Maximum heart rate: how to calculate and where to use

Why calculate your maximum heart rate?

Based on your heart rate, you can choose the right running intensity to achieve your training goals. In other words, training smarter is better than constantly working yourself up into a sweat.

The intensity of your workout is divided into five heart rate zones, from very light to maximum intensity. Heart rate zones are calculated as a percentage of your maximum heart rate.

For example, within heart rate zone 4, you will train at 81-90% of your maximum heart rate and improve your maximum performance.

To determine your individual heart rate zones, you first need to know or calculate your maximum heart rate.

How to calculate your maximum heart rate

Your maximum heart rate can be calculated using the generally accepted formula: 220 minus age. While this may be a good starting point, research has shown that this formula is not entirely accurate or universal, especially for older people or those who have been keeping fit for years.

WHY DO YOU NEED TO CALCULATE YOUR MAXIMUM PULSE RATE?

Heart rate-based training allows you to run at the right intensity to achieve your training goals. In other words, training smart is better than always training hard.

The intensity of the workout is divided into five heart rate zones, from very light to maximum. Heart rate zones are calculated as a percentage of your maximum heart rate.

For example, in heart rate zone 4, you will train at 81-90% of your maximum heart rate and increase your maximum performance.

Alternatively, in heart rate zone 3 (which is typically your average running heart rate) you will train at a slightly reduced heart rate level of 71-80%, but you will still improve circulatory efficiency.

To determine your personal heart rate zones, you first need to know or estimate your maximum heart rate.

Why know the Ministry of Emergency Situations?

Before you learn how to calculate your maximum heart rate, let's understand - why do it?

MHR is the heart rate that is achieved when performing maximum exercise. It will help us correctly calculate our pulse zones.

Download training plans to prepare for the marathon and half marathon.
Start preparing right now!

Each heart rate zone is a range in which a specific sports parameter is trained. There are 5 pulse zones in total:

Pulse zones

If you decide to lose weight, but run in an anaerobic zone, then fat will not be used as an energy source. Therefore there will be no result. It is important to choose the right heart rate zone for your goal. You can learn more about pulse zones in our article.

WHAT IS MY MAXIMUM PULSE RATE?

So now you're ready to start calculating your maximum heart rate, where do you start?

If you've ever tried to calculate your resting heart rate, it's obviously the other way around. Instead of calming your heart, you are going to push it to the limit.

To calculate your maximum heart rate, you must be willing to sweat and have the right equipment to measure it. If you're just curious about what my maximum heart rate is, you can always start by using the tools below to estimate it.

What can affect your maximum heart rate? Factors such as age, fitness level, stress, and medications such as beta blockers affect your heart rate.

Does your gender affect your maximum heart rate? To calculate the maximum heart rate for men and women, it is the same. However, you may be interested to know that smaller people tend to have a higher maximum heart rate, which is why women often have a higher heart rate than men.

Calculation formulas

There are formulas for calculating the maximum heart rate, which are based on the age and gender of a person, but one must understand that they give a certain error, since the value of the maximum heart rate depends on the individual characteristics of the body of a particular person, and not just on age and gender.

Formulas based on age

Formulas taking into account age and gender

HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR MAXIMUM PULSE RATE USING THE FIELD TEST

Beyond assessments and tests, you can calculate your maximum heart rate by putting on your running shoes, turning on your heart rate monitor, and heading out into the real world.

For field testing, you won't need fancy lab equipment, but you'll still get an accurate and personal estimate of your maximum heart rate. The premise is simple: you warm up properly and then perform an exercise that gets you closer to max effort.

Note that for the best effort field test, it's best to call a friend and ask them to join you, just in case. Also, make sure you have done some hard training in the last few weeks.

MAXIMUM PULSE RATE FIELD TEST EXAMPLE

Take this field test with a learning partner. Use a heart rate monitor and note your highest possible heart rate. This is your maximum heart rate.

Polar H10

When it comes to accuracy and connectivity, the Polar H10 chest heart rate sensor is your best choice.

