HR getting high / Heart stress test

schred

Likes Bikes and Dirt
When I'm riding on the trainer e.g. zwift race, my HR just keeps going up and up to around 185-190 and I hold it back a bit to avoid it going 190+, which I figure is sensible as using the old super accurate equation my max should be around 185. It's a bit disconcerting because zwift results indicate most people, and those faster than me, have max HRs over the same activity with much lower HRs e.g. in the 170s. Would a heart stress test be able to advise what my real MHR is?
 

bear the bear

Is a real bear
When I'm riding on the trainer e.g. zwift race, my HR just keeps going up and up to around 185-190 and I hold it back a bit to avoid it going 190+, which I figure is sensible as using the old super accurate equation my max should be around 185. It's a bit disconcerting because zwift results indicate most people, and those faster than me, have max HRs over the same activity with much lower HRs e.g. in the 170s. Would a heart stress test be able to advise what my real MHR is?
I would be guessing a combination of dehydration/ and or lack of cooling as its riding inside to be the cause.
 

pharmaboy

Eats Squid
When I'm riding on the trainer e.g. zwift race, my HR just keeps going up and up to around 185-190 and I hold it back a bit to avoid it going 190+, which I figure is sensible as using the old super accurate equation my max should be around 185. It's a bit disconcerting because zwift results indicate most people, and those faster than me, have max HRs over the same activity with much lower HRs e.g. in the 170s. Would a heart stress test be able to advise what my real MHR is?
Max heart rate is riding up a hill where at 2 minutes to go, you start riding it as fast as you can can and when you feel like you can't go n anymore, do another 30 seconds. At that point you should feel exhausted and sick - that sir, is where your max heart rate is.

That max is nothing to do with your age at all, so ignore those stupid calculations. As you have noticed max heart rate also doesn't tell you anything about a persons fitness, some have high MHR some have low MHR - 2 a graders I know, one is 170 and the other 198, same age.

You'll find that as you stretch and get fitter your max will increase a little, but not much, but your threshold will get closer and closer to your max while your resting will get lower.

A stress test is finding out if you have conduction problems etc not for finding out your MHR?

It is useful to know - in a race it's easy to overdo it and have no power over the top of a hill
 

schred

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Thanks guys, I'm still interested in finding out MHR, is it worth finding out in a controlled environment?
 

pharmaboy

Eats Squid
No. And why?

A stress test is not designed for that, and you will be unlikely to find a cardiologist who will want to put you under proper cycling test- it doesn't help their test

I think stress tests are a good thing for a lot of people , but finding your max HR is not one of them. You find out your max HR BEFORE you get a stress test so you take the heart workout into the zone that it is indeed operating at when you ride.

If you ride even remotely hard you have already been to your max HR countless times, what you haven't done is quantify what it is yet.

Edit - cant think of another environment where the equipment and expertise is there apart from that one - maybe do you cycling test on the way up a hill next to an emergency dept or ambulance base ;)
 
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findbuddha

Likes Bikes
If you feel unwell or you think that your high (whatever high means for your body) heart rate is disproportionate to the intensity you are working at then better to consult your GP about it. If you are healthy there is nothing dangerous about hitting your true max heart rate - whether it is a good training practice is another matter entirely.
 

creaky

XMAS Plumper
Edit - cant think of another environment where the equipment and expertise is there apart from that one - maybe do you cycling test on the way up a hill next to an emergency dept or ambulance base ;)
Setup a trainer in the ER waiting room ... You may even get someone's attention within 2 hours doing that !
 

Ivan

Eats Squid
i have a very high MHR. I'm in my mid 30's and my MHR is 200-210 depending on how much exercise I've been doing.

I recently had a stress test at a cardiologist for some other reasons, and they put me through an accelerated test because i looked fit (an I think it was getting close to closing time :heh: ) and they pulled the pin on the test before I hit MHR. I think i was quite comfortably sitting around 192bpm when they decided everything looked fine and I didn't need to go any further.

So I guess based on my experience, you may not even see your MHR during a stress test.
 

schred

Likes Bikes and Dirt
No. And why?
Just to get some assurance I'm not going to drop dead as a result of pushing it a bit every now and then from some random issue I didn't know about, and if I do fall over somebody can kickstart ma heart.

If you feel unwell or you think that your high (whatever high means for your body) heart rate is disproportionate to the intensity you are working at then better to consult your GP about it. If you are healthy there is nothing dangerous about hitting your true max heart rate - whether it is a good training practice is another matter entirely.
That's pretty much it - I feel ~ok at the time, fine normally, but based on others' HR results was concerned it's high for the effort which is a pretty constant flat out for the whole race (20/30/40) with a mis-timed sprint to the finish, but I may not be thinking straight at that time or overestimating how much was left in the tank. From past experience GP's, no disrespect intended to those on RB, aren't much help for anything beyond the daily grind unless they have a passing interest in it. I guess a specialist's referral is helpful.

i have a very high MHR. I'm in my mid 30's and my MHR is 200-210 depending on how much exercise I've been doing.
Cheers mate, the most recent MHR I can recall not that long ago was 210 as well, I suspect it's closer to low 200s now but would be guessing.
 

pharmaboy

Eats Squid
Ok, your max heart rate is not going to make you drop dead, its conduction issues and arterial damage that make you drop dead.

