Publicscumbag

So basically my avg. heart rate while at rest is around 90. My avg. heart rate is usually 165-170 after a ride. If I climb Cat 4/3 hills in the area, my heart rate will easily hit 190 and I usually hit 220 before I start to feel like I'm going to collapse. I don't know of many people that have heart rates like this, but I feel it is holding me back. 9/10 times my legs won't feel like I'm pushing too hard because I don't have that lactate feel in the legs. The lags always feel fine.

I do have asthma (since I was born) and take Advair 250/50. I am 22 years old, 5'8" 145 lbs. I have played sports all my life, and have been cycling for about 3 years now.

What do you guys think?
Is this something I can work on with cardio training (I.E. Jump roping, Boxing, Harder intervals)? Not a problem? See a doctor?

Thanks.

kleng

90 is in the high range, also does your heart rate return to 90 in a few minutes after the ride ?

Just to be sure get it checked by an MD, I read some asthma medication can cause tachycardia, as the wife had an elevated heart rate as well from the meds.

gregf83 

You shouldn't need any other training besides riding. What is it about your HR that you think is holding you back? You say your legs feel fine and you never get that burning feeling. What happens when you ride all-out for 5 min? Do you get out of breath?

In general, younger people have higher heart rates. If you continue riding regularly a decent amount I suspect your heart will get larger, the stroke volume will increase and your HR will be lower at the same power output.

If anything is limiting your power it could easily be your lungs particularly if your asthma is not totally under control. You could always do a VO2Max test. Likely cost would be in the $100-200 range or if you keep an eye on your local university you might be able to participate in a study and get a few tests for no cost.

Publicscumbag

I basically just get out of breath. I am usually around 300-350 watts avg. over the entire ride and usually avg. about 18-22 mph. This puts me at about 165-175 avg bpm heart rate at the end of the ride. Good news is if I do intervals, I can recover very fast. I just want to be able to "push it to the next level" and go faster and harder, but feel that I am hitting a wall called my lungs.

Shimagnolo

The only way to be sure if there is a problem is for a medical professional to hook you up to an EKG while you are on a treadmill or stationary bike, and watch the waveforms while you are exercising. They can tell by the shape of the waveforms whether the heart is operating normally at those high rates. You may just have the ability to push your HR really high, w/o an actual problem.

Lennard Zinn was recently diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia: Technical FAQ: Long-term chain lube notes and SRAM compatibility - VeloNews.com

Some info on ventricular tachycardia: Exercise as it relates to Disease/Exercise-induced ventricular tachycardia - Wikibooks, open books for an open world

Entertaining example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQQOEi92r-s
(He is wearing a 12-lead EKG)

utahp8ntballer

Conconi.d0c.doc
I did a conconi test back in 2011 when I was 34 and this was the result. Only 2 of us out of about 12 had higher heart rates. We are all different so you should just figure out what your zones are by doing this test.

gregf83 

For how long? Unless you are riding with a parachute you should be averaging a much higher speed than 18-22.

If you really can avg 300-350 watts for any reasonable length of time at 145 lbs you should be capable of winning Cat 3 races. Not sure what the problem is although I suspect your powermeter may need calibrating.

phoebeisis

90 is higher than average-but you are very fit-and there is plenty of variation in HR
The usual brag-"my rest rate is 50 etc" is meaningless in respect to fitness
Now the Beta agonist you use( advair is a combo drug beta agonist and corticosteroid) certainly can raise your heart rate
The claim for the beta agonists that are used in asthma is they have engineered most of the heart rate effect out of them-but retained the broncho-dilating effect-but they all raise your heart rate
I wouldn't worry about it-and there isn't much you can do about it
Many asthma patients try to get by on just a steroid- adding a beta agonist ONLY when they need it-
they very specifically avoid regular beta agonists use
-and just use them when they feel a wheeze coming on-or right before a workout if they tend to have exercise induced asthma
I'm assuming your doctor tried that-and you do better on the combo
Dumping regular beta agonist use would lower your HR-but...
Anyway probably has nothing to do with your fitness

When I was young-15-25 my HR would hit 240-maybe a bit more

Oh-some folks think the beta agonist give them a competitive advantage-try to sneak them past the drug tests-claim they have asthma when they don't.
A few NFL players claim ADHD-to use dexadrine-definitely an advantage

hueyhoolihan

IME, a chronic problem. i've seen it run through and entire cycling club in a matter of hours.

bleui

try breathing through your stomach instead of your chest

datlas 

Not an issue IMO. Ride/train more, worry less.