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Max Heart Rate When Running

Your max heart rate when running is important when you want to enrich your running by using a heart rate monitor.

There are a few methods to establish your running max heart rate. Here you learn how. These methods are:

Calculate

Have it established by specialists

Go flat out

Calculate Your Max Heart Rate When Running

The old rule to calculate your running max heart rate is:

220 minus your age
This method is stil popular because of its simplicity. It is unfortunately not very accurate.

I recommend against using this method. There can be a difference of over 10 beats between your real max heart rate when running and the calculation in this formula.

People have tried to find better results by taking into account the differences between men and women. This does get some better results. However, a simple calculation based on age and gender fails to recognize that every person is different.

Moreover, your max heart rate varies from sport to sport. So there is no way that one formula will work for you!

Have Your Max Heart Rate Established by Specialists

Obviously the very best method to establish your max heart rate when running is to have it established by experts.

So if you want to be absolutely sure and want to spend the money towards it go to an exercise physiologist.

They will usually do a type of test not dissimilar to the test prescribed below. The benefit of using an exercise physiologist is that you will be monitored while doing it. It is safer and arguably more accurate. And  usually you can arrange for some other tests to happen at the same time.

So, if you have an urgent need to get the very best outcome, then go to the exercise physiologist. Otherwise, continue to the step below!

Warning before you continue :

Establishing your running max heart rate is not without health risks.

Don't use method number three if:

You are not used to severe exercise

You are a beginning runner

You are overweight

You have had a heart disease or heart disease related issues

Instead, go to a physician.
So, use your common sense!

Establish Your Max Heart Rate by Going Flat Out

My preferred method of defining my max heart rate when running is the following exercise:

I do a thorough warm-up. So not just a few minutes. Say 10 to 15 minutes.

Then I run 800 metres at a fairly hard pace. Not all out. But fairly hard.

Then I rest 30 to 45 seconds.

Then I run 800 metres again. This time as fast as possible. I go flat out.

The heart rate I measure at the end of this 800 metre run is my running max heart rate.

It is just one way. Any method that makes you go flat out for long enough will get you to your max heart rate.

Again, I can't stress enough that you shouldn't do this type of test when you have got a health condition. This type of test does put your body under a fair amount of stress. So, keep that into account.

How to Use Your Running Max Heart Rate

Now, how do you use this maximum heart rate information in your running training?

Well, when running using a heart rate monitor you will usually run in a specific heart rate zone, e.g. for a specific run your heart rate will have to be in between 120 and 130 beats per minute. For another, more strenous run, your heart rate has to be in between 130 and 140 beats per minute. And so on.

The way to establish these heart rate zones is by using your maximum heart rate as one of the inputs. So, now that you know how to do that, go to the Zoladz method (only using max heart rate) or  Karvonen's method (uses max heart rate when running and rest heart rate) to establish your running training zones.

Use the following link for more information about your rest heart rate, if you want to use Karvonen's method.

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