# How often do you push beyond 90% of max Heart Rate?



## Ming the Merciless (28 Aug 2021)

I was wondering how often others push their heart rates beyond 90% of their max? For me it’s about once a week normally then twice a week when pushing the fitness up a notch before an event.


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## si_c (28 Aug 2021)

For me, pretty much never. I know my max HR is about 186 but on the bike I struggle to get it above 165 and it's incredibly rare I see it above 170.


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## CXRAndy (28 Aug 2021)

I try to hit the little slopes with gusto, so will easily hit near max when cresting. . That could happen several times per ride.


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## simongt (28 Aug 2021)

Never. I'm a confirmed 'cruiser'. I cycle for commute & pleasure and to enjoy the ride.


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## fossyant (28 Aug 2021)

Every ride. Does that count ? It's hilly where I ride. Max near 185, hit 180 plus most rides.


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## dave r (28 Aug 2021)

I don't think my medication would let me push that hard.


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## Jody (28 Aug 2021)

Not sure what my max is but almost every ride has a period of 180+


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## Ming the Merciless (28 Aug 2021)

CXRAndy said:


> I try to hit the little slopes with gusto, so will easily hit near max when cresting. . That could happen several times per ride.



Every ride?


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## Ming the Merciless (28 Aug 2021)

fossyant said:


> Every ride. Does that count ? It's hilly where I ride. Max near 185, hit 180 plus most rides.



It is a poll option now!


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## cyberknight (28 Aug 2021)

No idea
my hr strap packed up


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## gavroche (28 Aug 2021)

According to the 220 rule, my maximum heart rate is 150 so 90% of that would be 135 and I often go beyond that without any ill effect.


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## Ming the Merciless (28 Aug 2021)

gavroche said:


> According to the 220 rule, my heart rate is 150 and I often go beyond that within any ill effect.



The 220 is an average on population level. But can’t be used on an individual level to determine max HR. You’ll need to do a max HR test on your bike.


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## newts (28 Aug 2021)

Most rides for me if there's an incline of any length.🥵


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## Pumpkin the robot (28 Aug 2021)

Just the thought of getting on my bike for a ride maxes my hr.


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## numbnuts (28 Aug 2021)

dave r said:


> I don't think my medication would let me push that hard.


Same here I can't get over 135 even on a turbo


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## I like Skol (28 Aug 2021)

Haven't a clue, don't know what my max HR is and don't care.

Why does it matter what other people are doing?


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## CXRAndy (28 Aug 2021)

Ming the Merciless said:


> Every ride?



No not every ride, but if I ride 4 days a week, 3 of those rides I might hit certain mini hills hard and crest near gasping in effort. Most of the ride will be mostly Z2/3

I haven't used a HR monitor for a while, but are experienced enough to know my exertion levels.


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## Ming the Merciless (28 Aug 2021)

CXRAndy said:


> No not every ride, but if I ride 4 days a week, 3 of those rides I might hit certain mini hills hard and crest near gasping in effort. Most of the ride will be mostly Z2/3
> 
> I haven't used a HR monitor for a while, but are experienced enough to know my exertion levels.



RPE is pretty accurate once you are attuned and also know how long you were working at that level of effort.


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## BurningLegs (28 Aug 2021)

My “routine” is one race, one sweet spot session, and one lighter/longer ride per week

So I’ve put once per week, but if I’m progressing on the sweet spot intervals then by the end of a newly extended or increased power interval I can get there in a sweet spot session too.

What makes you ask the question? Are you concerned about something?

I have family members who discourage me from racing because they believe my heart rate during those sessions is dangerous! They have no medical training (neither do I to be fair), but are shocked at the numbers (my max HR is 201 and I will always get over 195 in a race and usually over 190 for 20mins). They genuinely believe it could be dangerous. I disagree and I suppose time will tell who’s right on that one 🙂


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## Ming the Merciless (28 Aug 2021)

BurningLegs said:


> My “routine” is one race, one sweet spot session, and one lighter/longer ride per week
> 
> So I’ve put once per week, but if I’m progressing on the sweet spot intervals then by the end of a newly extended or increased power interval I can get there in a sweet spot session too.
> 
> What makes you ask the question?



Curiosity.

I’m curious as to others approach to their riding where they record HR. Partly extends to conversations I had recently with friends and family. My brother and some friends avoid intensity like the plague. Thinking it’s bad for you, more likely to lead to a heart event. Some friends embrace high intensity thinking best thing since sliced bread and are nearly always doing shorter but higher intensity efforts. Avoid easier efforts. Some are like me, mostly easier but longer efforts with shorter really high intensity thrown in once a week or so most of the time.


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## CXRAndy (30 Aug 2021)

Maybe it's like running a engine. It needs a good rev now and then. To keep reliable operation, a good steady run, often


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## Ming the Merciless (30 Aug 2021)

CXRAndy said:


> Maybe it's like running a engine. It needs a good rev now and then. To keep reliable operation, a good steady run, often



I think the revving as you call it is good for seeing that the engine is running optimally. Angina and other conditions affecting the plumbing of heart are likely highlighted at higher intensities. But don’t go revving it all the time.


