Why can't I get my heart rate over 185?

Thomasj230
Thomasj230 Posts: 5
in Fitness and Exercise
I am a college student, getting my Bachelors degree in Exercise Science and then going on to Physical Therapy. Needless to say, many of my fellow students are in great cardiovascular condition and love the "healthy" lifestyle. One of my good friends in the program is able to get his heart rate above 200, he's gotten it up to 208 before, on most of his long distance runs. Though, no matter how hard I try, I cannot get my heart rate above 185. I was wondering if it might be a genetic determination, my heart is really efficient i.e. high SV, or something else. Thoughts or comments?

Replies

  • aledba
    aledba Posts: 564 Member
    http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/Target-Heart-Rates_UCM_434341_Article.jsp

    Your maximum heart rate is about 220 minus your age. Is your friend only 20 years old? For me, if would be 193 and I better damn well never go anywhere near that. When I work out, I try for about 80-85% of my max. In any case, the link shows you a few interesting numbers that lead me to believe your friend is making up stories or doesn't know how to count heart rate.
  • wriggles95
    wriggles95 Posts: 15 Member
    I don't know much but I thought the 'basics' of max HR was 220-age, so I don't see how he's gotten his HR to 208 in the first place, correct me if I'm wrong!

    Maybe it has something to do with your resting HR, if it's lower then surley it must be harder to get to a higher HR whilst exercising etc. And a 'healthier' heart will returm more quickly to resting HR after it has been raised, so maybe look for that instead. I've personally never increased my HR to more than about 176 bpm, but it doesn't take long to decrease once I've reduced intensity.

    Why do you want to increase your HR so much anyway?
  • Thomasj230
    Thomasj230 Posts: 5
    .
  • Thomasj230
    Thomasj230 Posts: 5
    We received Polar Heart rate monitors as part of our lab fees; Polar heart rate monitors are next in line, in my opinion, in accuracy next to other exercise physiology laboratory ECG/EKG monitors. He is 23 and I am 21. As for using the Karvonen heart rate calculation or the less specific age predicted equation(s), I feel that they are not the "go to" options for healthy, well-trained individuals as they are for the more sedentary or, for example, cardiac rehab-type patients.
  • MBrothers22
    MBrothers22 Posts: 323 Member
    http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/Target-Heart-Rates_UCM_434341_Article.jsp

    Your maximum heart rate is about 220 minus your age. Is your friend only 20 years old? For me, if would be 193 and I better damn well never go anywhere near that. When I work out, I try for about 80-85% of my max. In any case, the link shows you a few interesting numbers that lead me to believe your friend is making up stories or doesn't know how to count heart rate.

    I've gotten my heart rate to 206 before (Polar FT7 HRM) and I'm 20 years old so I don't think 220-age is necessarily 100% accurate
  • kittyr77
    kittyr77 Posts: 419 Member
    i think 220-age is a rough estimate with enormous individual variability.
    i am 30 and pretty fit (seven gym classes a week for last couple years) and in ftfit this week i peaked at 199 bpm. that was working absolutely flat out. I use polar ft4.
  • Thomasj230
    Thomasj230 Posts: 5
    I don't know much but I thought the 'basics' of max HR was 220-age, so I don't see how he's gotten his HR to 208 in the first place, correct me if I'm wrong!

    Maybe it has something to do with your resting HR, if it's lower then surley it must be harder to get to a higher HR whilst exercising etc. And a 'healthier' heart will returm more quickly to resting HR after it has been raised, so maybe look for that instead. I've personally never increased my HR to more than about 176 bpm, but it doesn't take long to decrease once I've reduced intensity.

    Why do you want to increase your HR so much anyway?

    My true resting heart rate in the morning, upon waking up, dances between 50-54 bpm. Although the age-predicted calculations are somewhat accurate, I don't like to compare everything to them. I am in the same boat as you are, however, because after a good 4-5 mile run it doesn't take very long for my HR to drop significantly.

    It's not so much that I want to get my heart rate up that high:glasses: , I was just wondering as to why his could get up above 200 on a pretty consistent basis where I struggle to get up to 185ish.
  • Thomasj230
    Thomasj230 Posts: 5
    i think 220-age is a rough estimate with enormous individual variability.
    i am 30 and pretty fit (seven gym classes a week for last couple years) and in ftfit this week i peaked at 199 bpm. that was working absolutely flat out. I use polar ft4.

    I use the same monitor. What I find odd is that I can reach 185 bpm during a 4-5 mile run averaging a speed of 6-6.5 mph, but on a dead all out sprint for about a quarter of a mile it still only gets up to 185.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    There's a huge variation in min and max HR.
    Maybe you have a more efficient CV system?

    My min is low (48) and my tested max is 176 (as opposed to the 166 predicted by the simple 220 - age calculation).
    My older brother has a lower min and until recently has always been able to hit 200 (I never have, don't recall ever seeing 190) but I'm fitter than him.

    That someone else can get higher than you isn't really of any significance IMO.

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