Challenge 1: I have my VO2max... Now what do I do with it.
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d_thomas02
Posts: 9,048 Member
So, you've finished Challenge 1 and have your estimated VO2max (mine is 41.6), great!... Now what do you do with it?
LOTS!!!
There is an equation for estimating your VO2max from your resting heart rate (RHR) and your maximum heart rate (MHR):
MHR / RHR * 15 = VO2max
Wait... didn't we just say, we all ready had our VO2max? And what are resting heart rate and maximum heart rate?
Medical Definition of:
RHR - resting heart rate of the body is the number of contractions of the heart that occur in a single minute while the body is at complete rest. This number will vary depending upon the age, gender, and general health of a person.
MHR - maximum heart rate is the age-related number of beats per minute of the heart when working at its maximum that is usually estimated as 220 minus one's age.
You get RHR just by measuring your heart rate at rest and MHR by a calculation based solely on age.
My FitBit constantly monitors my RHR and I can plot it.
(I've read that it can take a week or two for a new FitBit to 'learn' about its new owner. You can see the drop in my RHR after about ten days.) This shows my current RHR is 69 BPM
My age is 56 so my MHR is 220 - 56 or 164 bpm. Remember, this number is based only on age. Every 56 yr old in the entire world has this same theoretical MHR. Large or small, male or female, underweight or morbidly obese, world-class athlete or couch potato, all of us 56 yr olds share 164 bpm as a MHR.
But what about ME!!!
I can take that equation I gave above for estimating VO2max, MHR / RHR * 15 = VO2max, and alter it to give a new equation that will estimate my MHR from my VO2max which is based on my performance.
MHR = (VO2max / 15) * RHR or, for my results (41.6 / 15) * 69 = 191 bmp
Now we have some numbers we can work with that are specific for me!
VO2max = 41.5 ml/kg/min
RHR = 69 bmp
MHR = 191 bmp
Your heart rate reserve (HRR) is the difference between your MHR and RHR.
HRR = MHR - RHR or, in my case 191 - 69 = 122 bpm
Your lower training range (LTR) is based on 50% of your HRR added back to your RHR
LTR = (HRR * .5) + RHR or in my case (122 * .5) + 69 = 130 bmp
Your upper training range (UTR) is based on 75% of your HRR added back to your RHR
UTR = (HRR * .75) + RHR or in my case (122 * .75) + 69 = 161 bmp
These last two numbers are very important. A good cardio workout will keep your heart rate somewhere between your LTR and your UTR. If your heart rate is below your LTR, you need to step it up. If its above your UTR, you're straining and need to back it down. Shoot for somewhere in the middle, in my case that will be around 145 BMP. And that is a number I can work with! Personalized for my current physical condition and no one else.
"Society and medicine treat us all as members of populations, whereas as individuals we are all unique, and population statistics do not apply." Craig Venter
LOTS!!!
There is an equation for estimating your VO2max from your resting heart rate (RHR) and your maximum heart rate (MHR):
MHR / RHR * 15 = VO2max
Wait... didn't we just say, we all ready had our VO2max? And what are resting heart rate and maximum heart rate?
Medical Definition of:
RHR - resting heart rate of the body is the number of contractions of the heart that occur in a single minute while the body is at complete rest. This number will vary depending upon the age, gender, and general health of a person.
MHR - maximum heart rate is the age-related number of beats per minute of the heart when working at its maximum that is usually estimated as 220 minus one's age.
You get RHR just by measuring your heart rate at rest and MHR by a calculation based solely on age.
My FitBit constantly monitors my RHR and I can plot it.
(I've read that it can take a week or two for a new FitBit to 'learn' about its new owner. You can see the drop in my RHR after about ten days.) This shows my current RHR is 69 BPM
My age is 56 so my MHR is 220 - 56 or 164 bpm. Remember, this number is based only on age. Every 56 yr old in the entire world has this same theoretical MHR. Large or small, male or female, underweight or morbidly obese, world-class athlete or couch potato, all of us 56 yr olds share 164 bpm as a MHR.
But what about ME!!!
I can take that equation I gave above for estimating VO2max, MHR / RHR * 15 = VO2max, and alter it to give a new equation that will estimate my MHR from my VO2max which is based on my performance.
MHR = (VO2max / 15) * RHR or, for my results (41.6 / 15) * 69 = 191 bmp
Now we have some numbers we can work with that are specific for me!
VO2max = 41.5 ml/kg/min
RHR = 69 bmp
MHR = 191 bmp
Your heart rate reserve (HRR) is the difference between your MHR and RHR.
HRR = MHR - RHR or, in my case 191 - 69 = 122 bpm
Your lower training range (LTR) is based on 50% of your HRR added back to your RHR
LTR = (HRR * .5) + RHR or in my case (122 * .5) + 69 = 130 bmp
Your upper training range (UTR) is based on 75% of your HRR added back to your RHR
UTR = (HRR * .75) + RHR or in my case (122 * .75) + 69 = 161 bmp
These last two numbers are very important. A good cardio workout will keep your heart rate somewhere between your LTR and your UTR. If your heart rate is below your LTR, you need to step it up. If its above your UTR, you're straining and need to back it down. Shoot for somewhere in the middle, in my case that will be around 145 BMP. And that is a number I can work with! Personalized for my current physical condition and no one else.
"Society and medicine treat us all as members of populations, whereas as individuals we are all unique, and population statistics do not apply." Craig Venter
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Replies
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Been about three weeks so reevaluated My VO2max yesterday.
VO2max (mL· kg−1 ·min−1) = 58.687 + (7.520 × Gender; 0=woman and 1=man) + (4.334 × mph) − (0.211 × kg) − (0.148 × HR) − (0.107 × Age).
My stats:
Gender: male so 1 (females use 0)
Age: 56
Weight: 205 (lost 5 lbs since last time so divided by 2.2 to get 93.2 kg)
Sub-maximal test
3 minute progressive walking warmup.
jog 5 minutes @ 5.3 mph (upped speed 0.3 mph)
3 minute cooldown.
Steady State heart rate for last 3 minutes of jog: 142 bpm (average from FitBit Charge HR)
VO2max = 58.687 + (7.520 × Gender 1=man) + (4.334 × 5.3 mph) − (0.211 × 93.2 kg) − (0.148 × 142 HR) − (0.107 × 56 Age)
VO2max = 58.69 + (7.52) + (22.97) − (19.66) − (21.02) − (6.00) = 42.5 ml/kg/min.
42.5 - 41.6 = 0.9 ml improvement. (Check for continue to improve VO2max goal.)
Also resting heart rate over last three weeks has dropped from 69 to 65 bpm.
Finishing the calculations,
MHR = (VO2max / 15) * RHR or, for my results (42.5 / 15) * 65 = 184 bpm
HRR = MHR - RHR or, in my case 184 - 65 = 119 bpm
LTR = (HRR * .5) + RHR or in my case (119 * .5) + 65 = 124 bpm
UTR = (HRR * .75) + RHR or in my case (119 * .75) + 65 = 154 bpm
Interesting.
My max HR is down 7 bpm from 191 and cardio range slightly lower than my original 130-161 bpm.
Well, less than 4.5% drop across the board so not changing any settings yet.0