, your true maximum HR can only be held for a very short period anyway before lactic acid or puking up force you to back off, i,m 47 and can reach 180 bpm on the bike but could probably reach 185+ in a lab test so about the same as you

John C.

I'm 51 and max at 200. As a rule of thumb, when my front teeth start to tingle it's time to ease up , this is generally about 3/4 the way up Boltby bank on a fast training run.

JimmyK

I have relapsing and remitting MS and I am 40 yrs of age. My consultant has told me that I have to watch how hard I push myself. On rides , I have broken 180 bpm with ease and could go a lot harder, but unfortunately those limits of exertion would carry negative long effects for me dang it.

sampras38

Dunno what the big deal is..I've been into fitness all my life and when I started riding seriously I saw 192's and 193's on the top of a couple of hills after pushing hard. Now I rarely see anything past 183/184 no matter what I do and I'm 39.