1. Warm up for 15 minutes on a flat surface. Build up to your normal training pace.
2. Choose a hill that takes more than 2 minutes to climb. Run up the hill once (for at least 2 minutes) at a pace that you estimate you can maintain for 20 minutes. (You don't need to keep running for 20 minutes, you just need to pick up a pace that you can maintain for at least 20 minutes.) Return to the bottom of the hill.
3. Run up the hill again at a faster pace. Get your heart pumping as fast as possible by picking up a pace that you estimate you can maintain for 3 kilometers. Observe your highest heart rate on the display: your maximum heart rate is approximately 10 beats higher than the marked value.
4. Run back down the hill, allowing your heart rate to drop 30 to 40 beats per minute.
5. Run up the hill again at a pace that you can only hold for 1 minute. Try running half a hill. Observe your highest heart rate. This brings you closer to your maximum heart rate. You can use this value as your maximum heart rate to set your heart rate zones.

Doing a maximum heart rate field test while unprepared is a surefire way to put yourself under maximum stress. If you are unsure, consult your doctor before taking the test.

Why is the pulse called arterial?

The arterial bed receives the entire volume of blood that is pushed out by the heart chamber at the time of contraction. The periods of systole - an increase in pressure as blood comes out - are accompanied by rhythmic beats. The subsequent stages of relaxation of the myocardium for new filling with blood - diastole, make it possible to determine the frequency and strength of these impulses. The oscillations made by the arterial walls are called the pulse. Damage to these vessels, especially large ones, is the most dangerous, as they are accompanied by massive rapid bleeding.

The stronger the pulse beats, the greater the blood flow through the arteries, the more active the oxygen supply to internal organs and overall metabolism. The main “impact” force is provided by the walls of the left ventricle of the myocardium. The following pulse characteristics are important:

• frequency;
• rhythm;
• speed;
• voltage.

Violation of one or more points indicates acute or chronic pathology. Changes in pulse intervals, for example, are a sign of cardiac arrhythmia. An increase or decrease in speed indicates hypertension or a hypotonic state.

Live broadcast: “Pulse. What should it be like for a healthy person?”

Arterial pulse is one of the important indicators of the functioning of our cardiovascular system and the human body as a whole.

Pulse (pulsus, Latin “beat”) is the oscillatory movement of the walls of the arteries, which occurs depending on the contractions of the heart and the elasticity of the walls of the vessels. In other words, when the heart muscle contracts during systole, blood from the heart chamber is released into the arterial bed, this leads to an increase in pressure in the arteries and their expansion. During the relaxation of the heart muscle, in diastole, the pressure in the arteries decreases. We can evaluate the vibrations of the vessel wall that arise by palpating (feeling) the arteries located shallowly under the skin.

The pulse can be assessed in the carotid, radial, brachial, femoral, popliteal arteries, and arteries of the feet. Examination of the pulse by a doctor includes determination of a number of characteristics, such as frequency, rhythm, filling, tension, amplitude, duration of the systolic wave, etc.

The most common and convenient way to independently assess the pulse is to determine it on the radial artery, on the inside of the wrist on the side of the thumb.

How to determine heart rate?

Pulse rate/heart rate is calculated as the number of beats/contractions in one minute, 60 seconds. In some cases, with severe irregularity (arrhythmia) of the pulse, the frequency is counted for 3 minutes, followed by dividing the result by 3 to determine the average value.

Currently, there are a large number of modern technical means that allow almost every person to determine, without extra effort and without the participation of a specialist, the frequency and rhythm of the pulse at rest and during physical activity: heart rate monitors built into sports watches, trackers, mobile phones. A scale for determining pulse rate and its regularity is also found in most modern automatic devices for determining blood pressure (tonometers).

How accurate are heart rate measurements using sports watches and heart rate monitors?

