What about going above your max HR?

hill2302
hill2302 Posts: 139 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I did a boot camp session for the first time the other day and it was really good. I could tell i was working really hard, more than usual. I checked my HRM afterwards and saw that at some point I had gotten up to 202 bpm. My max HR is supposed to be 182 (220-38yrs old=182). In my normal workouts, I usually only get up to about 171-173 bpm.

Now I was wasted by the end of the workout and had to take a short break. I'm obviosly not dead.

So is it bad to go above your max HR?

Should I really consider that my max HR?

I don't want to overdo it and put myself into cardiac arrest or something like that.

Replies

  • giaciccone
    giaciccone Posts: 257
    I've been told that it's bad for long-term heart health if you stay above your max HR for an extended period of time. If you notice yourself going above your max HR, you should try your best to slow it down to where it should be - in your case 182. Doing it for 15-20 seconds isn't going to do much damage, but if we're talking 2+ minutes of staying constantly above your max HR, it could be detrimental in the long run.

    Just be careful :)
  • katheern
    katheern Posts: 213 Member
    Yeah, I notice when I go above my maxHR or get really close to it and stay there for a minute, my chest will hurt a little bit for a day or two. It's better to just take it a little easier to bring it back down when you see that happen.
  • bjshields
    bjshields Posts: 677 Member
    I'm *fairly* certain from what I've been reading about going anaerobic (above your max) that it's fine to go as hard as you can, but as she said (above me), not for an extended period of time. Doing any kind of sprints where you get your heart rate up high and then bring it down again (and up again and then down again) is THE way to burn fat and change your body. I've also read that not all HR monitors are accurate. Good luck, and congrats on boot camp!:smile:
  • atomdraco
    atomdraco Posts: 1,083 Member
    Don't based on the formula to calculate your max, not everyone the same! Everyone's heart work differently, age does not define it. If your HRM shows 202, your max either that or higher.
  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
    220-age is just a general formula and not accurate. You can have 20 people aged 40 and they'll all have different REAL max HRs. Your max HR is determined by genetics more than anything. Yes it will drop a little as you age for obvious reasons. If you reached 202 in a session, then your max HR is 202 or higher. Is it good to be that high? Probably not.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    Don't based on the formula to calculate your max, not everyone the same! Everyone's heart work differently, age does not define it. If your HRM shows 202, your max either that or higher.

    Exactly. If you hit 202, then obviously 182 was not the max.
  • thecanface
    thecanface Posts: 1,180 Member
    wait how do you figure your max heart rate?!?
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    wait how do you figure your max heart rate?!?

    There are some formulas to get a ballpark estimate, like 220 - age.

    Or you can take a stress test and see what max you actually hit.

    http://www.marathon-training-schedule.com/maximum-heart-rate.html
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    wait how do you figure your max heart rate?!?

    My HRM calculates it.

    I go over it all the time. It says 187, I've always been athletic and can totally push this. Since I'm teaching when I do, my theory is that if I can't talk through it, it's too high . . . otherwise go hard or go home.
  • brit49
    brit49 Posts: 461 Member
    very interesting mine goes 179 49yrs i can still talk doing jump rope. and I have no pain I take breaks
  • thecanface
    thecanface Posts: 1,180 Member
    wait how do you figure your max heart rate?!?

    My HRM calculates it.

    I go over it all the time. It says 187, I've always been athletic and can totally push this. Since I'm teaching when I do, my theory is that if I can't talk through it, it's too high . . . otherwise go hard or go home.

    oh okay, yeah mine does too, but it allows me to change it.. is that right?? i mean what if its wrong??
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    wait how do you figure your max heart rate?!?

    My HRM calculates it.

    I go over it all the time. It says 187, I've always been athletic and can totally push this. Since I'm teaching when I do, my theory is that if I can't talk through it, it's too high . . . otherwise go hard or go home.

    oh okay, yeah mine does too, but it allows me to change it.. is that right?? i mean what if its wrong??


    You can probably change it. Mine gave me something like 182 or 184, but I changed it to 188, which is the highest I've observed for myself.
  • hill2302
    hill2302 Posts: 139 Member
    Well, I'll certainly not be getting that high very often, although maybe I should be, but just not for more than a mintue. Previously, my highest recorded HR was 185. I'm wondering if then I just haven't been bringin it as hard as I should.

    I'll re-set my Polar to make my max 200. Should make a difference, as when I'm running, I'm usually working over 85% max, based on max of 182. At 200, most of my workouts will be near the 83-85% range, or topping out around 170.
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