Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Seattle, LA, Suzhou
Posts: 205
Bikes: Hugh Porter criterium, Davidson Discovery (touring), GT road, Nishiki Yukon MTB (which I hate)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Max HR that is discussed in fitness/sports/etc is max NORMAL (without arhythmias) HR. A person's HR can go to 250 or even 300, but it won't be a normal rhythm. Meaning it won't be efficient. A "beat" is an electrical jolt that is generated by and goes through the heart, one after another, creating a rhythm. One aspect of that rhythm is the rate. Another is the regularity. When the regularity is disrupted, efficiency goes out the window. Then there's different kinds of beats, where they originate, how the heart muscle responds to the impulses, etc.
But that's all crap that doesn't need to waste your time. Just follow the tables for a few months, then adjust your training according to how you feel about your progress. Don't over-think the thing, or you'll suck the fun out of it!