Most modern devices use the method of optical plethysmography (photoplethysmography). The method is based on the ability of blood to reflect red light and absorb green light. The optical sensor on the back of the watch emits light onto the wrist using LEDs, and measures the amount of light scattered by the bloodstream, thus determining the blood flow on the wrist.

It is believed that optical sensors accurately determine the pulse, incl. when walking and running. However, measurements may become less accurate when your heart rate is very high, above 150 beats per minute, in cold weather (due to decreased blood flow to the wrist). There are other situations that can interfere with the sensor’s operation and lead to errors in heart rate measurement: having a tattoo on the wrist, the watch not fitting tightly to the skin, working out at the gym. Rhythmic movements, such as running or cycling, provide more accurate results compared to tennis or boxing, where athletes move irregularly.

Is it possible to detect heart rhythm disturbances using modern smartwatches and fitness bracelets?

Modern “smart watches” equipped with an ECG recording function allow not only to track the heart rate and give an idea of ​​​​its rhythm, but can also detect some heart rhythm disturbances. In particular, Apple and AliveCor devices with ECG measurement support are certified to detect heart rhythm disorders such as atrial fibrillation. However, smartwatches are not designed to detect all irregular heart rhythms and cannot be relied upon entirely. They may miss serious problems or cause people to worry unnecessarily about possible heart problems due to so-called “false positives.” In any case, only an examination by a specialist - a cardiologist - can accurately determine the presence of heart rhythm disturbances and their nature. If the watch goes off repeatedly or, more seriously, the person feels unwell, it is imperative to consult a cardiologist. At the EXPERT clinic, an examination is carried out to study the functioning of the heart (24-hour monitoring of ECG and blood pressure, echocardiography), based on the results of which a specialist will give an opinion and recommendations.

Are the pulse rate and heart rate always the same?

In a healthy person, the pulse rate and heart rate are the same, which means that each contraction of the heart results in sufficient blood flow into the arterial system. However, in some pathological conditions, the pulse rate and heart rate may differ; the pulse rate may become less than the heart rate. In this case, it is necessary to contact a specialist and conduct a comprehensive medical examination.

What is a normal resting heart rate/pulse rate?

Resting heart rate/pulse rate depends on many factors, such as age, gender, body weight, average daily sleep duration, smoking, consumption of caffeinated drinks, and level of physical activity. Your heart rate may be affected by certain medications.

In children, normal heart rate values ​​differ from those in adults and significantly depend on age, so in a child of 1-3 months, the heart rate is normally 145-170 beats/min, in 3-6 months - 130-150 beats/min, and at 6-12 months - 120-140 beats/min.

As you get older, your heart rate decreases and the average adult (over 18 years old) should be 60-90 beats per minute at rest. Women's resting heart rate is on average 6-10 beats per minute higher than men's.

A frequent pulse, more than 90 beats/min, is called tachycardia, a rare pulse, less than 60 beats/min, is called bradycardia.

It should be noted that the heart rate at rest in a healthy person is variable and can normally fluctuate over time (day, week, month, year) in a fairly wide range, often going beyond the values ​​​​accepted as the norm, as well as beyond the framework of the “individual norm”. The heart rate slows down at night, during sleep, and the rate increases after eating. During the day, heart rate gives two rises - the first at about 11 o'clock in the afternoon, the second between 6 and 8 o'clock in the evening. Heart rate can also change with a sharp change in body position or with psycho-emotional stress. Heart rate also has slight seasonal fluctuations; in winter, heart rate is on average higher than in summer.

For trained people who are actively involved in “aerobic”, cyclic endurance sports (skiing, swimming, marathon, cycling, etc.), the resting heart rate is on average lower than that of an untrained person. A pulse of 50-55 beats per minute at rest, and sometimes 40-50 beats per minute, is considered normal for this category of adults and is not accompanied by any unpleasant sensations. In an untrained person, such a heart rate is regarded as bradycardia and requires additional examination by a cardiologist.

Alarming symptoms with a low pulse are weakness, dizziness, fainting, and presyncope. The appearance of these symptoms requires immediate contact with a specialist.

