Quote: (Originally Posted by
DIR princess)
Hmmm...I thought your maximum pulse actually increases a little bit as you get in better shape because you can "handle" to push your self harder...and that it decreases with age...and that you cannot reach the same maximum pulse while swimming as you can in running or cycling???
I did a maximum pulse test last week...just want to make sure I understood it right
TIA
Hi Dijana,
You are right on two out of three
If you look at Dan's post, the Karvonen Formula takes age into account:
APMHR (age predicted max heart rate): 220 - age (or 226 for women because their hearts are smaller and beat more times per minute)...so as sedentary individuals get older, that value will decrease.
HOWEVER, this is just a mathematical formula to estimate and does not apply to active individuals. IF you maintain a good level of conditioning your MHR will not decrease due to age.
Your MHR is a set number if you are fit. It does not increase with fitness, and is not a predictor of fitness. Your resting heart rate changes and drops when you get fitter. Your anaerobic threshold heart rate changes and increases when you get fitter, but not your MHR.
For swimming, the MHR is 204-age, taking into account that swimming is a non-weight bearing activity, it uses primarily "smaller" upper body muscles which place less of a cardiac demand, the body is in a horizontol position, and the water itself has a cooling effect.
I hope this helps!
Dawn