Maximum Heart Rate Meaningful?

May 30, 2017 8:26 AM

I'm still hitting 220+ max heart rate as a 35 year old, is that as odd as I think? I've always had a high heart rate, during a hard effort ride of about say 45 minutes I can easily hit 180+ bpm for most of that.

I'm male, 6' 5" and I've been cycling pretty consistently for the last year (5000 km or so in total), slowly getting quicker (~245W FTP at the mo).

For the longest time, I thought my maximum heart rate was about 199, but in two recent races I've blown that away, for instance on Monday I averaged 196 bpm and maxed out at 221 bpm over a 1h 45m time period. I'm usually cycling in hot and humid weather (the race averaged 32C / 90F with 70-80% humidity.) I recover quickly, and have no notable side-effects at all.

There doesn't seem to be much on how weather effects heart-rate, or how if higher heart-rates actually mean very much. The 'old' method is 220-Age, and a fancier method is 211-64% of age, both which are way lower then my max.

So, does a high-max heart rate mean anything meaningful? Or is it just like the BMI index, a useful guide for a majority, but way off for some people? Should I be concerned or welcome having a high max?

posted by Static Vagabond to Health & Fitness (12 answers total)

Best answer: You should be indifferent to it. Doesn't mean anything, and 220-(age) is a very flawed rule of thumb.

"These normal high or low heart rates also have no bearing on performance. I once coached a US National Age Group Time Trial Champion who broke the record for his age group. His 20k time trial heart rate was around 145. This didn’t slow him down. I also once coached a runner with a max heart rate in the high 210s. I’ve also coached athletes with big feet and little feet. None of these athletes had problems. They were just unique." -Friel
posted by entropone at 8:39 AM on May 30, 2017 [5 favorites]

How are you measuring/assessing your rate? Have you ever palpated your pulse to confirm the reading? I ask because my HR monitor occasionally picks up my T waves, essentially doubling my HR.

(Hit post too soon, argh)

ETA: my resting HR is around 50, max is usually around 120.
posted by pecanpies at 8:41 AM on May 30, 2017

Are you using a chest strap or wrist monitor? The latter tends to be much less accurate.

The reason I'm asking is that those averages sound really high. I can't imagine not being wrecked after averaging nearly 200bpm for 2 hours. I'm mid-30s (run 30+ miles a week) and haven't ever recorded anything higher than 205. That was during a self administered max HR test and I nearly puked/fainted (wanted to do both at the same time lol).
posted by paulcole at 8:44 AM on May 30, 2017

With the usual disclaimers about not being a medical doctor, etc., I'd say it's nothing to worry about as long as you're feeling OK. There is quite a lot of variance in the data used to derive even the supposedly more accurate formulas.

My resting heart rate is usually around 45-46, and the last time I did a maximum heart rate test, it was 192, when the various formulas predicted it should be somewhere in the 170s.
posted by brianogilvie at 8:44 AM on May 30, 2017

Best answer: Go by how you feel. If you averaged 196 that could be perfectly fine and okay. If your sustained HR was 221 your body would start to fatigue and let you know that that sustained activity at this HR isn't going to work and you would slow down. As you're aware, dehydration will increase HR.

I am not a doctor but work in cardiac rehab. Many of our patients cannot get their HRs too high because of beta blockers so it's not much of an issue. For patients who are not on beta blockers we factor age, fitness level, and symptoms. If you're listening to your body and feeling okay, HR 196 occasionally going over 200 is probably not a big deal. If you want to build endurance subtract your age from 180 and keep your HR there. It might seem boring but you will build fitness. Keep your activity at this HR and eventually you'll be able to work harder with a slower HR.
posted by loveandhappiness at 9:03 AM on May 30, 2017 [1 favorite]

People vary... I know several guys your age and older who have max heart rates above 220. It's not common but for sure it's possible.
posted by RustyBrooks at 9:45 AM on May 30, 2017

Nthing the "not a thing" comments. I'm also a cyclist and, at 47, my max HR is usually in the 180-185 range -- but I've definitely seen readings over 200 on occasion during longer sustained sprints (mostly, trying desperately to avoid being dropped when I ride with much faster people).
posted by uberchet at 9:45 AM on May 30, 2017

On the nature of weather, I have found that high humidity makes it difficult to shed heat - your body sweats partly to get rid of excess heat, but when it's humid it doesn't evaporate so it doesnt' cool you down as much. This by itself tends to make my HR higher. It can also lead to dehydration even if it doesn't "feel" that hot which also can raise HR. So for me, warm humid weather leads to higher HR averages.

It took me at least 3 or 4 years of hard riding to find what I *think* is my real max heart rate. Every year for that period I would hit a new peak. It takes hard mental and physical effort to push yourself to your real max.

(fwiw I am 40 and my max is about 187)
posted by RustyBrooks at 9:51 AM on May 30, 2017

Response by poster: Thanks all— that's really helpful. My resting rate is usually around 60 if I try to be really calm. I'm measuring with a decent chest strap (used a few brands over the year, and all similarly agree). I was wrecked at the end, but recover within an hour or so.

The 221 dinged during a sprint at the end, so absolute full effort-- I'm sure the fear of being dropped adds a few frantic beats throughout the race as uberchet mentions :)
posted by Static Vagabond at 10:43 AM on May 30, 2017 [1 favorite]

When I worked out a lot my resting heart rate as about 42 and I would average 170bpm for 90 min workouts on the bike or rowing machine. I'm a woman if that matters. Oddly, my max wasn't super high (approx 195) but I just had a really high working heart rate it seemed. Never did me any harm.
posted by hepta at 11:09 AM on May 30, 2017

I'm a pretty serious cyclist and I also don't think this matters much. I'm not convinced that these HR monitors are all that accurate, I use it more as an indicator of intensity rather than an actual measure of HR.

FWIW I'm a similar age to you and my resting HR (confirmed by Dr's equipment) is around 45 and I max out around 185bpm. I do endurance riding rather than racing though, so I guess 200+ doesn't seem that crazy to me if you are at your absolute full effort. I occasionally I can get around 200 if I am really trying on an interval or something.

The above advice about "subtract your age from 180 for endurance" seems spot on to me. I average 140-150 on long rides and I see consistent fitness gains without burning out keeping my effort in those ranges. I don't think it's boring :).
posted by bradbane at 12:04 PM on May 30, 2017

45 here, 210lb, 6'3", with a resting rate of around 60. I hover around 185 on a 10k run. I can still bump 200 after a hill climb. I recover very quickly afterwards, and feel fine after a run.

I've decided not to worry about it. That said, I'm mindful of it and I am planning to immediately cancel any workout in which I feel anything not strictly normal for me, like nausea, acute headache, or torso/arm pain.
posted by CaseyB at 1:43 PM on May 30, 2017 [2 favorites]