Max HRT

[easterbird]

I posted this in Tips/Techniques but didn't get any takers for advice if my thinking is correct or off base. A friend says my HRT max is actually the 220-age and that it IS possible to go higher than max HRT but I shouldn't be pushing it.??????

My original postlder woman chimes in
this discussion is timely...I've been doing some googling about max hrt. I used the 220-age to come up with 'my' HRT max of 161(I'm 58.5 YO) and have been riding almost one year. In anticpation of my first century ride on 09 Sept, I decided to really push myself to do more hill climbing. I have now have a high one day of 166 and another day at 173. I was pretty winded at top of that portion of the climb but recovered quickly enough to continue to the real top. My RHRT is 55 or less. I'm wondering if I should change my limits on my HR monitor to use these new data for max. My thought being that I want to make the most of my workouts and calorie burn by keeping myself in the 65-85% range.Old versus new would be 109-139 or 113-147. Is this the right way to use HR data?

[Fredwina]

The 220 minus your age is more of a "wild guess", so I would think your real life number are more accurate. I'm 45 and I can push into the high 180 before getting winded.
You might also want to look at this thread:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...ght=Heart+Rate

[Duck on Wheels]

I think the 220-age is a "guesstimate" based on folks with not much training base. I'm 57, walk a lot, bike a little, and at an HR of 163 I'm working hard but not winded by any means. My last longish ride I was doing from 150-170 pretty much the whole 4 hours. Once on a hill I felt I really needed to get off the bike and walk it for a bit, heart really pounding its way out of my chest. Took a peek at the HRM and it was at 180. I've been up there since with a similar sensation. So I figure that's my max. Or near it: even then, I wasn't about to keel over, wasn't dizzy or in pain.

[Cassandra_Cain]

Hi

Truth be told, IMO, one's max HRT is irrelevant and the many formulas that exist to determine it, speculative at best. Remember you are on a bike, which would make it very, very hard for you to actually reach your max HRT on as it is generally a non-weight bearing activity (as opposed to say running).

I've never really bothered to calculate or worry about max HRT. Whatever training I do, if I even wear a HRM, is based on something much more tangible and easier to calculate....Lactate threshold. It is much easier, and probably less dangerous/stressful to your system, to determine your LT instead of your max HR. For instance, one recommended method is to do a 30-minute time trial - when your heart rate stabilizes during that effort - that's your LT. Then building training zones around the LT number is very straight-forward - for example, you can train in a zone that's 80% of your LT, or 90% or whatever you choose for your goals. This is the method used by Joel Friel and others of ultrafit - a pretty respected coaching outfit in the US.

I think this is better than trying guess or punch up some number and saying, ok, that's my max HR.

Just my opinion, but of course, see what works best for you

[Bikingmomof3]

Hi
Lactate threshold. It is much easier, and probably less dangerous/stressful to your system, to determine your LT instead of your max HR. For instance, one recommended method is to do a 30-minute time trial - when your heart rate stabilizes during that effort - that's your LT. Then building training zones around the LT number is very straight-forward - for example, you can train in a zone that's 80% of your LT, or 90% or whatever you choose for your goals. This is the method used by Joel Friel and others of ultrafit - a pretty respected coaching outfit in the US.

Would you please explain how this works? I am quite interested because using my HRM, I am almost always working above my 85% MRH-and honestly am not winded. (I am using the 220-age formula). I sort of get what you are saying, but I would prefer to understand so I do it correctly.

TIA!

[RoadRaven]

If you are unable to find a sport-science lab to find out your max HR and lactate threshold, then you find out by "perceived effort".

A good way to find out your max HR is to find a flat stretch of road and pedal as hard as you can - every time you get on top of a gear, move into a harder one... your HR will begin to climb. The other way is to climb up a hill - not a steady rate, but again, trying to get on top of a bigger and bigger gear.

At the point where you begin to feel sick (as - oh no, I think I'm going to vomit) you have almost reached your max and you can use the highest HR you got to as your max.

Your LT - which is something you will see talked about a bit here too (like Cassandra's post) is also relatively easy to work out by perception.

You know the point where your legs start to ache... maybe you are climbing up a hill, and just want to make it to the top and you put in a little bit more effort to make it there... and your legs are saying "naff off, we do NOT want to do this"... thats when you glance at your HR monitor and that HR will be approx your lactate threshold.

This will be confirmed as you get over the hill and it takes a while (sometimes 5-10 minutes) for your legs (specifically thighs) to feel normal and able to work again properly.

Perceived effort/exersion is a good way to work out some training zones for yourself.

The Female Cyclist or The Cylists Training Bible are two good books that explain this in more depth

[Bikingmomof3]

Thank you for explaining those RoadRaven. I will check into getting those two books you mentioned. They sound like excellent resources.

[RoadRaven]

You are more than welcome BM... we have the Training Bible, Cycling Past 50 and most recently (for my birthday) The Female Cyclist.

The Female Cyclist refers back to Friel's Training Bible quite a bit and this is deliberate and she states several times the links between the two.

I find her easier to read and understand than when I read the Bible... I was still new to the jargon and concepts, and the Training Bible makes the assumption that you will know.

I absolutely recommend all three as essential to your cycling library.

Have a great day (or maybe its evening - sun has been up about an hour here!)

[Cassandra_Cain]

Thank you for explaining those RoadRaven. I will check into getting those two books you mentioned. They sound like excellent resources.

Hey~ I just got back from riding and am seeing your question only now.

I think roadraven gave you some excellent resources, and being familiar with them also, I recommend them too. Very useful as I imagine you'll note after reading through them.

I've never even pondered the idea of a max HR test - I don't want to be feeling sick or near blacking out, etc when I'm on a road - I need that extra for my road sense, etc.

Much easier to do an LT test - which let's be frank - unless you are racing, how often will you be riding above your LT? So I think it is an infinitely more useful number to recreational cyclists like me and I'm assuming, you too

Let me know how it goes!