As above, you are better off finding out what your max is, then getting a stress test. I had one done because I had a long history of first degree block waking tachycardia and while investigating the forgoing, found I had an enlarged right atrium, so went for a cardiology appt and stress test. After all that, nothing wrong with me except maybe drinking too much (tachycardia)

It may give you piece of mind which is worthwhile. Generally a stress test is to figure out if you have heart disease restricting blood flow during exercise. I'm not sure what test you really want/need but in the absence of problems a stress test is a bit of a waste. In hindsight it was a waste of time and money for me as well; I am no wiser as a result

Edit - be careful of max HRs recorded with loose fitting nylon jerseys - mine sets my Garmin off like crazy - enough so the heart rate reading is totally useless
 

not_brian

Likes Bikes
Generally a stress test is to figure out if you have heart disease restricting blood flow during exercise. I'm not sure what test you really want/need but in the absence of problems a stress test is a bit of a waste. In hindsight it was a waste of time and money for me as well; I am no wiser as a result
The cardiologist I saw told me that even though my max HR was very high so long as it dropped to normal level quickly when I stopped exerting myself then a stress test was a waste of time & money at this stage. I'm happy enough to forgo collecting another piece of data & stick to that general rule of thumb.
 

slippy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I perform about 30 stress echoes per week in my job. The vast majority of these tests are performed to differentiate patients with significant coronary artery disease from those that don't (saving them an angiogram). They are usually reserved for patients with suspicious symptoms (crushing chest pain on exertion) or extreme risk factors (strong family history, smoking, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes etc). You generally only need to achieve 85% of your predicted maximum heart rate (based on the 220 minus your age) and show no suspicious signs (chest pain, ecg changes, wall motion abnormalities) to pass tbe test and be classified as low risk for a heart attack in the next two years (with greater than 99% accuracy, so even though some of you will question the 220 minus your age thing, it does work for this application).

So, you will notice that none of this applies to your situation. What you more likely need is to wear a holter monitor (an ecg recorder) while riding your bike and have a look for any rhythm change as opposed to just the rate going up normally. Chances are you just have a higher than average max heart rate for your age, but you're right to take the safe approach as you may be flipping into an abnormal rhythm. If this were the case you may have symptoms like palpitaions, dizziness or unreasonable breathlessness, but best to check.
 

link1896

Mr Greenfield
I perform about 30 stress echoes per week in my job. The vast majority of these tests are performed to differentiate patients with significant coronary artery disease from those that don't (saving them an angiogram). They are usually reserved for patients with suspicious symptoms (crushing chest pain on exertion) or extreme risk factors (strong family history, smoking, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes etc). You generally only need to achieve 85% of your predicted maximum heart rate (based on the 220 minus your age) and show no suspicious signs (chest pain, ecg changes, wall motion abnormalities) to pass tbe test and be classified as low risk for a heart attack in the next two years (with greater than 99% accuracy, so even though some of you will question the 220 minus your age thing, it does work for this application).

So, you will notice that none of this applies to your situation. What you more likely need is to wear a holter monitor (an ecg recorder) while riding your bike and have a look for any rhythm change as opposed to just the rate going up normally. Chances are you just have a higher than average max heart rate for your age, but you're right to take the safe approach as you may be flipping into an abnormal rhythm. If this were the case you may have symptoms like palpitaions, dizziness or unreasonable breathlessness, but best to check.
How does lactate thresholds relate?

Personally, while my fitness has waxed and waned, I find the fitter I am, the less it hurts getting close to 200bpm, but still can't go any higher.

Hit 201bpm chasing a hot blonde lady up the Lysterfield Commonwealth games switchbacks two years ago, my adult life record.
 

schred

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I perform about 30 stress echoes per week in my job. The vast majority of these tests are performed to differentiate patients with significant coronary artery disease from those that don't (saving them an angiogram). They are usually reserved for patients with suspicious symptoms (crushing chest pain on exertion) or extreme risk factors (strong family history, smoking, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes etc). You generally only need to achieve 85% of your predicted maximum heart rate (based on the 220 minus your age) and show no suspicious signs (chest pain, ecg changes, wall motion abnormalities) to pass tbe test and be classified as low risk for a heart attack in the next two years (with greater than 99% accuracy, so even though some of you will question the 220 minus your age thing, it does work for this application).

So, you will notice that none of this applies to your situation. What you more likely need is to wear a holter monitor (an ecg recorder) while riding your bike and have a look for any rhythm change as opposed to just the rate going up normally. Chances are you just have a higher than average max heart rate for your age, but you're right to take the safe approach as you may be flipping into an abnormal rhythm. If this were the case you may have symptoms like palpitaions, dizziness or unreasonable breathlessness, but best to check.
Thanks mate, appreciate that. I'd like to say it doesn't apply but it might re: chest pains, when I'm stressed as fck I get them, and I like to ride to let off some steam so the two could overlap. Or I finish a ride then remember all the shit I have to do when it's over, bam, chest pains.
 

pharmaboy

Eats Squid
How does lactate thresholds relate?

Personally, while my fitness has waxed and waned, I find the fitter I am, the less it hurts getting close to 200bpm, but still can't go any higher.

Hit 201bpm chasing a hot blonde lady up the Lysterfield Commonwealth games switchbacks two years ago, my adult life record.
Your trained threshold should be around 90-92% of your max. So in a race if you've done a decent amount of training you should be able to hold 181 beats per minute for an hour. My max is 190, threshold round 175, above 180 and I'm in vo2 territory so I can only stay there for 3 or 4 minutes before starting to lose pace/power, up around 185 in a race I should slow down because if you hit max in a race you tend to want to completely stop.

None of the above was figured out with power numbers, just reading Friels work and doing their recommended tests. Fitter, faster riders should be in the same zones but recover much faster than I do and have greater outputs for their given 90% points
 
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