Comments on: Finding Your Target Heart Rate

By: Heart Rate Question: | Mark's Daily Apple Health and Fitness Forum page

Heart Rate Question: | Mark's Daily Apple Health and Fitness Forum page — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 13:21:14 +0000

[...] I did a blog post on finding your target heart rate that you might find helpful. "If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door." "You [...]

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 19:09:00 +0000

Indeed. I've not succeeded yet. 100% was my highest, and it was on my last, and I almost puked, so I didn't feel the need to try harder!

By: Al Kavadlo

Al Kavadlo — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 23:36:18 +0000

Well if you hit “102%” that means your “100%” was really only 98%.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 22:44:09 +0000

I use it generally to avoid what Mark Sisson calls the "chronic cardio" part. I push myself generally, so if I'm not careful, I'll just push harder and harder. I think the HRM serves a useful purpose for that.

When I sprint, I like to use it to push myself harder. It's a challenge, can I hit 100%? How about 102%?

I don't use it otherwise.

By: Al Kavadlo

Al Kavadlo — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:53:14 +0000

I agree that monitoring your heart rate during exercise is not necessary. But like you said, it can be a useful tool.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:55:10 +0000

To each his own I guess. I never check my heart rate……well I do check my resting heart rate every now and then = 50. I just run and/or sprint a couple times a week, barefoot or Vibrams of course. This is the greatest benefit of paleo life I think, not having to “over” exercise to lose or maintain weight. But, I guess if running is your “thing” then max heart rate could be a useful tool.

By: Al Kavadlo

Al Kavadlo — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 03:10:19 +0000

Wait…you get your heart rate over 200 and you don't die!?!

By: Phattrainer

Phattrainer — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 01:59:58 +0000

These charts are crap. I get my HR over 200 frequently. Good call Al.

By: Al Kavadlo

Al Kavadlo — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:53:51 +0000

Wind sprints are probably an equally effective way to gauge your max heart rate. Pretty much any prolonged activity where you are pushing yourself as hard as possible will do the trick. The idea to add five simply comes from the fact that most people will always hold back just a little bit unless we are in a real life or death situation. The chart may in fact be accurate for you at this point in your training, Jeff, but as you get older (especially if your your fitness level improves) it may not be anymore.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 23:36:01 +0000

Can you check it out doing wind sprints? For example, on my most recent wind sprint workout, I did five flat wind sprints, and then five hill sprints. According to my HRM, on my last sprint, I got it up to 100% of my max (I'm 39). If I just add five to that, would that work? I couldn't have run any further, any faster!