Just used the HRM on the garmin I got for Xmas today….did a 45min turbo session and it came up as a max 184bpm….is that good for a 43yold??
During one of the sprint sessions (CTX utube video)I thought I had 10seconds left to go max power….maybe next time!!

So mine today is 184….. What’s yours??

210

edit: more seriously, this is a topic that comes up from time to time and the answer is that it is different for everyone and comparing it to people even in the same age group doesn’t tell you much. There isn’t really such a thing as ‘good for a 43 year old’. If you want to use it usefully then you probably want to read something like Friel’s book to get an idea of what heart rate you want to aim for for what sort of training.

haven’t done a maxHR test for 5+ years. but 201.

firstly that’s not your max, it’s quite difficult to reach. you normally need to aim to hit it if you want to.
secondly; it’s probably not a good idea hit maxHR in training (maybe very rarely) – recovery demand is high, too high imo.

I often hit 249 bpm when having a Afib episode whilst riding
Max or min heart rate tells you little, recovery is the important one

it came up as a max 184bpm….is that good for a 43yold??

So many variables and everyone is different. Who knows.

I believe the relevant stuff is to look at how quick the heart rate returns to rest. I’m not really that fussed about HR but the monitor came with my Garmin so I’ve used it on occasion out of interest. Over time fitness has shown the rate returns to rest quicker than it used to.

I think the rough calculation is around 220 minus your age. So it’s not far off that. My max is about the same…183…184. I’m 37. Just. But it’s variable and not really a good indicator of anything. I think Chris Froome’s is mega low. Like in the low 170s or something.

Was when younger when resting 40 and 202 balls out max

Around 194 when I’m a bit fitter. But so many variables it’s hard to compare it. Hence all the stuff around Chris Froome’s tests and data.

At the moment, sitting watching TV, 58BPM. At work, with Year 9 wired on Red Bull, up to 90. I’m 53.

Froome’s hrmax is 70? 😉

You can usually add a few bpm on anyway, even in ramp tests my max is 188 but racing a crit I’m hitting 195 in places.

Is it not the case that a better guide to fitness is your resting heart rate, ideally taken first thing in the morning before you get out of bed? Or alternatively the time it takes for your heart rate to recover to its normal after exercising?

Froome’s hrmax is 70?

I’ve edited it now 😉

Dunno, but my resting HR is 43 😯

AFAIK “form” is not only the time it takes for your HR to return to resting but also the regularity of the beats. If you’re fit you might return to 60bpm quickly but if you’re not rested or ill then the beats aren’t regularly spaced.

My resting heart rate tends to change throughout the year. It was 40 at the height of summer last year. Probably about 48-50 now. It’ll creep up to it’s more regular 56-58 if I start slacking off through the winter.

Resting heart rate is usually around 55bpm, nearly 47. Rarely goes above 150.

Not terribly fit these days either.

I have no idea what my resting or max heart rate is. What sort of figure ‘should’ it be?

I’m 42 and overweight btw…

And yes, bloody fit bugger that Froome. My wife has a daft low HR both resting and exercising. The anaesthetists during both our children’s labour were rather worried it was so low.

So going by froomy HR…. The lower it is the fitter you are ….or is he just a freak of nature….

Which I suppose you have to be to win the TDF 😛

.is that good for a 43yold??

Meaningless number. You can’t compare heart rates between people. My heart goes up that high at threshold (I’m 40) and my mate will kick my arse at his threshold despite only doing 150bpm.

Re max – you won’t reach max on a turbo, the pain will probably overwhelm you. For a proper max test find a long steep preferably loose technical hill and ride it so hard you need to stop and have a sit down at the top.

You can track changes in your own hr stats to assess fitness – so if your resting hr goes down, you’re probably fitter, but if you’re ill or un-rested then it goes up. Your max probably won’t change, but how easily you get there and how long you can sustain values near it will mean you’re fitter.

But Strava is the only fitness indicator that counts!

0 bpm is not good. Everything else is fine. Don’t worry about the numbers.

