Is reaching Max Heart Rate dangerous?

[Garz]

Thanks. I'm taking each day as it comes. I was feeling a bit rough this morning, but better this afternoon so I did a quick 10 minute spin on my gym bike while making a bite to eat. I'll probably do another 10-15 minutes this evening.

I take it the super hilly Colin sportive you were planning has been shelved for the time being?

 

[ColinJ]

I take it the super hilly Colin sportive you were planning has been shelved for the time being?

I'm dying to do a decent ride, not wanting to die doing a decent ride!

It's out of the question to do anything really hard at the moment, but getting back up to riding 19 miles with 1,200 ft of climbing in just 5 rides after 8 months off isn't bad progress.

I'm soon going to add another hill and 5 or 6 miles and see how I cope with that. If that goes well, I'll do it a few times before stepping up again. If I struggle, I'll spend another couple of weeks sticking to the 19 mile Cragg Vale loop.

 

[Rob3rt]

Those temp traffic lights gone from Cragg Vale yet? Two runs at it and twice caught by them, both times nothing even came the other way!

 

[ColinJ]

Those temp traffic lights gone from Cragg Vale yet? Two runs at it and twice caught by them, both times nothing even came the other way!

I don't remember any. Mind you, I was staring at my handlebars most of the time so I might not have noticed!

When were the lights there? I only started going up there again about 2 weeks ago.

 

[Rob3rt]

This was back in January, we did a few club training rides over your way until the weather got so bad we had to skip it and the momentum was lost.

 

[ColinJ]

It's okay now.

I like the Cragg Vale climb, You can make it as hard or as easy as you want, unlike steep climbs which I struggle just to get up without walking. My record from the 'longest hill' sign at the bottom to the reservoir at the top is 23.5 minutes but I'm hoping to do it in 20 minutes one day if I make a full recovery. If I could get to that kind of level, I'd have a go at the annual October hill climb.

 

[Ningishzidda]

Max HR varies sport to sport (due to different muscle groups being used, i.e. larger the group, higher the HR, running is a very large muscle group sport, not only because of the muscles driving the movement, but also the stabilising muscles, as you probably already know) and when setting zones you need to test max HR for each sport and then devise a set of sport specific zones. When cycling you simply won't be able to get a reading as high as that when running.

As for it being a bad idea, I say it is unlikely to be particularly dangerous unless there is some sort of underlying medial condition. Athletes will get pretty close to their max heart rate fairly frequently in competition. The risk averse and the chronic excuse makers will find it to be a convenient excuse to avoid working hard though!

I agree. Max HR is higher in running than Snooker.

 

[Ningishzidda]

In absolute terms yes, however in practice i.e. as far as training goes each sport should be considered to have a MHR that is unique to that sport when determining training zones as the maximum reached say running with be nigh on impossible to reach when for example cycling (you just won't be able to do it) or the zones set using the Max HR measured cycling will regularly peg you at over 100% max HR when running. You ought to have different zones set for each sport, this means finding the MHR you can hit doing these sports.

I disagree. HR maximises as a consequence when the lungs cannot uptake any more oxygen. Lung function is triggered by concentration of CO2 in the blood, and HR is sympathetic to this.
Whatever sport, running, cycling, rowing, swimming etc can be performed until all your available alveoli are occupied in gas exchange. When this occurs, muscles go into anaerobic condition and then eventually stop working due to build up of lactic acid, or get damaged. In anaerobic, oxygen is not required, so the heart need not beat faster.

 

[Rob3rt]

I disagree. HR maximises as a consequence when the lungs cannot uptake any more oxygen. Lung function is triggered by concentration of CO2 in the blood, and HR is sympathetic to this.
Whatever sport, running, cycling, rowing, swimming etc can be performed until all your available alveoli are occupied in gas exchange. When this occurs, muscles go into anaerobic condition and then eventually stop working due to build up of lactic acid, or get damaged. In anaerobic, oxygen is not required, so the heart need not beat faster.

I will stick with what I have read in almost every respected training manual, heard from every triathlon coach, read in the literature etc.

 

[Ningishzidda]

Seeings that its a FACT that a human being CANNOT elevate their HR through WILLPOWER alone, what literature do you read, and what does it describe is the cause of elevated heart rate?

 

[Rob3rt]

Seeings that its a FACT that a human being CANNOT elevate their HR through WILLPOWER alone, what literature do you read, and what does it describe is the cause of elevated heart rate?

Translate to English, google, "Straw man", try interpreting the thread once more, re-evaluate your facts, then get back to me.

 

[ColinJ]

Seeings that its a FACT that a human being CANNOT elevate their HR through WILLPOWER alone, what literature do you read, and what does it describe is the cause of elevated heart rate?

Your statement is so obviously wrong that I can't believe that you are serious!

I once wore a HRM in bed to find my resting pulse rate - it was 37 bpm at that time (I was fit!). I was able to get my pulse rate up to 140 bpm in seconds by just thinking about my very stressful job. Then, I cleared my mind and got it back down to 37 bpm. With intense relaxation, I managed to get it down to 34 bpm. So, there is a change of over 110 bpm for you without the subject even moving!

 

[Ningishzidda]

Your HR increased due to stress caused by emotional factors. Yes, this is true.
Next time, empty your head of any thoughts of work or you wife with another man, and lie there thinking your heart beating faster.

Cardiac is a Striated Involuntary muscle.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Striations which have nothing to do with the heart beat.

 

[david k]

Are you getting that feeling on the bike? Or just tired legs? Either way really might be worth asking the Doc, and explain how it feels on the bike. Is your graph like number one or number two?

just tired legs really on the bike, nothing like what it used ot be like
my graphs are like the first one, spikey normally