Maximum heart rate

[Jesda]

I hear people talking about this all the time. How do I find my maximum heart rate?

[runwithme]

220 minus your age is your max. heart rate.

[5kgLifter]

Your maximum heart rate is what it is...the figure of 220 for men and 226 for women is a standard generalised and absolute MAX measure (women have smaller hearts that beat more), however, to find YOUR maximum heart rate you could warm-up and then go all out, as long as you're healthy enough and won't keel over...I did this and got 198 beats a minute which I then based all my training on, for one discipline only.

Max heart rate, if you are doing multiple disciplines, will alter with each one and you will have to test each individually to get a detailed answer.


That's the complex answer; of course, if you're just after base fitness, go with the standard 220 (for men) and the 226 (for women) minus age, but remember that it may put you either well below or well above your MaxHR% training, if you are attempting to follow a 70%MaxHR etc, especially if you are very unfit or very fit; anything in the middle, fitness wise, and you should be good to go, but it will still alter as fitness levels alter.