Edge 305 heart rate accuracy
 

The heart rate monitor on my Garmin Edge 305 is the first that I've owned, and I just started using it today. I'm 25, and the Edge told me my max heart rate should be 193. That seems to agree well with various calculations I've seen on the internet. However, during my workout, I was sustaining something like 107% of this maximum for a couple of minutes.

So, I'm aware that the calculations of max HR are just estimates, but can the measurement really be far enough off that this happens?

During the workout, I did not think to hand-count my HR. I will try this next time.

I asked a similar question a while back on the power thread. It seems that no one could establish the actual accuracy and/or precision of HRMs. That being said HR is very individually variable, some people have faster heart beats than others. FWIW I am 24 and regularly put up AVG HRs of 193-195 for 45-60 minute crits.

I'm 59 and standard calculations put my MaxHR around 160~ but I've hit 180 ...

As I undertand it, sometimes friction with the jersey or other things can create some static that might affect the wireless HRM. I never happened to me with my 305 over 3 years, but I've read of others with the problem. If you get a good connection with the skin on your chest, like with an electrode cream, it should work fine.

Or maybe your heart rate is really abnormal and you should see a cardiologist to avoid sudden death.

It's probably one or the other.

sometimes your jersey flapping in the wind will give you readouts of the the vibrations as heart rate. in all reality if you are much over 200 you might wanna figure out its accuracy/see a doctor. this jersey flap problem is known for on the garmin straps. it is especially prevalent in the winter/dry climates. I ahve found my luis garrneau to be the worst.

to fix this problem I make sure to wet my chest and/or the strap before putting it on(with spit or water from your bottle) to strengthen the connection your sweat once your warmed up will keep the connection and/or wear a baselayer under my jersey to separate the jersey from my strap.

Two things. One is find your max. Do a search and you'll find various ways to discover your own. The other is you get false readings - dry conditions and cool temps with static on jersey's can do that. Learn to detect false readings from actual.

I found my max on a climb. I developed tunnel vision, black was creeping in around the edges. Very very close to passing out. HR was 193. I figure my max is about 195. I'm 40, so the 220-40=180. Big difference.

My wife has seen 208 on her HR and she's 39. No cardio issues, she just has a fast heart.

Dude, get out of the freakin' wind!!!!

-------------------------------

To OP. The equation for max HR is wildly inaccurate and really means nothing. Just get used to reading the data on the computer and within a week you'll know what's real and what's an error.

Lick, then stick.

Otherwise you get funny readings until you work up a sweat.

Any "calculation" that is done to "estimate" your max is going to be meaningless. It is most likely that the readings are accurate and the max is bogus.

Ok, let me throw some other numbers at you. If you're a 25 year old male, you should wear size 10 shoes. Your inseam should be 32 inches. Your waist should be 29 inches. You should wear a size 7 1/4 hat.

Do ALL of these other measurements accurately describe you? If so, go ahead and use the heart rate "formula" to find your max.

If not, however, you'll see how silly the pre-set formula is. I'm 40 and I hit 193 max HR a this summer. I'm also 6'6", so the 'average measurements' for an American male don't apply to me either.

The only way to find your max is to go out and hit it. You may not even get there the first time you try to find it. Set your garmin so that it shows absolute numbers, not percentages. Whatever your max was last time (107% of whatever) use that as a starting point. To really find your max, you need to find a big hill and go up it as fast as you can. When you're about to pass out from the effort, sprint all out. If you don't pass out or puke, look at the number. That's pretty close to your max.

Your max could lie anywhere from 150 to 230. Everybody's is different.

+1 for all of the above. I'm 38, and my MHR *should* be 182 by that calculation. It turns out that that's in fact pretty close to my lactate threshold HR. The MHR I've actually seen on a stupidly steep climb was 201. Ignore the MHR calculator and measure your LTHR for more informed training.

I agree with everyone above. I've been wearing a HRM monitor for 4.5yrs and I log the min/max/mean data in Excel from every run/ride. My max. hasn't changed over the past 4+ years even with a switch in HRMs. For the last year I've been using a PowerTap so I can literally review the entire workout in detail.

According to the formula my max should be 183. I'm literally just getting warmed up at 175-180 bpm. If I don't hit between 198 and 200 on a ride I feel like I'm not working hard enough. I've been consistently hitting 204 on my hard workouts. It's easier on a run but a nice hill and some pushing gets me there as well. I've seen higher (215 to 220bpm) from time to time but I usually can attribute that to interference because it's a spike. It doesn't happen much with the coded PowerTap either.

Short story.. test yourself and establish your own baseline. Don't believe what you read. As long as your a healthy 25yr old and have been exercising regularly you should be OK to push yourself. Listen to your own body and quit when you feel you need to.

PS: I'm no doctor so what do I know anway.

Thanks for the input. The formula I found was (206.8-0.67*age), and the article claimed this was more accurate than the 220-age. My instinct is always to trust the data rather than some estimate, but I asked because the HRs I was seeing were higher than that formula would allow (i.e. higher than 206.8), so I figured something might be amiss.

I'll keep an eye on the numbers and set out to find my max.

Those formulas aren't even in the ballpark for most everyone except the person that came up with the calculation. According to that 206.8-(.67*age) my max should be 186. I've seen 197 before.

When you're at or very close to your max, the feeling is unmistakable and from my experience there ain't a whole lot of thinking that takes place over your body telling you to please stop.

I'm 29 and I've gotten above 200 once (206). I regularly hit 190-195 when climbing. I also have chased my coach around for two hours and averaged 180. People come with different sized hearts and arteries. My heart seems a little smaller, so it has to beat faster, and I'm still a fatty. What everyone is saying is that there are lots of factors that go into your heart rate. Wait til you race in 105 degree heat and see what your HR does. You'll pass out just from checking it.

Max Hr is a funny thing. When I had it measured a few years ago in a clinical trial mine was 212, but...

That was the point at which my blood pressure suddenly dropped and my heart started to beat funny - not something that anyone should do on a bicycle (or a track or swiming pool for that matter), nor is it something that the average person can push themselves into. The actual test was a clinical evaluation of exertion and pain threshold tolerance for soldiers in battle.

I use a HRM, but I have never put a lot of faith in it. It is more a toy than anything else.

You know when you've gotten close to your max. If you hit your max on a bike....you won't be on the bike for long.

I've definitely hit my max before (but without a HR monitor on me), and from that experience I know that I didn't hit it last night.

Just use the highest HR you've got recorded for at least a few seconds. Voila. That's your max heart rate for training purposes. Just enter it in the Garmin. In reality, you never want to reach your true max HR. Only matters what you can hit and still be alive. GL

Or better yet, don't try to figure out your max, and base everything off LT instead.

+1. Exactly. I got that from Allen and Coggan's book. Problem I'm having now is at moderate intensities my HR is one zone higher than my Power. I take that to mean more aerobic fitness is needed and my power needs to increase. I need to ride more. :)