Happy Feet

I'm pretty sure my heart rate is best.
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124Spider

The best heart rate is one significantly above zero.

bugs11

I recently completed a VO2max test AKA CPET. After the test the Dr. circled a specific heart rate on the test results chart and said something to the effect this is the heart rate all the exercise folk talk about as being the heart rate lactose break point (?). I honestly can't remember exactly what she said, but it had something to do with how my muscles switched over to different energy source - a something break point.

It was kinda funny during the initial phase of the test they realized I wasn't working nearly hard enough and had to up the resistance by 10% at each stage. I passed the test, no heart issues, but my VO2 max was just average for my age. My heart rate went from 54 bpm to 163 bpm in around 10 minutes during the test. I was just about lifting the stationary bike off the ground towards the end, trying to get leverage to pedal.

Edit: She circled two numbers in the Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER) column; 0.97 (HR=117) and 1.01 at 9.46 and 10:03 (HR=125) into the test respectively, i.e. at 9:46 my RER was 0.97 (HR=117) , at 10:03 my RER was 1.01 (HR=125). The test ended after 11:46 minutes. My VO2Max = 31.2 ml/kg/min, Max Mets = 8.9.

My RR (I think this means Respiratory Rate) was 7 at rest (HR=54) and peaked at 36 (HR=163). I don't know what it all means, I was just happy to get the thumbs up from the Cardiologist.

Caliper

Sounds like you need to do some reading. https://roadcyclinguk.com/how-to/six...4ul8qe7m2Yz.97

Long story short: It depends. Lower HR for the same power input generally means you are more fit, but that's best just comparing against yourself as each person is different. Going hard all the time and maxing your heart rate on every ride also probably isn't the best way to train and it can be hard on your body.

burnthesheep

I say they need to post up some verifiable data of their "superior" performance at their HR.

On a serious note: yes, humans are among the few slower species adapted to "persistence hunting". You chase faster prey over a longer time until it exhausts because the body can cool via sweating instead of through panting or other means. So, we're born to run/ride! As for people who pass away, defects happen. Things go undetected. It's no less tragic, but it doesn't negate basic physiology and human adaption.

fietsbob

If Young and fit your resting heart rate can be impressively low... but you will get Older .. one hopes, (not struck while on training rides).

canklecat

A recent GCN video comparing seated vs standing climbing included effects on heart rates. For the two very fit presenters there wasn't much difference. (Jump to the 4:40 mark for the data.)

Their maximum heart rates for what appeared to be a modest effort for the presenters (Emma Pooley recently set an unofficial world record for VAM on a climb in Oman) would be close my maximum heart rate when I'm nearly gassed out. At age 61, my peak HR the past year has been 175, and I can sustain that only for brief sprints. My HR is 160 for FTP type efforts. And while my resting HR after first waking is in the high 60s, usually around 70 bpm, it can take hours for my heart rate to settle below 90-100 after a hard workout. My HR never returns to normal soon after a workout, even 40 years ago when I was in my teens and early 20s. And I've never developed that slow resting HR that many endurance athletes have.

No idea why, the doctors have never been concerned about it and apparently there's nothing that can or should be done to "fix" it. Probably explains why I can occasionally manage a top ten PR on Strava, yet cannot sustain better than a 16 mph average over distance (20-30 miles). I'm good for 30-90 seconds before I'm blown out. There have been a few exceptional days when I could manage a sustained effort for a mini-time trial course of about 15 minutes for a top ten, but not often.

downhillmaster

fietsbob

Former DOD Secretary & VP Cheney had an artificial Heart pump with a flow but no pulse so no pulse rate, , until he got to the head of the line for a Transplant ..

124Spider

Heck, I was unaware he even had a heart!

Doge

Exactly right.

There is a ton you can learn to read for an individual. I greatly prefer it to a power reading, but it is personal.

aclass

Interesting information in some of the responses.
I've often wondered why my cycling buddies can climb beside me with a much less heart rate than I experience. I consider myself rather fit but I can fail a fitness test in minutes due to an increased heart rate based on what is considered normal for my age and weight. I've often wondered if something isnt wrong with me but so far it is nice to still remain above ground.

smarkinson

Lactate (lactic acid, produced during exercise) instead of lactose (a milk sugar)?

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/36/2/113

Teamprovicycle

more speed more power higher distance less time .

Riveting

Lactate intolerant

Teamprovicycle

it will give me more accurate training mostly for indoors where my data is not so accurate . i can use speed but sometimes the mph are off or the power is laggy but my heart rate should be a certain number i can hold .

livedarklions

Why don't you start the thread in Training and Nutrition then? This isn't really a General Cycling question.

Doge

If you want to compare with others compare the time it takes to go 95% to 50%.

Then compare the difference from 100% to morning resting.
Compare what % above morning resting they are 3 min after going 95%.

Do interval repeats. Compare the high to low gap after 4-5 repeats. The bigger gap - the fitter the rider.

The above will tell a lot about fitness.

FWIW the less fit can get a higher HR more quickly.

burnthesheep

alanf

Many years ago I hopped on my bike and raced through the city and ended up on a very steep hill going as fast as I could. It was a very hot day and heat is not my favourite thing. I felt what I thought was like a gas pin but it was in an odd place my upper chest. You guessed it, in the position of my heart. I thought hmmm, maybe I should stop and when I did I happened to notice my HRM was at what I figured was pretty high, but I wasn't sure. Anyways I rested for a bit and then drove more sensibly up the rest of the hill. When I got home I did the math and figured out that I was at my theoretical max HR.


I am a pro pilot and so I checked and discovered that if you get to that high of a value that you feel pain you are supposed to tell the Doc. I knew that would probably be the kiss of death to my career so I declined the pleasure and instead took it easy on the ticker for a period of time and nothing came of it and subsequent heart tracings (req'd by law for pro pilots) showed nothing. I used a much lower value as max no matter how good I felt.


Anyways the reason I am posting here is to be a warning not to mess with beating yourself to death because as I found from my research you can actually do damage that may not show for years. I have not suffered any damage BTW. I am not trying to fear monger, just a word to the wise from an ole guy..


Most of you are fairly healthy PPL no doubt but be careful about what you think is safe.

Qwertyportne

Interesting thread. I have a diagram and two HTML calculators that might add something valuable to the discussion, but I can't attach them because I don't have enough posts. When I've got enough, I'll come back and attach them. Meantime, if anyone would like the diagram and calculators, PM me and perhaps I can attach them to an email, or whatever works for you. They come up in your browser, off-line.

Qwertyportne

Oh, forgot to mention that I published an e-book on this subject at Smashwords dot com. It's free but I can't post the url to that either until I've got 10 posts. And I have DOC file for the article, so I could give that to anyone (via email) who wants it. PM me?

theia.bike

Heart rate is like shoe size... each person has their own, and they should not be compared to other people's. At 46, my Max HR is 203, for example. It does not mean that I am better or stronger than someone whose max HR is 170 at the same age. A better way to use HR is to look at your own data overtime at different efforts. In addition, Heart Rate Variability is an even more accurate tool to be used in training.

spelger

nothing to joke about really.

balut bandit

Yet I was the second person to do so. It's a tough world out there.

Even without the rabid scorpions.