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Max heart rate increase
Hi, I used to post on here now and then, but haven't in a long time. I'm 22 and have a history of various arrhythmias and such. Anyways, something that has happened over the course of the past year kind of has me at a loss. I'm a runner, and a very serious runner, so I know exactly what my heart does and does not do in response to all kinds of situations from long runs, to easy runs, to tempos, to VO2 workouts, to racing all kinds of distances in all kinds of weather. One thing that was consistent with me and should be in healthy people is my max HR. I pretty much knew that my max was around 202-204; that's where it always went when I was deep in a 5k race or a hard workout, or whatever. Over the past year, things have changed despite fitness not changing. My HR now routinely hits 210 BPM's even when I'm just jogging!! I don't quite understand. This started about 10 months ago, and at first I thought maybe my watch was broken or something, but it's been like this on many different devices for a very long time. So, given my history, does anyone know what might cause something like this? The only thing I have ever heard of is max HR going DOWN with age and/or fitness increases, not up by a solid 10-15BPM's (I can hit 217 now when I run hard intervals) seemingly over night for no apparent reason and then never going back. I know it's for real because last summer I had a stress test for an unrelated matter and my max was 216. What has happened?
Resting HR the same, recovery the same, just an odd thing. Not worried about it medically, just wondering I guess.
When you say "minor degedation in physical condition and thus HR goes higher when working hard" do you mean that you've heard of max HR going higher when working hard if someone is not as well conditioned than before? I've never heard of that. I have heard of the HR getting to the max more easily when in worse condition. Like I know in the past peak conditioning would mean it would take more to get my HR up to 202 than if I was more in base building phase of training, but at the end of the day the max was the max. Like, maybe early in a season it took running at 5:30 pace to get to 202, but later in the season it would take running at 5:10 pace to get to 202, but either way, the HR never went above 202 no matter how fast/hard I was going. It just seems weird that suddenly 217-218 is the new max. When I'm in better condition it takes more to reach it than if I'm not, but it's the fact that 100%=217 instead of 100%=202-204, after 202-204 was 100% for so many years that has me a little puzzled, along with the fact that HR is now getting far closer to 100% of max even when the effort feels easy.
Yea, I know. I'm not looking to head to any doctors about this or anything. I'm just kind of curious why it would happen, seems kind of weird and wondered if anyone had ever experienced anything similar.
When you say "minor degedation in physical condition and thus HR goes higher when working hard" do you mean that you've heard of max HR going higher when working hard if someone is not as well conditioned than before? I've never heard of that. I have heard of the HR getting to the max more easily when in worse condition. Like I know in the past peak conditioning would mean it would take more to get my HR up to 202 than if I was more in base building phase of training, but at the end of the day the max was the max. Like, maybe early in a season it took running at 5:30 pace to get to 202, but later in the season it would take running at 5:10 pace to get to 202, but either way, the HR never went above 202 no matter how fast/hard I was going. It just seems weird that suddenly 217-218 is the new max. When I'm in better condition it takes more to reach it than if I'm not, but it's the fact that 100%=217 instead of 100%=202-204, after 202-204 was 100% for so many years that has me a little puzzled, along with the fact that HR is now getting far closer to 100% of max even when the effort feels easy.
When you say "minor degedation in physical condition and thus HR goes higher when working hard" do you mean that you've heard of max HR going higher when working hard if someone is not as well conditioned than before? I've never heard of that. I have heard of the HR getting to the max more easily when in worse condition. Like I know in the past peak conditioning would mean it would take more to get my HR up to 202 than if I was more in base building phase of training, but at the end of the day the max was the max. Like, maybe early in a season it took running at 5:30 pace to get to 202, but later in the season it would take running at 5:10 pace to get to 202, but either way, the HR never went above 202 no matter how fast/hard I was going. It just seems weird that suddenly 217-218 is the new max. When I'm in better condition it takes more to reach it than if I'm not, but it's the fact that 100%=217 instead of 100%=202-204, after 202-204 was 100% for so many years that has me a little puzzled, along with the fact that HR is now getting far closer to 100% of max even when the effort feels easy.
COMMUNITY LEADER
I comment more in interest than knowledge, but...
In my understanding the "maximum heart rate" is a number that is very personal and is set as a enforced limit rather than a natural limit.
When I could still run, nothing like you do, as an older person my "maximum" was around 160, and I had to supervise it to see it didn't go higher. That is my heart has no maximum other than one that would cause it to fail.
If I have it anywhere near right, I'd say you have had a minor degradation in you physical condition and thus the HR goes higher when working hard. As for the going high when not really working.. no idea.
PS. 220 - age is the "defined" maximum for most of us. Here I'm taking 100%, the maximum... thus you should keep your HR below 200. Yes, this is an average "rule" but the % allows for adjustment for physical condition,, with 100% being most fit.
At age 22 you shouldn't be hit yet with going past the "peak" capability, but I think that comes early for runners due to the cardio stress involved.
In my understanding the "maximum heart rate" is a number that is very personal and is set as a enforced limit rather than a natural limit.
When I could still run, nothing like you do, as an older person my "maximum" was around 160, and I had to supervise it to see it didn't go higher. That is my heart has no maximum other than one that would cause it to fail.
If I have it anywhere near right, I'd say you have had a minor degradation in you physical condition and thus the HR goes higher when working hard. As for the going high when not really working.. no idea.
PS. 220 - age is the "defined" maximum for most of us. Here I'm taking 100%, the maximum... thus you should keep your HR below 200. Yes, this is an average "rule" but the % allows for adjustment for physical condition,, with 100% being most fit.
At age 22 you shouldn't be hit yet with going past the "peak" capability, but I think that comes early for runners due to the cardio stress involved.
Does you heart still come down the same after workouts? Is your resting heart rate the same? If so than I wouldn't worry too much about this. Sure you can see your cardiologist again, but I'm confident he'll say the same thing.
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