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## dave r (30 Aug 2021)

Ming the Merciless said:


> I think the revving as you call it is good for seeing that the engine is running optimally. Angina and other conditions affecting the plumbing of heart are likely highlighted at higher intensities. But don’t go revving it all the time.



When I had my close encounter with angina in 2008 it would kick in around 70 - 80 percent heart rate, whilst I was waiting to be stented I kept riding but at a low intensity.


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## presta (30 Aug 2021)

Cardiology took my HR up to 104% during a Bruce test in April 2009, and within 15 weeks I'd developed atrial fibrillation. As I didn't recognise it for what it was, and with my confidence buoyed up by a clear test, I increased my training intensity, so my AF got worse. When my health deteriorated enough to find myself back on the treadmill again in April 2012 I got another trip to 102%, and another clear test, but a few weeks later I found myself in an ambulance on my way to an AF diagnosis.

AF is quite good, I can reach 157% of MHR with no more effort than it takes to sit in the armchair.


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## CXRAndy (30 Aug 2021)

Why were you seeing the cardiologist in the first place?

Were you having symptoms or have family history of heart problems?

I doubt the stress test was the sole cause of your AF. 

I too have suffered AF, fortunately mine has been lone AF. Ive done several years of Zwift racing and TTs after my episode with no noticeable effect


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## avsd (30 Aug 2021)

Depends on the ride. Yesterday on a Sunday morning sole ride I got this from Strava 






On an indoor training session with 10x1 minute (RPE 9) 1 minute rest and a few longer intervals RPE 8 sessions I got this






I still learning how to structure my training better with the help of a coach. I am a big believer in interval training but need to work on my mobilty and upper body conditioning as well. My resting HR is around 48 and max is 163.


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## Nebulous (31 Aug 2021)

I've traditionally done most of my riding as fast as I can muster on the day. My comfort zone was about 30 miles flat out. Preparing for PBP and using zwift I had to learn to pace myself and do some stuff at a lower intensity, which didn't come readily, but definitely helped my fitness. I've had a messy year, leaving work, moving home, dealing with other stuff, and my mileage and fitness has suffered. 

Trying to build it back up, I'm back to pushing hard. This was yesterday. Getting there slowly, still a bit off where I would like to be. Maximum heart rate is based on 172, though I haven't seen over 170 this year.


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## HLaB (3 Sep 2021)

I'll probably push beyond 90% of 198bpm (45.75 year old FWIW) at least two or three times a week and sometimes 4 times. Every open TT I'll go well beyond 90% and on intervals sessions or club TTs beyond it too, and depending on the intensity of group rides I can go beyond 90% too.


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## Colin Grigson (7 Sep 2021)

My ride on Sunday which was very tough - riding as hard as possible, saw my average for the whole ride ( 1 hour) over 90% of MHR - I’ve never considered that it may be doing me harm … I love the feeling of really pushing myself hard …


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## Alex321 (11 Oct 2021)

I have never done a full test to be absolutely sure of my max HR, but I'm pretty sure it is around 180 from what I have done (I am 62). 90% of that is 162, and it is a very rare ride I don't hit 162+ at some point on the hills. The highest genuine reading I have had out on the road was 179 once (I have had some higher readings when the sensor was playing up as the battery was dying).

I do seem to have been going over 170 less often as I get better at hills, but it is still almost always in the high 160s on one or more hills.


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## PaulSB (12 Oct 2021)

My HR is generally quite low and your poll doesn't give my option which would be "rarely." My maximum is 178 but it's almost exactly two years since I hit that. I might briefly push 155 on a very hard ride and will sustain mid 140s for long periods if we're absolutely caning it.

For example I rode the Fred Whitton three weeks ago with an average of 124bpm, maximum of 166 on Honister but only around 145/150 on Hardknott and in Zone 2 for 65% (6 hours) of the ride.

Yesterday I did 66 miles with a buddy. He averaged 127, me 97. His max was 151 and mine 130 - at the top of my road straight out of the garage at the bottom of a climb!


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## JtB (12 Oct 2021)

My resting HR is very low, but when I exercise it easily goes beyond “220 - my age”. I asked my cardiologist (note: I have a pacemaker) if this was a problem and he said “not at all, just listen to what your body tells you”. So I no-longer use a HR monitor now when I exercise.


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## alex_cycles (19 Oct 2021)

Most rides, but not all. (Recovery rides and rides with my wife, I'll rarely get out of zones 1-2).
Someone mentioned "220 minus your age" being not very good. Totally agree. 220 minus my age would be 168. My working max is 197, although I have seen 204. I will get into the high 180s, low 190s pretty much every time I ride alone.

I think if you have a heart condition, pushing yourself very hard, very often will likely make it more obvious, but it seems highly doubtful to me that it would actually be the cause of it.


