Can you improve on your max heart rate?

viccigb
viccigb Posts: 93 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
When I "run" (and I use this term losely!), my hr sometimes hits 180. That's also my max hr. I should be sticking to 157ish. Over time, will I be able to do the same run and get my heart rate to be lower than 180 and more to 160?

Replies

  • Doodlewhopper
    Doodlewhopper Posts: 1,018 Member
    Yes , after all, the heart is a muscle, and as you exercise your heart it gets stronger and can pump the same volume with fewer contractions.
  • Juggernoobs
    Juggernoobs Posts: 37
    Yeah, I started running and I was hitting a max of 192 beat per minute that was insane, I was running 10 minute miles...sometimes more.

    I am now running 7:30 min miles and my heart rate is 160 beats per minute. It changes...it grows...it gets better. Your heart is only a muscle.
  • moustache_flavored_lube
    moustache_flavored_lube Posts: 849 Member
    Yes , after all, the heart is a muscle, and as you exercise your heart it gets stronger and can pump the same volume with fewer contractions.

    NO you cannot improve your max heart rate.

    Max heart rate is genetic and is not influenced by fitness.

    You can lower your resting heart rate, raise your VO2Max, and raise your anerobic / lactate thresholds
  • Proyecto_AN
    Proyecto_AN Posts: 387
    ^ i agree
  • moustache_flavored_lube
    moustache_flavored_lube Posts: 849 Member
    When I "run" (and I use this term losely!), my hr sometimes hits 180. That's also my max hr. I should be sticking to 157ish. Over time, will I be able to do the same run and get my heart rate to be lower than 180 and more to 160?

    Also 180 is unlikely truly your max heart rate. How did you determine this? From a chart? If so it is at best an estimation. Max heart rate is determined by testing.


    As you run and become more fit your heart rate will lower for the same effort. In order to best accomplish this you should be working at your aerobic zone. As your areobic fitness improves you will be able to go faster and farther without becomming anerobic
  • RunningMannn
    RunningMannn Posts: 135
    I did a stress test at the hospital about 4 or 5 months ago...I was on the treadmill for 11 minutes and got my heart rate up to 167. I didn't exercise at all at the time and was out of shape to say the least. I've been walking/jogging on a high incline for 8 weeks now and haven't gone over 167 yet..I don't think I will. My highest heart rate ever was about 15-20 years ago biking. Over 180. That was in my late 20's. Back to the stress test..Everything looked good.
  • Doodlewhopper
    Doodlewhopper Posts: 1,018 Member
    Yes , after all, the heart is a muscle, and as you exercise your heart it gets stronger and can pump the same volume with fewer contractions.

    NO you cannot improve your max heart rate.

    Max heart rate is genetic and is not influenced by fitness.


    You can lower your resting heart rate, raise your VO2Max, and raise your anerobic / lactate thresholds

    Of course you cannot improve max heart rate.

    But he OP posted a question different than that of the topic:
    Over time, will I be able to do the same run and get my heart rate to be lower than 180 and more to 160?
    And the answer as you know is yes

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