RunningAHEAD - Topic: Max Heart Rate

Sulli42

posted: 9/22/2007 at 12:55 PM

What is the highest BMP the human heart can reach, without injury?

Runnergabe

Along for the Ride

posted: 9/24/2007 at 9:55 PM

Mhmm... where are you going with this? As far as the "heart zone training", you'll have to determine your max heart rate and calculate the training zones from there. Max heart rate is genetically determined, not really influenced by training or age. At least that is the last information I was given. To determine your max heart rate - give the hardest effort you can give. You sould feel like there is no way you can sustain that effort. I ran a recent 5k, crossed the finish line feeling like throwing up and not being able to keep that pace any longer = personal max heartrate 194. As far as max heartrate for the human heart without injury ... some people go into tachycardia and will have around 250 beats/minute. That is very uncomfortable and will eventually lead to them passing out (brain and other organs will not be perfused with blood, because the heart is pumping the blood so ineffectively.) I think if it beats much faster than that, the beats are not full heartbeats anymore, the ventricles are just sort of "fluttering". If you can reverse this in a timely manner, then there should be no injury to the heart. Mind you, these last two issues are medical.

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Ed4

Barefoot and happy

posted: 9/26/2007 at 4:31 PM

Every person has a different max. But hitting it isn't dangerous for a normal healthy person. You'll just find that you can't push it any higher. Your max heart rate doesn't change with exercise, but it does slow down as you get older. My measured max is 193, during a 3.5 mile race on a very hot day.

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db7

posted: 9/26/2007 at 6:31 PM

I've seen people in SVT at 250 and not have any symptoms. Not really sure how long they could go like that but you would be suprised. DB

Tougher than most, dumber than the rest. "You can not count the miles until you feel them" TVZ

ThomasSoerensen

posted: 9/27/2007 at 2:22 AM

I measured mine about 7 years ago as 201 while on a stationary exercise bike. I knew it was close to my max as I started to see moving black spots in front of my eyes and almost fell down from the bike. Last year in October I took part in a 5 k race in Qatar. It got very hot running in the sun and my HR got up to 199. After 23 minutes of running I had to sit in the shade and drink cold water for half an hour before feeling recovered. Not too nice.

Run more.

Sulli42

posted: 9/28/2007 at 8:54 AM

Quote from Runnergabe on 9/24/2007 at 9:55 PM:

Mhmm... where are you going with this? As far as max heartrate for the human heart without injury ... some people go into tachycardia and will have around 250 beats/minute. That is very uncomfortable and will eventually lead to them passing out (brain and other organs will not be perfused with blood, because the heart is pumping the blood so ineffectively.) I think if it beats much faster than that, the beats are not full heartbeats anymore, the ventricles are just sort of "fluttering". If you can reverse this in a timely manner, then there should be no injury to the heart. Mind you, these last two issues are medical.

Thanks for the info. I hit 204 the other day, after taking about 2 months off from running. My wife was concerned about my HR being that high, although at the time I felt fine, in fact I felt like I still had some more juice, but I got a little freaked when I looked at my HR monitor. I can't seem to find much information on problems associated with too high a heart rate. So I turned to the running community in hopes of some answers. Sounds like I don't need to worry, Thanks.

Sulli42

posted: 9/28/2007 at 8:59 AM

Quote from Ed4 on 9/26/2007 at 4:31 PM:

My measured max is 193, during a 3.5 mile race on a very hot day.

Temperature does seem to have a pronounced effect on heart rate, it was 90 deg. when I hit 204

Scout7

posted: 9/28/2007 at 11:50 AM

Couple things: Don't worry about max HR. You'll never reach it, unless you are closing in on death. As for your specific numbers, it could be that you have a high HR. It could also be attributed to a misreading by the monitor itself. I have only twice gone over 200, and both times were while I was running easy, going downhill, and the previous reading was in the 160s. Technical glitch.

Max Heart Rate (Read 782 times)