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## CXRAndy (20 Oct 2021)

220-age is a flawed calculation for estimating max HR..

There are others which are best. Ultimately you need to do a max effort until you fail to get a good indication of max HR


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## PaulSB (20 Oct 2021)

CXRAndy said:


> 220-age is a flawed calculation for estimating max HR..
> 
> There are others which are best. Ultimately you need to do a max effort until you fail to get a good indication of max HR


I feel the best measure is to find a damn big hill and ride it! My max was 162 for years and then I went and rode Fleet Moss!!


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## alex_cycles (20 Oct 2021)

CXRAndy said:


> 220-age is a flawed calculation for estimating max HR..
> 
> There are others which are best. Ultimately you need to do a max effort until you fail to get a good indication of max HR



I couldn't agree more. Much more interested in a measurement than some meaningless guesstimate. (I've been wearing a heart rate strap on my rides for about 3 years - self-confessed data freak).


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## Alex321 (20 Oct 2021)

alex_cycles said:


> I couldn't agree more. Much more interested in a measurement than some meaningless guesstimate. (I've been wearing a heart rate strap on my rides for about 3 years - self-confessed data freak).


Agreed, although the various formulae aren't really even guesstimates. They are rough averages.

Most of us aren't average, we all differ from the average person in a variety of ways.

For heart rate zones to be meaningful, you need at least a good approximation of what your personal max heart rate is, you simlpy can't rely on an average population value.


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## Ming the Merciless (20 Oct 2021)

CXRAndy said:


> 220-age is a flawed calculation for estimating max HR..
> 
> There are others which are best. Ultimately you need to do a max effort until you fail to get a good indication of max HR



It was never intended a calculation for your own heart rate. The flaw is people using it for that, not the calculation itself.


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## Ridgeway (22 Oct 2021)

I reach 90% of HRM just bending down to put my shoes on these days...


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## CXRAndy (23 Oct 2021)

My first Zwift ride in probably months saw my heart rate, >173bpm for 26mins in one hour 

I'm slightly unfit


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## swee'pea99 (23 Oct 2021)

At a guess, two or three times a day, though I don't have the numbers. I don't do data. But I do climb two really quite pokey wee hills on my fixie on my daily perambulations, at which points I take it as read that everything's in the red zone. I couldn't speed up if a tiger was on my tail.

I've always assumed, intuitively, that this was 'a good thing'. 


CXRAndy said:


> Maybe it's like running a engine. It needs a good rev now and then. To keep reliable operation, a good steady run, often


...has always been my take on it. Bit like circuit-training - periods of cruising, periods at the max.


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## byegad (23 Oct 2021)

Mine is about every 5 yrs, sometimes sooner, when I see which bunch of money grabbing untruthful chisellers have made up the new government.


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## alex_cycles (23 Oct 2021)

byegad said:


> Mine is about every 5 yrs, sometimes sooner, when I see which bunch of money grabbing untruthful chisellers have made up the new government.



Doesn't matter who you vote for, we always get the government. 
Riding with the As today. Only three of us. Nowhere to hide. 68.7% of the time in threshold zone. About half of that was >90%


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## kayakerles (24 Oct 2021)

numbnuts said:


> Same here I can't get over 135 even on a turbo





dave r said:


> I don't think my medication would let me push that hard.


Same here, Guys. One thing that sucks about taking BP meds, eh? Except that we have the fake feeling that according to our HR we’re super athletes! I just try not to get to the point that I am completely out of breath and can still talk to myself.


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## Norry1 (24 Oct 2021)

90% of Max HR is not actually very high - it corresponds to my Threshold HR, so I'll hit that most rides even if they are not very hard rides. 

I just looked at my last 2 week's rides and I hit 90% Max HR on 7 of those (and was quite close on the other 3).


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## FrothNinja (24 Oct 2021)

cyberknight said:


> No idea
> my hr strap packed up


That's what tape is for


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## FrothNinja (24 Oct 2021)

I've put 3 but its quite variable. I'm still carrying around nearly 2 stone of excess lard and I've never found out what my max is so I let Garmin do the figures based on the info I provided. According to that I spend around 25% (again a very rough estimate) of my ride time in the red zone (160+bpm). Not sure what it all means though


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## cyberknight (24 Oct 2021)

FrothNinja said:


> That's what tape is for


Electric issues even with new battery it's not working


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## yello (24 Oct 2021)

I knew my theoretical max, and I could ping my heart rate up towards it easily and used to do so pretty much every ride - not constantly but at some point or another on the ride. How that theoretical max equated to my actual max though I don't know. I never felt ill or that I was overdoing it. 

I'll have a look over my x years of ride logs and come up with an average, it'd be quite interesting for me to know.


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## presta (24 Oct 2021)

cyberknight said:


> Electric issues even with new battery it's not working


Have you tried another monitor?
When I thought my HRM was faulty it turned out to be my heart, not the monitor.


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