Author Topic: Max Heart Rate and Age - (Or how to give half the Zone a heart attack)  (Read 8376 times)

pdxmike

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Re: Max Heart Rate and Age - (Or how to give half the Zone a heart attack)
« Reply #15 on: January 30, 2017, 11:26:14 PM »

This is a good article about heart test results for athletic people, written by a swimmer/cardiologist.  The author based it on my experience of having a doctor flip out after listening to my heart:


http://www.usmsswimmer.com/200503/feature.pdf

ukgm

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Re: Max Heart Rate and Age - (Or how to give half the Zone a heart attack)
« Reply #16 on: January 31, 2017, 12:17:42 AM »
I'd like to hear from anyone who has EVER taken a stress test (in a controlled environment or at self administered at home). Not looking to revisit the formula approaches (ie.220 minus your age), just actual results please.

Tell us what kind of test you used and the results (year of the test, max heart rate, age at time of test and gender), and whether you agree with the findings.  If you have a friend or family member that has recently taken a stress test and you can share the data that could be interesting too.

220 minus the age should be disregarded by anyone. When it comes to setting training zones, I use a 30 minute timetrial (or a 1 hour race pace) to set the top end.

As an aside, it really worries me when I seem to be seeing so many people on here with heart problems. I'm also seeing it locally with a few of my friends in a range of sports. At 41, it is something I'm a little concerned about.

Bean

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Re: Max Heart Rate and Age - (Or how to give half the Zone a heart attack)
« Reply #17 on: January 31, 2017, 06:30:38 AM »
Ok, we got your age, so what is your top end UK?

And yes, the formula approach is overly generalized.  By the way, although he makes a very interesting presentation, Dr. O'Keefe (in the Ted talk above) also generalizes when he equates relative fitness with running speeds.

ukgm

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Re: Max Heart Rate and Age - (Or how to give half the Zone a heart attack)
« Reply #18 on: January 31, 2017, 07:19:18 AM »
Ok, we got your age, so what is your top end UK?

And yes, the formula approach is overly generalized.  By the way, although he makes a very interesting presentation, Dr. O'Keefe (in the Ted talk above) also generalizes when he equates relative fitness with running speeds.

My typical max race pace HR in an hour long race is 176. I don't use HR though religiously in my training.

Wetstuff

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Re: Max Heart Rate and Age - (Or how to give half the Zone a heart attack)
« Reply #19 on: January 31, 2017, 02:58:50 PM »
Those formulas are pretty useless for me.  I could be working my azz off and never get near the basic recommend rate.  I've done some personal night studies with a little gizmo sleep apnea folks use and my BPMs will drop back into the 40s with regularity.  Unlike ukgm.. I expect 176bpm would likely be my last few beats.


Jim

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Bean

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Re: Max Heart Rate and Age - (Or how to give half the Zone a heart attack)
« Reply #20 on: February 06, 2017, 07:14:20 AM »
It would seem that from the few replies here, my self included, that as a group we do not follow any cookie cutter charts with respect to our individual maximum heart rate. (My MHR is approx 180 at age 55)

Here is an article that I found interesting on this topic:

https://www.ntnu.edu/cerg/hrmax-info

The scatter graph shows just how varied the subjects were in the related study.

So, my take away is that my MHR is somewhat unique to me and can really only be used to bench mark my individual progress.

PonoBill

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Re: Max Heart Rate and Age - (Or how to give half the Zone a heart attack)
« Reply #21 on: February 06, 2017, 07:55:34 AM »
Wetstuff--welcome to the genetically odd club, and the bottom right side of the scatter graph. I've been having stress EKGs every two years for more than thirty years, and I have never seen 150 no matter what they do to me--rarely 140. Fortunately, the test is valid with a 130 bpm rate, so I can make the limit.

My power level seems to be down a bit this year, but I can hold 5mph for twenty minutes in dead flat lake water and never hit 130. I'll be huffing and puffing, and feel like I'm going to kaack, but my heart rate hangs at 128 like it hit a limiter.

After a lot of testing and general concern the docs decided that it was either a good thing or just not a bad thing. The most experienced doctor I tested with, at OHSU's sports medicine clinic, said he's seen plenty of guys like me (yes, all men) who plateau and it hasn't been connected to either effort level or athletic fitness. Just genetic, was his belief.

I did manage to push myself to an Afib about 15 years ago (racing on rollerblades with a son-in-law) and though my heart was pounding and I couldn't stand, it never got past 140 (according to my Polar watch--the hot tech at the time),
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SlatchJim

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Re: Max Heart Rate and Age - (Or how to give half the Zone a heart attack)
« Reply #22 on: February 06, 2017, 10:52:30 AM »
53 y/o, closing in on the 2 year anniversary of a heart attack that resulted in the installation of two stents.
Took several months to be comfortable revving the ticker back into the 170's but today I can stay there for a while peaking into the 180's and sustain 140-150 for a good portion of a 2-3 hour session.  2 weekends ago went for a nearly 4 hour session, with sustained exertion in the 75 to 80% range with no issues. 

My problem was never to high a rate it's with the little flap that caused the heart attack. Genes. You get what you get.

covesurfer

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Re: Max Heart Rate and Age - (Or how to give half the Zone a heart attack)
« Reply #23 on: February 06, 2017, 10:58:30 AM »
In the 'for what it's worth department', I have the opposite circumstance. I have an extremely high maximum heart rate, it was in the neighborhood of 196 or even 197 bpm, even as of just a few years ago, when I was in my early 50's, which is the last time I pushed that hard.

When I was still 'old man bike racing', we trained daily in a group. I was usually the oldest one and everybody was running a HRM, and a few guys used power meters. My training buddies were amazed at how high my heart rate would be, usually on a long, steady climb of several miles, I would consistently be 20 bpm higher than other guys that were close to my age.

I said this is in the 'for what it's worth' category because the heart rate did not really seem to translate into more or less power when riding or a greater or lesser fitness level. What really seemed to matter was how fast I could recover from bursts into maximum territory, even if my recovery HR was still high. So, on an uphill sprint, I might get into the 190's (if I could hang on) and 'recover' back down to around 180, where I could stay for an extended, if really uncomfortable, period.

So, yeah, it's genetic and it's pretty wild. I never wear a heart rate monitor while paddling but I may try one this year. My suspicion is that I never hit the highs that I used to while cycling. Paddling feels like I am probably around 75 to 80% of max, at the most. And, that is ok with me. There were too many masters 50+ cyclists that ended up having to quit racing altogether, and/or go in and have cardiac ablation to correct A-Fib problems. Pushing up into your high, high max's does not seem to me to be a great idea as you get older. What I like about paddling is the extended 80% efforts that tax me, but don't leave me feeling like I came close to death during a workout.


Glowmaster

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Re: Max Heart Rate and Age - (Or how to give half the Zone a heart attack)
« Reply #24 on: February 06, 2017, 01:31:52 PM »
that scatter graph is cool.

The formula it gives has the central value for men as 213- (.65 x Age). That sounds like a better formula.  For me at 58 that works out to 176.  Sounds right for me so I am near the mean.

 I am also aware that anxiety will increase my rate.  Sometimes when I paddle alone in mid-winter I am 125 even before I hit the water!

ed




connector14

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Re: Max Heart Rate and Age - (Or how to give half the Zone a heart attack)
« Reply #25 on: February 06, 2017, 02:28:53 PM »
I like that formula....puts my max @170 and 80% @ 136.  I'm 66 and when I am well into my 6 mile routine session I am usually 136-145. When it gets bumpy or windy it quickly goes to 155 and above. I've only ever seen 170 once or twice. :)
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