What is the normal heart rate during sleep?

In a healthy person, the heart rate during sleep is lower than during wakefulness. This is explained by the predominance of the tone of the parasympathetic nervous system during sleep. In a healthy adult, the average heart rate during sleep is approximately 18-20 beats/min less than the average daytime heart rate. At the same time, the established average values ​​of heart rate during sleep and wakefulness differ depending on gender and age.

The pulse rate during sleep in a healthy adult can vary as well as during wakefulness, because... sleep is a heterogeneous, dynamic and complexly organized process, consisting of 5 stages (phases) varying in depth. The duration of these stages varies from person to person and is influenced by many factors, both internal and external. This may affect heart rate fluctuations during sleep. The first 4 phases, the phases of slow-wave sleep, are characterized by a gradual decrease in heart rate. During stage five, REM sleep, when you dream, your breathing rate and heart rate may increase. In addition, psycho-emotional or physical stress before bedtime, stress, drinking strong tea or coffee, smoking, drinking alcohol, and a number of medications can cause an increase in heart rate at night.

If attacks of rapid heartbeat during sleep occur regularly without connection with external provoking factors, are accompanied by awakening, a feeling of shortness of breath, discomfort, heaviness or pain in the chest, behind the sternum, it is necessary to undergo an examination to exclude heart disease, endocrine disorders (hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus) , inflammatory diseases, anemia, increased blood pressure during sleep and sleep-disordered breathing. The entire range of activities and consultations of specialists involved in the problem can be completed in our clinic.

Pulse rhythm.

A healthy person has a rhythmic pulse, that is, pulse waves follow one another at regular intervals. In case of heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias), pulse waves usually follow at irregular intervals and the pulse becomes arrhythmic. In some cases, arrhythmia may be accompanied by a feeling of discomfort in the heart area, difficulty breathing, a feeling of “somersaults”, blows to the chest, dizziness and even loss of consciousness. In this situation, it is advisable to contact a cardiologist to clarify the nature of heart rhythm disturbances and exclude cardiac pathology.

What is the normal heart rate during exercise?

Currently, much attention is paid to regular physical exercise to prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases, as well as as part of comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation. The benefits of regular physical activity have been proven in large scientific studies. It is very important that the recommended physical activity is safe for humans. Intense, inadequate physical activity in untrained people can lead to the development of various complications.

The optimal level of physical activity is determined individually and depends on the functionality of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, age, and characteristics of physical development. For proper planning of the intensity of physical activity, one of the main criteria is determining the heart rate. The intensity of physical activity is expressed as a percentage of the maximum heart rate. In this case, the maximum heart rate is the highest pulse frequency at which normal heart function is maintained.

There are many formulas for calculating your maximum heart rate. Traditionally, the formula is used: HRmax = 220 – “Age”.

However, it must be taken into account that the formulas calculate statistically averaged values, while individual values ​​of maximum heart rate depend not only on age or gender. As already mentioned, the maximum heart rate is also influenced by the degree of training and anthropometric indicators.

When performing physical exercises, there are five levels of training intensity or pulse zones:

• moderate exercise (pulse 50–60% of maximum heart rate);
• “weight control” (pulse 60–70% of maximum heart rate);
• aerobic zone (pulse 70–80% of maximum heart rate);
• anaerobic training (pulse 80–90% of maximum heart rate);
• maximum load (pulse 90–100% of maximum heart rate).

To calculate your maximum heart rate during training, you can use the Karvonen Formula:

Heart rate during exercise = (maximum heart rate - resting heart rate) x intensity (in percent) + resting heart rate

The moderate-intensity zone is best suited for those who are either just starting their training or have a low level of general physical fitness. The initial level of physical activity in untrained people should not cause an increase in heart rate of more than 30 beats per minute compared to the resting state. The level of exercise should be increased gradually over 1-3 weeks depending on tolerance. Training in the anaerobic zone and in the maximum load zone is suitable for well-trained individuals and professional athletes.

