jerseyjunkie

So, the rule of thumb is that your maximum heartrate is 220 minus your age. I am 38, so my theoretical maximum HR is 220-38=182. The maximum that I have gotten my heart rate up to on a climb or sprint is 177, so far in the last year. When I get about there, I start getting the feeling that I have to let off a bit, or end up on the roadside, a victim of a heart attack.

How close have you gotten to your theoretical maximum HR?

Please, only answer the post if you are between 30 - 45 years. For some reason, I think the rule of thumb must lose

And yes, I realize that different people will have different REAL maximum HRs.

jerseyjunkie

"lose its predictive power for the very old or very young."

C_Heath

Im 32 and Im NOT in awesome shape. Im a clydesdale (200 pounds) and have not ridden in a while (5 months) When I rode regularly, My max was 177 on a hard climb or sprint. I had to let up around the 177 mark as well but had seen 192 once when I was in a paceline in a climb and was not concentrating on my breathing and held my breath up the hill (not good).

I actually dropped from the paceline and stopped, it really scared me so I cooled down and inhaled a whole bottle of water.

177-182 is about all Ill push my HR. Dont want to see what happens if my ol ticker quits.

Good luck

2Rodies

I'm 43 (44 in couple of months) and my tested, actual MHR is 171. My theoretical MHR is 176 and I've hit 169 on couple of occasions in Jan durring some race simulation rides. I was actually quite surprised that the two were so close.

squeegy200

I'm 44 years old so theoretically -- my max heartrate should be 176bpm. However, my actual max heartrate is 182bpm

I'm in the 160-170s often during races or steep climbs.

But the theoretical rule is generally good for helping you define your aerobic and anaerobic training zones.

terrymorse 

This max. heart rate formula is reported to be more accurate for those of us over 40:

208 - (age * 0.7)

Source: https://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...20/ai_87130153

Patriot

Mine must be around 190ish. I got up to 190 for about 5 minutes once, and felt like I was going to throw up.

Bontrager

33 (almost 34) and I can hit 200 at which point I feel like hurling. I can sustain 180 +.

wannaride

I'm 49 and I have seen 189 riding hard up a bridge but it did not feel good. I regularly hit high 170's as peaks both riding and running.

GoSteel

Hey JJ, I'm 38 as well & can't seem to get my MHR over 172-no matter how hard I push myself. I ride a lot in the Morristown area...maybe I'll see you out there some time.

rusty_2000

39, initially managed to max it to 183 on a ride, but then in a crit, I saw it at 192 at the finish line going all out - scarey!!

spunky

I'm 38 and can easily get my rate in the 180's. The highest I've seen it is 198 on some severe hills.

531Aussie

that theory is only really a safeguard for sedentary people starting an exercise program.

I'm also 38, and my max is ~204, and has been for at least as long as I've had a heart rate monitor, which is about 15 years.

Odin

I'm 39 - the age thing says 181 but I've been to 182 on the road. (and I wasn't dying doing it: so I reckon it'll go a fair bit higher very soon...first crit this coming weekend)

Russ9000

Hi Im 44 and this morning I hit 178 Felt ok bit puffed though - But Im still getting in shape only been on the bike for 13 weeks after an almost 10 year layoff

head_wind

I'm out of the age range you asked about but perhaps you'll be interested. Since I'm 60 the equation suggests 100% = 160 bpm. Climbing I can't exceed ~155 but on modest downhills flat out (in the big ring) I can repeatedly maintain 175. I have no understanding of this observation but you may wish to measure your maximum HR more than one way.

In spite of being out of the age range I am a 'Junior Member' so maybe that makes me an honorary 30 - 45 year old! Neah, it doesn't!

zorana

Would someone be so kind and explain is it good or bad thing when one can never hit the estimated maximum heart rate? I mean, if my max HR should be 177 (this is what my Polar says), but when I am climbing a steep hill, and feeling that I cannot push more than what I am pushing at the moment, and still my HR goes only to 162-165, where is the problem - in my bad legs, or my bad heart? Thanks, and sorry to hijack the original post.

Zo

samp02

with or without beer in my hand.....

substructure

I'm 36 and in real good shape. (or so my wife says)
My resting HR is about 55.

I have my alarm to go off at 190 while I'm cycling. I've hit it several times on some big climbs, but it doesn't stay there long. My workout average (running and/or cycling) is around 173.

If I'm running a 5k I'll work up to 170-175 then keep it there for a few and start easing back. If I stay there too long I get uncomfortable.

LowCel 

I'm 30 years old so I guess that would mean that according to that my max would be 190. The highest I have seen was 208 on a steep, rocky, technical singletrack climb. I thought I was going to have a heart attack!

NJWheelBuilder

By definition, you can't exceed your max heart rate.

I'm 38 and I believe mine is 192.

my58vw

My theretical max is 197, I saw 200 once in an itt... and then I threw up!

NoRacer

[Most] everyone who has found their 'max heart rate' cycling, I bet you can get even higher 'max heart rate' by running.

My peak heart rate for running is 193 BPM. My peak heart rate for cycling is 186 BPM.

I'm 48, so:

220 - 48 = 172 BPM

I can sustain 172 BPM and higher (read: 180+/- BPM) for over 30 minutes (cycling or running), which indicates it most definitely is not my maximum.

My RHR has been as low as 39 BPM, but since then it's been up around 45 BPM.

rjtokyo

There's got to be so much subjectivity to these things. I'm 46 so according to the old formula my MHR should be 174, and according to Terry Morse's it should be 176. On hill-training rides I'm consistently between 180-185 and I've seen 195 without feeling like I was going to throw up. Then there are those who say your MHR should get lower the better your condition gets because a better conditioned heart pumps more efficiently, therefore needs to pump less. So many factors...

- RJ

Artmo 

Sorry, I saw the survey before I read your post and voted. I'm 65, so my theoretical MHR is 155. I've seen it at 154 a couple of times in a 30 mph sprint, felt puffed, but no other problems - yet. Having my stress test today, so I'll see what the doc says. My RHR is around 50, but a monitor I wore for 24 hr showed my HR was as slow as 39 early in the morning. Ooooooooh, what does this all mean? . Actually, it sometimes it goes to 220, but that's atrial fibrillation!!