knotty

Something strange happened today. When I first started riding again nine months ago from a 25 year layoff, I used the HR monitor and recorded a max of 177 consistently. (I'm an old fart, 63) Since then, I haven't used the HR monitor until today.

Same hill, same effort but no matter how hard I tried today, could not get the max HR past 166.

I've been riding regularly since nine months ago and do one weekly ride around 80-100 miles with shorter rides about 3 times a week.

What do you make of the change in the max HR?

Thanks, knotty

buckstoy

Some days your heart just doesnt want to "go". This has happened to me before, the going as hard as I can but heart wont jump up, and it usually means that I need to either warm up for a while longer or I need rest.

DnvrFox

I'm a young guy at 68 yo.

I wouldn't worry about that in the slightest.

Your max HR is not really significant. It is sport specific, by the way. What is significant is your endurance and git-go. Have they increased?

Here are a couple of articles about some of the myths of MAX HR.

https://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/research/max.htm

https://sportscenteraustin.blogs.com/...x_heart_r.html

Keep up the great riding.

kuan

Were you winded or were your legs burning? Do you think you could have gone farther?

knotty

Thanks all!

Yes, absolutely DnvrFox, Slowly but surely, the distances are increasing with much more comfort compared to months ago. Thanks for the links.

Kuan
"Were you winded or were your legs burning? Do you think you could have gone farther?"

I had long past the point where breathing did any good and the legs started to slow down on their own no matter how much harder I tried.

This is all very interesting stuff, I will wear the HR monitor on the long rides and see just what numbers come up out of curiosity.

Thanks...knotty

stonecrd

I would suggest if you were not seeing black spots and about to puke you did not really reach your MHR. I don't hit mine often because it is just too painful. So if you were doing 177 consistently I doubt this is your max, it probably just the highest you have reached.

kuan

It sounds like your legs could have given out before reaching your MHR. Kinda like the feeling one gets on hills. You can breathe but your legs just won't do it. More like lifting weights than anything. If your legs could, you would be pushing your HR way over the top.

knotty

Hmm! that could be because I wanted to go harder but there was nothing left in the legs, like those last couple reps in weight lifting. I'll try some leg workouts for a while and see what happens. Perhaps I just haven't been riding long enough and need more time on the bike.

Thanks...knotty

DnvrFox

https://faculty.css.edu/tboone2/asep/Robergs.doc

knotty

Thanks DnvrFox, I'll read it tonight.

knotty

Carbonfiberboy 

Almost the same age. Totally normal. When you train hard, your MHR goes down, though your watts at LTHR go up. Your LTHR may go down, too, but not the wattage, which is what's important. The percentage of LTHR to MHR may also go up as you train (they get closer). If you take a long break - a month or so - at the end of the season, you'll see the same thing happen again.

knotty

That makes sense to me Carbonfiberboy, the heart becoming more efficient thus less heart rate but doing the same or even more work. Especially since I go a lot further and faster than months ago.

Thanks..knotty