It is important to remember that before starting training, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive medical examination, which allows, first of all, to exclude diseases of the cardiovascular system, assess the functionality of the heart and respiratory system, and also determine the individual maximum heart rate.

You need to know that when performing physical activity, the appearance of such symptoms as: discomfort, unpleasant sensations, pain behind the sternum or in the left half of the chest, weakness, fatigue, headache, dizziness, interruptions in heart function, severe sweating; - is a sign of inadequate physical activity and may be a manifestation of pathology of the cardiovascular system. In this case, it is necessary to immediately contact a cardiologist.

You can more accurately determine your heart rate and the presence of heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias) using electrocardiography. If it is necessary to assess heart rate at different times of the day and under different loads, 24-hour electrocardiogram monitoring is performed. To assess the response of the cardiovascular system to stress and determine the individual maximum heart rate, tests are carried out with dosed physical activity. It is important to remember that only a specialist can determine the need and scope of examinations.

How to lower your heart rate during training

This question will often bother mainly beginners. They cannot get closer to the required heart rate zone if the heart rate is already at a maximum even at moderate loads.

You need to increase the load gradually, then with regular training your heart will gradually train.

At the first stage of training, you cannot go beyond 2-3 pulse zones. This is done no earlier than after 4-5 months.

There are a few more tips on how to lower your heart rate at the end of your workout.

• You cannot stop moving abruptly. The load should decrease smoothly, and at the same time the heart rate will decrease.
• Breathing should be deep. Inhale through the nose, exhale slowly through the mouth.
• At the end of your workout, I recommend doing some stretching and breathing exercises.

A simple and quick way to calculate MHR

To determine the maximum heart rate under load

MHR = maximum heart rate (220) - your age

Thus, if you are 45 years old, then your MHR is 220-45 = 175 beats per minute

The difference between heart rate and pulse is that heart rate is the number
of contractions of the ventricles of the heart per minute
, and the second is the number of arterial dilations over the same period of time. For simplicity, we will equate these values ​​because they are approximately equal and runners use heart rate as a measure of heart rate.

Why do you need to know your pulse?

Determining your heart rate during training helps you find out how effective it is in principle.

This allows us to regulate the load level and dose the intensity of the exercises.

This is especially important during cardio training to burn fat, since at each level of load certain changes occur in the body, which we have already talked about more than once.

Namely:

1. Intramuscular coordination occurs (our muscle fibers begin to be located closer to each other), which allows us to lift more weight. If you notice, the progression of working weights at the very beginning of your journey goes very quickly, precisely due to intramuscular coordination.
2. The nutrient accumulation system is transformed, our body, in other words, begins to use muscle glycogen more efficiently and spend energy.
3. The joint-ligamentous apparatus becomes stronger.
4. Swelling disappears (unless, of course, there are problems with the kidneys and the indicators are normal: creatinine and urea in the blood).

And so on.

Many athletes, especially beginners, do not know how to determine intensity by their sensations. Therefore, it is very easy to catch all the signs of overtraining.

Therefore, especially for beginners, I recommend focusing on heart rate zones.

But they must be calculated individually. If you train by feeling or by average heart rate, the exercise may not bring the desired result or even harm your health.

Therefore, be very careful, friends.

How the heart reacts to different heart rate zones

The heart is a muscle (thanks, Cap!). Therefore, it also gradually trains and gets used to physical activity. When the intensity of movement increases, the heart reacts to this by increasing heart rate.

You need to train yourself to monitor your performance during any training.

But it is especially important to determine the heart rate zone for running. In order to find out your heart rate, you can use various sensors. For example, I bought myself a watch with a heart rate monitor, which saved me from the problem of monitoring my heart rate; in principle, it is now always tracked automatically for me.

Gym equipment is usually equipped with chest or wireless sensors, which I can say are not always accurate enough.

For independent training, it is better to purchase a smart watch or fitness bracelet. Really a must have, guys.