Cycling Training

What is your highest maximum heart rate ever?

The most commented post here on Training4cyclists.com so far was my question: What is your lowest heart rate ever? Maximum heart rate is often calculated as 220 minus your age, but there is a standard deviation of about 10, which means that 95% of us would fit into a formula: 220 minus age +/- 20 beats. Thus, as you’ve already experienced, this formula does not have any practical usability for a serious endurance athlete.

But back to the topic, what is your highest maximum heart rate ever?

Jesper Bondo Medhus

I am a medical doctor with a special interest in cycling training. I work at the Hospital of Vejle using clinical physiology and nuclear medicine to diagnose cancer and heart patients. I have written two e-books: Time Effective Cycling Training and 12-Week Winter Training Program.

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  • I've been testing in the morning before I get out of bed and my lowest has been 47. The highest I've ever had it go was 240, this might have been a bad reading as I was going 40 mph down a hill, it is a hill I do quite often so it wasn't scary. I typically spike at 181, but have seen it go to 194 during steep climbs.

  • My most recent total max hr measured on a monitor during some sort of training or racing activity is 189. I'm a 38yr male so the 220-age formula would give me 182.

  • Max of 194 this is my running max. My cycling max varies from 184 (unfit) to 194 (fully fit). As a 37yr old male I have a predicted max of 183.

  • in the mornings i have 45-47 bpm wen im in good shape and my max is 202 even some day i reach 214 in a sprint, im 31 and my predicted max for my age is 189

  • Recently I took part of my first competition and my heart rate went up to 198, I am 20 years old.

  • Did a conconi test when I was around 18 years old. It went up to 213. My coach at that time told me it was the highest I have ever meassured... And he have been a coach for the national danish mtb team...

  • I have two very different levels in spin class my heart rate tops out at about 187. On the road I am consistantly 10 to 15 beats higher, does anyone know why???

    Thanks

  • Min 41 (when conditioned and unstressed) / lowest ever 37
    Max 191 (after a couple of all-out sprints in a group ride on a 4% uphill and VERY WELL conditioned)

  • Once I saw 204 on my HRM during an intense mountain bike ride (with the goal of hitting my max HR.) Funny thing is, I think I was 16 at the time, meaning that 220 minus you age formula actually had it right!

    But other than that day I don't remember going over 196.

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Jesper Bondo Medhus

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