Originally Posted by closetbiker
That refines it a little, but does it still mean a pros' maximum rate is higher than an enthusiast? (I'm guessing yes, because a pros' demands are greater)
No, max. heart rate is primarily a function of age and can't be changed (much). Well trained athletes will have a max HR a few beats lower than an untrained person, presumably because their better fitness bumps up against some other limitation than heart beats.
Here's a
decent article about max. HR.