Max Heart Rate Question

[Janis]

I am reading the book, Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot. Yeah, I'm identifiying with the title.

Anyway - basic formulas put my max heart rate at 175. The book recommends finding your real max heart rate by doing hill runs and sprints, HIIT type training.

I was thinking I would be able to find my max heart rate by doing the sprints in cardio coach - but I am kind of confused. My max heart rate - on the TM - with the speed at 7.9 and I am running all out - was 164. I recovered very quickly and couldn't get my heart rate back up to 164 despite running harder on the remaining sprints. After the 164, the highest I went was 155.

One time last week my max was at 168.

My resting heart rate is 53. Should I consider my max 164-168? (instead of 175) Or should I sprint on the ground and see if I can push the threshold higher??

 

[lightening16]

Hey Janis

I originally did mine on a serious hill. You need to have you heart rate up there to start and then do the hill climbs several times in a row. Mine went up to 195 but I have always had a high heart rate when I work out. Often when working out with Cathe I can get it up to 189. My resting heart rate is about the same as yours. Everyone is different.

I did it again with Cardio Coach recently and got a similar number when running all out. I think that 7.9 might not be fast enough to get you there... you may need to head to the hills.
Hope that helps. I really like using the training zones and the standards were always set way too low for me.
BTW when I hit max I thought my heart was going to explode for a minute...
Heather

 

[Janis]

Hey Janis

I originally did mine on a serious hill. You need to have you heart rate up there to start and then do the hill climbs several times in a row. Mine went up to 195 but I have always had a high heart rate when I work out. Often when working out with Cathe I can get it up to 189. My resting heart rate is about the same as yours. Everyone is different.

I did it again with Cardio Coach recently and got a similar number when running all out. I think that 7.9 might not be fast enough to get you there... you may need to head to the hills.
Hope that helps. I really like using the training zones and the standards were always set way too low for me.
BTW when I hit max I thought my heart was going to explode for a minute...
Heather

195! and exploding out of your chest! YIKES! I think I am going to have to do this max test on a rest day so I can totally max out and have plenty of recovery time.

7.9 - 8.2 on the treadmill was about the safest speed I could handle - I was beginning to think it was going to fling me off ! There was a 'oh no one wrong step and I'm off of here' feeling. lol. The training indicators put my into the performance category, but like you said, that just might not be enough.

 

[lightening16]

Hey Janis

My treadmill tends to slip if I go too fast so I have to put it up on an incline a little. I would recommend going outside and sprinting or hill climbing on sure footing. If you are holding back then it's not your max heart rate.

Anyone not into fitness would think that we are trying to kill ourselves! I was also reading in my heart rate training book that we have different max's for different sports.... does your book mention this? Mine seems to always be the same range. But it might explain how I can do IMAX 2 and my heart rate monitor will say 720 calories.

Heather

 

[Janis]

Hey Janis

My treadmill tends to slip if I go too fast so I have to put it up on an incline a little. I would recommend going outside and sprinting or hill climbing on sure footing. If you are holding back then it's not your max heart rate.

Anyone not into fitness would think that we are trying to kill ourselves! I was also reading in my heart rate training book that we have different max's for different sports.... does your book mention this? Mine seems to always be the same range. But it might explain how I can do IMAX 2 and my heart rate monitor will say 720 calories.

Heather

Yeah - I keep my at a 2.5% incline for warm up, steady state, and sprints...increase it to 5% for hill climbs.

I sure didn't feel like I was holding back, but given that I was thinking 'uh oh' I must have!

I haven't made it very far in the book, but different max's with different sports makes sense.

I was so hoping this would be an easy math puzzle.

On the upside - my recovery is pretty rapid - so that's good!

 

[syzygy314]

Remember, your heart rates will fluctuation with how you feel, what you've eaten, how you slept, any medication/supplements you've taken, etc. It's not consistent, much like weight fluctuates, but I would certainly try to max it out outdoors! It's much safer than the treadmill! I can hardly walk really fast at an incline without killing myself! I'm just not that graceful or coordinated on those machines!

Tricia