Heart Rate? (Read 567 times)

Dunno where to post this exactly... I was at the gym a couple of days ago doing a fit test (I like to do one toward the start of each year to see how I progress over time) and among the things the trainer did was to calculate my target/max heart rate. Now, this was in the evening after work so I suspect my true resting heart rate would be a little lower (right out of bed is the best time to get it right?) . So the trainer kept trying to take it over and over again. Finally I asked if there was a problem, he said it was "oddly low." I said I do a lot of triathlons and marathons, etc... he looked at me with a blank face, and then it finally registered... anyway mine was 56, which I was happy with. What was confusing to me was that he said my target should be around 140-150 and my max should be around 170. This seemed low. When I'm on the treadmill I can alomst always guesstimate within +/- 3 points what it will be before checking it on my watch or on the machine just from experience and obsession. 140 is not really that tough. My own heart rate monitor has me in the high 180s a lot when I'm balls out running and I can maintain that for a while. So, two questions... should my target and max be higher than what he said? And also, what happens if I run above my "max?" Am I gonna explode?

I'm not sure what he figured I'd do with the heart rate info (it was probably just on the list of things they told him he needed to provide), but personally, I just wanted to know it. But, the only reason I've not used it in training before was that I don't know it. I have a heart rate monitor and would like to make the most out of it, so to do that, seems I need to know the basics...

I'm pretty sure if you push your heartrate to its max, you still won't asplode!

I must be an odd fella because at 85% of my max im nearly walking... or at least a slow jog. I am reading a book right now thats all about HR training and none of it seems to be accurate with what im experiencing during a run. Because we are all so different, I think RPE is the most accurate thing to go by.

If you're calculating your max HR by 220-age, you're doing it wrong. You can only find your max by maxing it out. Blasting hill repeats is one way. Another one that I've read about is to run 800m all-out, rest 5 min, then run 800m all-out again. By the end of that 2nd 800, you will definitely max out and possibly see God. Thank you Scout for posting the zone link. You saved me the trouble of looking for it. (Along with hills and drills, it's one of your staples.) If you know your real max, you can also do your heartrate zones as per Daniels. All numbers are %MaxHR 65~80%: Easy running 80~90% Marathon Pace running (the better conditioned you are, the higher the heart rate you can race a marathon at). 88~92% Threshold zone (i.e. per Daniels, a traditional 20-minute tempo run is done in this zone.) 92~95% Interval zone Also, be sure to read this if you're gonna do heart rate training PITFALLS TO AVOID IN USING A HEART-RATE MONITOR

1. Your trainer's an idiot. 56 isn't "oddly low" for anyone who does marathons & triathlons. 2. the old "220 - age" for your max HR is just silly. My max is about 200 (I'm 46). If I used that formula, just as you said, my so-called proper training pace would be a walk at the mall and my "max" HR would be 174....I just ran 10 miles @ 176 yesterday!