Concept2 Forum

What exactly is maximum heart rate? Is it the highest rate that your heart CAN beat? OR the highest rate it SHOULD beat, exceeding this causing your heart to explode? I am never quite sure, especially when I have read some training guides that say not to exceed your maximum heart rate (?!). I also have heard that MHR varies with exercise, so its highest for running, lowest for swimming. Does this mean, if the former definition of MHR is correct, that however hard I swim I will never reach the MHR that I would get from running?<br><br>Another question. I have read loads on self assessments of MHR, including the myriad of 220-age related rules, which however much maths (yes I’m English) they employ are plagued by the fact that everyone is unique and MHR varies widely – up to 15 bpm. So I thought I’d try the method in the Concept2 manual (row as per warm up, increase by 25 watt every 1.5 mins until you ‘blow’, record maximum rate… ). But I’ve tried this and I get knackered and have to stop before I should read the “theoretical” MHR of 194-196. The highest I could get to was 172 bpm. I tried something similar running up a hill and reached 182 bmp before I ‘blew’. I am pretty sure my heart can beat faster though…<br><br>I’m 26 and am not unfit. My resting heart rate is 49 bpm.<br>

your MHR is not an indicator of fitness. In fact, in elite athletes, the MHR <i>decreases</i> from when they started training. That is why most % max HR formulas don't work very well. % HRreserve is better. It could just be that you have a very low maximum heartrate. There is nothing wrong with that- it's just a natural variation.

Maximum Heart Rate is very individual, even for different modes of exercise for the same person. So you need not worry if you can't reach a theoretical figure arrived at from some calculation. These formulae are derived from trials done on many individuals, and are all approximate.<br>If you have no heart problems, then your maximum effort gives you the maximum heart rate you can reach. If you need objective feedback to see if you have reached your maximum effort, then go for a VO2max test, and when you are hooked up to a metabolic cart it can track your effort to see if you are holding back and not really giving it all you've got. <br>Soit's better to determine your own Maximum Heart Rate, and use Karvonen's formula (% Heart Rate Reserve) while training. <br>KC62

My maximum heart rate is 174 for running, and has been the same for the last 15 years.<br><br>At first, it only got up to 168 while rowing, but now it's the same as for running.