[xflbk43]

During my run last night, I was having a lot of trouble keeping my HR in the proper zone. In fact, by halfway through the workout, I gave up on the HR monitor and turned off the warning beep. After the workout I noticed that since my BD was yesterday, it automatically updated my MHR to 187, which is what is predicted by my age. That got me thinking, what is my actualy MHR? I had previously set my watch to 194 as my max, since it has actually been that high during a workout when I did an all out sprint at the end. I've been doing checking around to try to figure a way to calculate it but everything I've found has me somewhere between 184-189. I really want to get this right, but am not sure what to do. I do know that my resting rate is between 40-43 and my sitting is between 57-60. Any suggestions for what to do about my max?

 

[Tri_coach06]

Why do you carew hat your max is. You should be worried about your LT.<br><br>
On top of that, I can tell you that running HR zones are very difficult to use. using PE (Percieved Exertion) during the run is a much better indicator. Testing will allow you to see improvement and keep you motivated.<br><br>
I can help you with a run AT test if you really want ot know your zones.<br><br>
CS

 

[RunningForT3]

How do you test AT, CS? Anything not involving needles?

 

[QuixoticNotions]

You can get it tested or estimated with various submaximal tests.<br>
Though, an aside:<br>
220-age can be way off for each individual. (even upwards of 30 beats per minute) Those formulas, they are all estimates and 220-age based on pretty limited populations. If your heart rate has been 194 before, obviously your maximum is not 187... cuz you can't go above your max.

 

[xflbk43]

CS, I'd love for you to assist me in this. What do you have for me?

 

[LeftRightRepeat]

But your max <i>does</i> change over time. So depending on how long ago you hit 194, you may or may not still have that as a max.

 

[QuixoticNotions]

In active people, however, it does not tend to drop significantly with age. If that workout was within the last couple years, which I got the impression that it was, it has not likely dropped<br>
Though, like I said before, you can have it tested.

 

[RunningForT3]

I heard something about this in a tri-talk podcast. It's not the MHR that counts, but the stroke volume. The MHR might decrease with age (at around .5%/year), but the stroke volume increases significantly with training, could be 4-5%/year, and this means a lot more blood and o2 sent to your muscles.

 

[Tri_coach06]

I can send you a LT test. You need a TM, HRM and a partner to time and record your numbers. Send me the results and I'll plot them.<br><br>
The test is not perfect, but it will give you a repeatable exercise to watch for gains in fitness. The optimal test would be to have your actual LActic acid tested in a controlled environment, but for the recreational triathlete, my method is acceptable.<br><br>
PM me.<br><br>
CS