Yep, as a rule of thumb it’s 220 – your age, although it’s prob not the most important number. Unless you’re getting it whilst sat down watching TV haha

My resting hr is around 46, taken by a nurse when last getting some jabs.

My 2min recovery hr is 72bpm.

Aged 30&5/6ths.

You’re hr may vary but the 220- age thing is bobbins.

Currently my HR is 86, I’ve just got in from a very muddy 2.5 hour ride where my max was 180. So after 30 mins I’m down to 86 in another 30 mins I’ll be down to my resting HR which is 44 (on average), I’m 50.

None of that helps you because this stuff is very personal, I’ve been ill recently so am not fit yet my resting HR implies I am, it is always below 50 no matter what my state of fitness is.

My max heart rate is 196, resting used to be 55, but currently 105 for reasons no Dr can explain…

I often find my highest HR is on my descents. Last nights for example, I reach 181 and 180 on the steepest downs. I’m not knackered at the bottom though as I havent kept that HR up for a long period. The prolonged 175 segments are where I feel shattered!

Got a Fitbit HR for Xmas so I’ve been spending an unhealthy amount of time cocking about with stats about my heart rate.

Max so far is 182bpm, technical climb and blowing out my arse – which is bob-on 220 minus my age – Nursy wife insists I go no higher, I said I’d do my best 😉

‘Average’ resting heart rate since Xmas day is 56, although that includes 2-3 days of it being 72 because I was busy digesting red meat.

No bad for someone who’s over-weight I guess.

I had pneumonia late last year, when they were evaluating me in A&E (I was only there because my GP was worried I had Meningitis) the Doc said “your heart rate is a bit high, I don’t suppose you know what it is usually?” an odd question she admitted, but in fact I did because when wife was training she was taking my HR and BP all the time for practice – I said “oh usually, just below 60” “Ah” she said – it was 115 whilst laying down, caused a few worried faces that one.

Age 48, Resting 50bpm, Max 188bpm more importantly, Threshold(max that can be maintained) 159bpm.

This last figure helps me understand how hard i can work, say on a long climb above that I wont last, below I’m not trying hard enough.

All the figures are relative and value out of context is largely irrelevant, for example my friend who max’s out at 160bpm is usually faster than me.

When I was racing in my 40’s my max HR was 185ish, now I’m nearly 60 I rarely hit over 170 or feel the need to push myself that hard anyway.

My resting is 51 and I never see above 170, even in a full pitch sprint at the end of a match (33yrs old).
As wilburt says threshold is a good one, I can go at 160 for a goodly time and average 155 when out on long runs

Heart rate is pretty much irrelevant. Mine is pretty low and although I like to think I’m quite fit, I’m nothing special really. Highest I have achieved is about 172 and resting can be as low as 35 (actually I’ve measured 31 in bed first thing).

It can be useful to know your own heart rate limits for training and racing effectively. Eg in a marathon I know that I’ll blow if I go much over 150, 10k race I should be around 160-163. Cycling is generally lower than running.

cheers_drive – Member
I often hit 249 bpm when having a Afib episode whilst riding
Max or min heart rate tells you little, recovery is the important one

Talk to me about this. My HR hit 231 today about 10 minutes into the ride. I didn’t notice it (aside from the feeling of being knackered that accompanies me on every ride…). Didn’t seem to be a one-off rogue reading as it lasted for a while, dropped down, then came back up again to 200+ for a few minutes again.

I’ve seen this as a pattern on a few rides, mostly near the beginning of rides. It may be a bit late to be worrying now (it’s happened for a while now…), but I’d like to find out more about it.

You won’t have hit your max heart rate. It’s actually pretty difficult to do and I’ve only ever hit mine twice, once during a VO2max test and once during a stress ECG. It’s not something I’d take lightly as recovery will be much longer than you’d think. And you’ll feel shit afterwards.

Worth bearing in mind that HR monitors may give erroneous readings, eg a chest strap with poor contact on dry skin. i regularly used to hit 180 BPM when I set out on a run, coincidentally while taking 180 steps per min 🙂 A bi of saliva on the contacts may help.

I hit mine every other road ride.