My Heart Rate

[old] tap · Post by **[old] tap** » January 26th, 2006, 10:01 pm

Up to Wednesday I assumed that my maximum heart rate was 177. I had rowed hard numerous times in the past and my heart rate never went above 177. Wednesday I did a 2K row where I attempted to sprint the last 300 meters. Shortly after I began to sprint my heart rate moved to 187 and remained there until I completed my row. Is this normal? It seems as if my heart just grew 10 years younger. Being 40 years old this MHR surprised me.<br /><br />Ultimately, my question deals with the training bands. Is it now appropriate to revise mine based on a MHR of 187 instead of 177?<br /><br />I have performed four 2K rows as noted below which show my heart rate over time.<br /><br /><table width='95%' cellspacing='1' cellpadding='3' border='0' align='center'><tr><td><b><div class='genmed'>CODE</div></b></td></tr><tr><td class='code'><div>Date Time Meters SPM HR /500m<br /><br />1/25/2006 07:20.6 01:50.1<br />1/25/2006 500 27 163 01:50.0<br />1/25/2006 1000 28 166 01:53.2<br />1/25/2006 1500 27 169 01:53.9<br />1/25/2006 2000 31 187 01:43.5<br /><br />1/16/2006 07:28.2 01:52.0<br />1/16/2006 500 33 169 01:43.3<br />1/16/2006 1000 27 157 01:59.7<br />1/16/2006 1500 27 162 01:56.5<br />1/16/2006 2000 29 177 01:48.8<br /><br />6/15/2005 07:27.8 01:51.9<br />6/15/2005 500 33 161 01:46.5<br />6/15/2005 1000 31 166 01:53.6<br />6/15/2005 1500 30 169 01:54.5<br />6/15/2005 2000 31 175 01:53.3<br /><br />4/16/2005 08:11.0 02:02.7<br />4/16/2005 500 29 153 02:01.0<br />4/16/2005 1000 29 159 02:00.5<br />4/16/2005 1500 30 159 02:04.0<br />4/16/2005 2000 29 161 02:05.5</div></td></tr></table>

[old] michaelb · Post by **[old] michaelb** » January 26th, 2006, 11:47 pm

I am 40 and my max HR that I have seen on the C2 is 189-192. So I would guess that what you see is normal. Nothing wrong with having the HR of someone in 30s (actually, I don't think max HR really means that much and is individual not really comparable between people). But I think a 2k is a little short to measure your HR max. There are several challenging methods to test your HR. If you just want to use a value from an all out row, the 5k or 6k is a better distance (the above HR max values are from 5ks and 6ks).<br /><br />Have you been rowing since April? You may also be adapting to really be able to work hard on the rowing machine, so getting closer to your real HR max (technique, muscle failure, etc may have been limiting your performance before, not max aerobic capacity). At 7:20 you may find you are at the end of the easy, big gains in your 2k time. 7:10 may prove to be farther away than you think.

[old] jfo · Post by **[old] jfo** » January 27th, 2006, 6:07 am

Hi.<br />I am 40 too. The highest HR I have observed was 191.<br />That was after 15 km's at pretty high speed and increasing<br />in the last 500 meters.<br /><br />Suggest you find your Max by doing similar workout.<br /><br />Good luck

[old] tap · Post by **[old] tap** » January 27th, 2006, 6:39 am

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(michaelb @ Jan 26 2006, 10:47 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Have you been rowing since April? ... 7:10 may prove to be farther away than you think.[right] </td></tr></table><br />Thanks for the reply. I received my Concept2 during the last week of March 2005.<br /><br />In June, I used the following approach, from the "Indoor Rowing Training Guide, Version 2", to determine my max heart rate.<br /><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Start the test by rowing at the split you recorded from the warm up. After every 90 seconds note the heart rate and increase the effort by 25 watts (see 500m Split Time to Watts Conversion in Appendix). Repeat this procedure until you reach exhaustion and record the maximum heart rate achieved. </td></tr></table><br />Just now, while I was searching for the quote, I noticed a note that states that this method is applicable if you have been exercising regularly. Given that I had been a couch potato for the last 20 years that would probably explain why I wasn't hitting my true max heart rate. I'll try the test again soon and see if I can get my heart rate to go higher.<br /><br />I am certain that my row way back in April 2005 was much more challenging than my row this past week. When my heart rate got into the high 150's it became very difficult to breath because my throat seemed to become constricted. This seems to be less of a problem now although I sometimes need to clear my throat fairly often to keep my airway clear.<br /><br />I'll have to do another 2K soon. It's not that I'm getting fatigued during the first 1500 meters as to why I am rowing at the selected rate. I was basing my rate on the training bands so if I can shift the bands then I can hopefully improve my times. It will probably take numerous more 2K rows to get a better idea what my body is really capable of performing.

[old] jfo · Post by **[old] jfo** » January 27th, 2006, 9:59 am

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(tap @ Jan 27 2006, 12:39 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>It's not that I'm getting fatigued during the first 1500 meters as to why I am rowing at the selected rate. I was basing my rate on the training bands </td></tr></table><br /><br />I only consider training bands while doing normal work outs.<br />During test of my 2000 m (every 3 weeks or so) I don't think in those terms.<br />In tests its all about at which rate I can do the 2000m in order to do it in the shortest possible time. <br />