| Author |
 Topic  |
|
StephenPrice
2113 Posts |
 Posted - 31 Mar 2008 : 3:49:48 PM
|
interesting you should mention that. I've been keeping a closer eye on my max recently in an attempt to get a proper reading.
My max in recent races has been:
30/03/08: 187
19/03/08: 186 & 184 (I ran two races)
02/03/08: 188
09/01/08: 180 & 186 (two races)
05/01/08: 188
I'm thinking 188 is probably closer to my max, but maybe not exactly my max. I'm not sure I've pushed it to the absolute limit in any of these races, but both the 188 figures resulted in me being close to the spew (nice). When I hit 196ish last April I did spew (that's a great word ).
I may see how far I can push it at the end of the London Marathon next week, that should gives the crowds a treat |
 |
|
|
richard
578 Posts |
Posted - 31 Mar 2008 : 5:12:11 PM
|
This just goes to illustrate the difficulty making physiological measurements such as max heart rate in the field, so to speak. The only way to get an accurate measure of these things, max heart, VO2max, lactate threshold, etc is in the lab with experienced technicians. As we do not all have that privilege we have to do the best we can. Remember also that max heart rate generally deceases slightly with fitness. Also max heart rate can be effected by a number of different factors, both within the person and environmental. One leading exercise physiologist, Craig Sharp, suggested that what we should do is add 10bpm to a field determined max heart rate. So if the max heart rate you have ever achieved in training/racing is 190 then add 10bpm so your max heart rate is closer to 200bpm.
In the lab max heart is determined by a test that gets progressively more difficult with time until the subject cannot continue, using specially designed treadmill to avoid the subject reaching failure and then being shot off the back of the treadmill. Basically the subject is pushed to collapse.
Richard
http://www.justgiving.com/richarddavies1 |
|
|
|
StephenPrice
2113 Posts |
Posted - 31 Mar 2008 : 6:27:49 PM
|
Had read somewhere about max HR decreasing with fitness, but the +10bpm theory is a new one on me.
I guess in the field you have a cetain amount of control and so rarely push yourself to collapse. But in a lab, with someone else in control of the treadmill, they can push you harder.
thanks |
|
|
|
richard
578 Posts |
Posted - 31 Mar 2008 : 7:44:24 PM
|
You are correct about the lab. The treadmill is computer controlled and relentlessly increases the pace every 3 minutes until you collapse. You are either in a harness that is connected to the stop switch, or have a tether on the wrist connected to the stop switch. Either way you keep going, the treadmill gets faster by 1kph every 3 mins until you cannot keep up and you start to go backwards on the belt, at which point the harness or tether activates the stop so you do not fly off the back. To make it more fun you usually have a cannula in the arm and blood is taken every few minutes, and you are breathing into a mouth piece (not all the time but for the last minute of each 3min period), with a nose clip on so the expelled air can be analysed in real time by a gas analyser, or collect in douglas bags for analysis later. Blood samples are used to measure, among other things, lactate levels, and possibly glucose and fatty acid levels as well, while air is measure for things such as total volume, O2 content and CO2 content. You then have max heart rate, lactic threshold and VO2max.
Cyclists get tested in a similar way, but instead of increasing speed every 3mins, power is increased every 3 mins until failure.
So the computer is relentlessly increasing speed, and the technician is giving you encouragement to ensure you are stressed to the max.
Richard
http://www.justgiving.com/richarddavies1 |
|
|
|
StephenPrice
2113 Posts |
Posted - 31 Mar 2008 : 7:55:19 PM
|
Sounds like fun  |
|
|
|
pete1987
56 Posts |
Posted - 15 Dec 2008 : 12:23:48 AM
|
I looked into this quite a lot when I started training.
There's a few ways to calculate your maximum heart rate or your VO2 max. If you ask at your local gym they tend to have a leaflet on how to work it out (I dont tend to trust what's on the internet).
Something that I have found very useful is a heart rate monitor, you dno't need anythign expensive or flashy. I use this one: http://www.stcstores.co.uk/wireless-heart-rate-monitor-watch-178-p.asp
Once you've worked out your maximum you can wokr out what training zone you would like to operate in and aim for that.
It's not for everyone though, I often don't wear it and just run for the challenge and see how far I can push my mind, rather than my heart.
"To live is the rarest thing in the world, most people exist, that is all" Oscar Wilde |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
|
|
Maximum Heart Rate
