There are some basic rules you should know when you start to use a Polar heart rate monitor. First of all it is important to know that your heart rate is affected by several internal and external parameters. It takes months (if not years) to get enough experience to understand how the heart rate reacts.
Your Polar heart rate monitor works best for pacing at aerobic cycling, since there is a slightly delay on the pulse frequency. If you accelerate the bike to a new steady state pace, you will reach the steady state pulse a few minutes later. That is really important to know, and I guess that is why many riders push too hard in the beginning of intervals, because they are trying to get their heart rate up in the target zones. That is a big mistake that could easily be avoided if these riders used a power meter.
In short intervals with a length of less than 2 minutes, I will recommend that you don’t use your heart rate monitor for pacing.
How do you determine your target heart rate?
There are several formulas around on the internet that can be used to calculate target heart rate zones. I have seen formulas with more than 6 different target zones, but I normally prefer to use less. You can easily define your own target zones when you use the Karvonen formula. Remember that there are several factors influencing on the pulse, so don’t make the intervals to small.Karvonen’s formula: Target HR = Intensity% x (Max.HR minus Min.HR) + Min-HR
Example: Calculation of Target Heart Rate
Intensity=75%, Max.HR=190, Min.HR=54
T-HR = 75% x (190 – 54) + 54
T-HR = 156
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i was wondering if anyone could answer a question for me. I am a 40 yr old male, long history of running and cycling. Resting heart rate 45, when mountain biking my heart rate can easily get to 185, supposedly max heart rate is 180. Heart rate returns to around 130 within a minutes recovery. Is this high max heart rate normal, are there genetic variations in max heart rate.
Thanks
Trevor
There are great variation in maximum heart rates. The standard calculation is 220 minus age, but there is a standard deviation of about plus/minus 20 beats. There is no best maximum heart rate. Thus, there are professional riders with low maximum heart rates and other riders with maximum heart rates >210.
/Jesper
Trevor - you bring up an important consideration - Max Heart Rate based calculations are inherently inacurate. The original 220-age calculation was completely arbitrary and not designed to be a performance based calculation. Each individual has their own heart rate max that doesn’t often correlate to a MHR calculation. More important and relevant is your Lactate Threshold Heart Rate (LTHR). A simple way to estimate your LTHR (and develop training zones from there) is to do a simple breathing test. After a short warm up gradually increase your effort until you feel your breathing change to one that is slightly labored (need a breath between sentences) and you feel a slight “burn” in your legs. As soon as you feel that note the HR, back off and repeat to try to calibrate within a couple of beats - though anecdotal (you can also do a full fleged blood lactate profile) it is a good starting point for creating responsible training intensities> Think of it as below LT you have nearly limitless capacity, above LT you are on a short clock!!
best
matt
Hi,
I’ve done a couple of Max HR tests over the years (I’m 40 now) which comes out at about 210 bpm. I guess my threshold is approx 185. Is there any specific research to indicate that high heart rates like my own are less efficient or hinder performance?
Thx
I am a 49 year old male. I am active. I cycle about 3 times a week for a maximum of 60 miles and a minimum of 25 miles. I use a polar heart rate monitor. My average heart rate usally runs around 150-159. My maximum heart rate reaches 170-180. I am wondering if I am pushing my heart rate too high at 180. My brother, who is a year older than me, his average is lower than mine. I am concerned that my heart rate is getting too high. Should this be a concern or would this be consider normal.