What's your max HR?

**Drtgirl** · 10-14-2007, 07:37 PM

I'm asking just out of curiosity. According to my monitor, I maxed out at 220

in today's cross race. I know everyone's different but it sounds really high to me. Maybe there was some interference from other HR monitors?

**Eden** · 10-14-2007, 07:58 PM

It's not impossible but, yeah - usually 220 is an anomaly from something. Sometimes power lines or an electric fence can cause readings like that or perhaps cross talk from other people's monitors. I used to get that on my old Polar in certain places.

**kelownagirl** · 10-14-2007, 08:45 PM

I believe that mine is 186 biking and 193 running. I have weird readings every once in awhile, all the way up to 225 but something is going on when it does that.

**teawoman** · 10-14-2007, 09:05 PM

The highest I've seen mine is 198 at the end of an 8k road race.

I was pushing it. So my max is prolly somewhere in the 210s maybe? I was also much less fit at that point--nowadays I rarely see it get that high--185ish is about as high as I've seen it in awhile.

**alpinerabbit** · 10-14-2007, 11:54 PM

at the beginning of my cycling career there was this hill that made me go up to 193. I consider this my puke barrier and Max. HR when training. Could be higher but I think this is a rather good estimate.

I also think 220 is likely from interference from another HRM. Even if yours is coded it can happen.

**Mr. Bloom** · 10-15-2007, 03:31 AM

drtgirl:

Here's a link to a post that may give you some more thoughts:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=18381

I'm starting to use my HR measurements as a guide to pacing myself...for instance, if I'm coming up to a steep hill, I know that my HR needs to be in the 140 to 160 range, or I'm not going to have the juice to climb.

Yesterday, on the Hilly Hundred's steepest hill, I crested the hill with a HR at about 190...but my HR was 140 at the bottom. If I had been at 160 at the bottom, I probably couldn't have made it...

**Veronica** · 10-15-2007, 05:22 AM

My max is 202.

Usually when I get HR readings in the 220s, I also have a cadence of 160 and a speed of 60 or so. And funny enough, it's usually in the middle of a climb. I always just figured I was getting a second wind.

V.

**OakLeaf** · 10-15-2007, 06:27 AM

Mine's 188 riding, 192 running.

And to add to the mix: what are your ages? I'm almost 48. But my HRM says I'm 28.

Obviously the age-predicted max HRs are way low for an athletic crowd, but I wonder if there's still a correlation? My max is definitely lower than it was 20 years ago, but then again I'm not in the same condition I was then, either.

But actually Drtgrl's question sounded like it went to equipment. What does your heart rate graph look like? Equipment-related spikes are pretty obvious. My indicated HR spikes to 240 when contact is intermittent. This happens to me when I'm sweating very heavily as well as when I'm too dry. Pure aloe vera gel works really well for me as an electrode gel (plus it's cheap and easy to find), but even that will sweat off sometimes. Also, if you're in a deep tuck or your sports bra doesn't accommodate the strap well, there can be mechanical issues that interfere with contact. The instruction manual for mine notes that some cyclists do better with the pickup on their backs.

Veronica, that's interesting that you get speed, cadence and HR spikes all at the same time. What kind of monitor do you use? (Mine's a Garmin Forerunner 301.) I wonder if you've got intermittent battery contact?

**Veronica** · 10-15-2007, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by OakLeaf

Veronica, that's interesting that you get speed, cadence and HR spikes all at the same time. What kind of monitor do you use? (Mine's a Garmin Forerunner 301.) I wonder if you've got intermittent battery contact?

It always happens in the same spot, when I pass under some power lines on a local ride. I use a Polar 720.

V.

**smilingcat** · 10-15-2007, 06:55 AM

Had similar readings in the past. max HR 220+ on two consequtive days. I just went

so I too asked around here. I haven't been on a bike since I dumped the Holstein ride, I can't tell you if I still get these odd readings.

My max HR is still around 202-206. Resting used to be around 52-54 now days its back up into the high 60's

I think you should ignore a reading which is way off your normal ones. The wire-less seems to be prone to inerferenece. If you get a really high reading ask yourself? Is my heart really racing? am I panting crazy? Am I getting dizzy from lack of air? If not then there must of been a hic-up in the HRM.

HRmax is important but what is just as important is the ratio between your resting HR and your HRmax. lower your resting HR better your cadio is. Your HRmax really doesn't change but it says how many times more of your resting metabolic rate can you generate during the prolonged exercise. Meaning if you can put out 4 times your resting metabolic rate, you are going to be faster than someone who can only put out 3 times their metabolic rate. A couch potato, who watches 4-5 hours of TV/day, can only put out twice their resting metabolic rate. some worse. Athletes can do far better. So if you want to know your physical conditioning, look at the ratio of your resting HR and |HRmax.

Case in point, Miguel Induran's resting hart rate was said to be down in the 30s. His nickname was Induran the Train... nobody could stop him or keep up with him on the Tour.

BTW I completely ignore the HRmax vs age equations. There must be half a dozen or more. they are all meant as a guideline not as a hard number you can apply to you body. Human body types come in infinitely different combination. fast twitch muscled person to slow burm endourance ...100m srpinters versus marathoners etc.

smilingcat

**Drtgirl** · 10-15-2007, 07:38 AM

I'm 29, FWIW. I was able to look at my watch a few times during the race and noticed it in the 190's, but when I got home and reviewed it I saw the 220.

Thanks for the tips everyone. I'll see what happens in next week's race.

**Grog** · 10-15-2007, 08:49 AM

I have recently held about 202 for a minute or more during an intervals session while running. I am pretty sure it's my running max.

For cycling, I haven't hit it for a while, but I think it's about the same.

**RoadRaven** · 10-15-2007, 10:15 AM

Age 42

Max HR in a sports lab - 178

Max HR on a hill - 183

**Jolt** · 10-18-2007, 05:29 AM

Age: 23

Max HR: Somewhere around 210, at least for running (I have seen it go up this high when going hard uphill)

Resting HR: 52-56

**Skierchickie** · 10-18-2007, 04:50 PM

Smilingcat describes it very well! At least, from my own observations. My HRM occasionally registers 240, at which point I know there was some glitch (maybe interference from somebody else, but maybe just some weirdness within the unit). I also don't really go by the calculations - they're just a ballpark, and if you are over 220 - your age, good for you, and don't worry that you're going to explode!

Not sure what my absolute max is, but it did register 189 last Saturday in my 1/2 marathon. Generally after a running race it shows 186 or so. I don't do many short, hard races these days - more 10 miles+, where I don't really max it out. I'm also old & wimpy.

Last summer, after I started noticing my hrm recording in the low 30s when I was trying to find my resting rate, I mentioned it to my doctor. She had me wear a Holter monitor for 24 hours. My lowest reading on that thing was 36, probably while I was sleeping. I was pretty pleased about that.

I just turned 42. I haven't seen much change in my max over the past 15 years, but I also didn't have an hrm back then. I was in better shape (and weighed less), though, so I'm sure things have changed.

220 sounds pretty high to me, but that doesn't make it impossible - you may just be a goddess, able to pump far more blood and oxygen than I can. I'm kinda jealous.

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