hr topic...

[mr-marty-martin]

hi

ive just got my new hr monitor and was wondering how i should go about getting my max hr.

i was thinking i could do a decent warm up and sprint up a hill for an amount of time, and see what my max was on the hr monitor

also how can you work out a percent of your hr. i was thinking if i put in the calculator (just guesing my max hr heer) 90% x 200. i think the x also means of on a calculator so i think ive done this rite, as i got 100 for that last eqation...

with the percentages im planning on then setting zones for training, also ive been told to train at around the 85-90 % area to get the best out of a hard training sessoin... is this rite

 

[jimboalee]

First of all, go on the internet and find out how to do an "Initial Fitness test".

The Royal Marines IFT is similar to this:-
http://www.army.com/enlist/APFT.html

220 minus your age is noted to be the Max HR. Even the RM use this so use it.

Try this:-

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/marines/a/cft.htm


Don't go riding a bike up a lonely hill on your own without knowing how fast your heart can beat. Assess your fitness before taking your heart over the 220 minus age figure.

 

[Ben M]

to work out a percentage use

percentage/100=
* max rate =

e.g. 90% of 200 would be:

90 / 100 = 0.9
*200 = 180

The best way of working out what your maximum would be to go on a turbo trainer/ exercise bike and push yourself to your limit. That's a better idea than pushing yourself until collapse whilst on the road

 

[Chrisz]

Use the Karvonen Formula (220 - age) to work out estimated maximum heart rate as already stated. For most people this is accurate enough for working out your training zones.

If you have a history of cardiovascular exercise and are reasonably fit then you can expect your actual max heart rate (MHR) to be 10bpm+ higher!

It depends on what sort of HR monitor you have - if it has a memory function then a good warm-up followed by a maximum effort sprint up a steep hill should identify your true, actual MHR - try to have someone on hand to assist you at the end after you max out, watch out for traffic etc.

You can also do a 'Ramp' test on the turbo trainer - again do a decent warm-up first and then gradually increase the exercise intensity aiming for maximum output. If you can, record your HR for later analysis - if not, get someone to note the MHR achieved.

After that it's a simple cas of working out your training zones. Have fun

 

[Chrisz]

PS. if you are over 30 and don't have a history of CV exercise then it would be VERY advisable to ensure you have some assistance on hand just in case!!

 

[mr-marty-martin]

no im 14, and a very cometitave racer so my fitness is pritty good...

think i'll do it on the rollers or turbo.

also roller racing your hr is sky high so will take note of my max in the coming roller races

 

[HeartAttack]

I used to go by the 220 less my age (44) I suffered a heart attack 12 months ago and took up cycling as part of my recuperation as per doctors advice, I now ride most days (self employed) and ride harder and harder all the time, next year I'll be racing and trying to push the limits even more.

Anyway my Max HR is now 196, resting rate of 52 so this blows the 220 less age out of the water. I worked mine out by doing some hill sprint reps once I'd revisited my breakfast I guessed that was hard enough, and the polar said 196bpm

 

[Chrisz]

I used to go by the 220 less my age (44) I suffered a heart attack 12 months ago and took up cycling as part of my recuperation as per doctors advice, I now ride most days (self employed) and ride harder and harder all the time, next year I'll be racing and trying to push the limits even more.

Anyway my Max HR is now 196, resting rate of 52 so this blows the 220 less age out of the water. I worked mine out by doing some hill sprint reps once I'd revisited my breakfast I guessed that was hard enough, and the polar said 196bpm

Good on you mate - keep it up and have fun!

Howeve, as I pointed out earlier, the Karvonen Formula is only an ESTIMATE of MHR - a rough guide. Useful for beginners but as you get more used to measuring exercise intensity by HR it becomes less relevent

Most serious athletes (including most club level cyclists, runners etc.) will have a true MHR significantly higher than estimated by the Karvonen Formula due to prolonged CV exercise and the resultant cardiac hypertrophy (and Bradycardia).

 

[Jonathan M]

220-age is a statistical average, so it doesn't work with most people, it is just a very rough guide.

My max HR has never matched the expected from the formula, in fact my max HR hasn't declined with age as you might expect.

Other thing to consider is that max HR is sports specific, and for cycling really needs to be achieved under load (hill or turbo), rollers won't always give the same resistance, neither would running/swimming etc.

 

[mr-marty-martin]

well on tird legs and pushing hard up hills im getting around the 201 mark (im 14 btw, so the formualer dont seem to work) my max on yesterdays ride was 234 , the back end of my bike skipped out doin about 40 downhill so a craped maself

 

[Steve Austin]

that 234 figure was a 'spike' If your heart was really doing that you would be in trouble. At 14 you should be enjoying your riding. If you really want to get serious, find a coach and get serious.

Max HR figures will always be wrong as its impossible to give averages that apply to all. My Max is 199, and if the formula were to be be believed it should only be 180ish.

Anyway Cycling is supposed to be fun 1st, competitive 2nd. I wouldn't worry about HR unless you are going for records, and racing competitively. as i've said, if you wanna get serious, get a coach and get serious properly.

 

[mr-marty-martin]

i'm racing very competitavly...

so i think when on long rides the hr monitor's great for keeping a check on what zone your in...

the coaches at my club give allot of advice and do recomend a hr monitor as a great training tool, anyways goin to do a ramp test with the coach and see what data it reviels, then he'll advise me on what trining i should be doing etc

 

[mr-marty-martin]

oh and what do you mean by spike, as although i did almost crash the other day when i looked at my max on the hr monitor i thought it was of that, but today when going downhills it was going up to 149. which i no is wrong

 

[jimboalee]

If you are racing Very Competitively, you will not be concerned with your heart rate.
You will be concerned with duplicating an event at the time the winner acheived.

Look around the local clubs and find their TT courses and RR courses. Look at the most recent results and go out to better them.
But, and it is a big BUT, do not compromise road safety for a few seconds.

The tool to use is a Garmin Legend HCx.
It datalogs the ride and you can post process the track to assess your cruising speed, sprinting speed; and climbing speeds for each gradient.
You can even do a statistical correction for those places where you needed to slow down for traffic and junctions.

If you are competing seriously, your HR will be whatever it will be. You cannot control it.
If you are still alive after the ride, you've had a good training session.

Regards.

And don't forget! On the climbs, pull on the pedals all the way round their 360 degrees.

 

[jimboalee]

Personally speaking, I only use a HRM to keep myself in the 60 - 70% MHR zone where fat is used as the fuel source.

In my case it is 118 BMP. Too low for riding a real bike, so I ride the upright bike in the gym for two hours, or go for a brisk 10 km walk.

If I tried to keep this BPM on my real bike, I would need to ride at 12 - 13 mph, and average 11 mph.

I don't use a HRM riding my real bike any more because I ignored it and climbed the hill regardless.