Max Heart rate during ramp test

Training
1

I have always hit a max heart rate of around 204bpm during a ramp test, but on the last two tests I have only got to around 194bpm. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? All the equipment I have been using is the same so that should not be an issue

2

Max HR is funny because it can vary up and down, depending on the training you’ve done. Its why I’ve always used lactate threshold HR.

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3

I usually get close to my max HR during a ramp test, but I don’t think I’ve ever reached it before my legs or lungs give out and I collapse.

edit to add: Looks like I got there once. Usually I give out about 5 bpm lower than the max I’ve seen on the road.

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4

Possible factors for differences between test results, even if equip is identical:

  • Temperature and/or humidity in the test area
  • Actual test failure mode (mental vs muscular vs cardiovascular)
  • Rider fatigue level
  • Motivation
  • Life stress
  • Nutrition, hydration, caffeine, etc.
  • and likely many more? (added per comments below)
    • Sleep (relates to fatigue / stress)
    • Time of day (not uncommon to be different between AM/PM)

Unless you track and control variables like those, some difference from test to test is like and expected, IMO.

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5

For me, in addition to all that you have listed, a proper 8 hours of sleep also makes a huge difference.

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6

Idk if this is just an N=1 thing, but my average and max HR are lower as I get more fit and higher as I’m fresher or have less fatigue. For example, coming out of my offseason and 2-3 weeks of no training, I hit over 180 in a ramp test, when I rarely if ever get out of the low 170s. As my fitness has gone up in training the last few months, the highest that I’ve hit was 177 in the final kick of a 5k, and most of my VO2 intervals and TT eforts will top out at 170-173.

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7

It is an actual thing (Evidence and possible mechanisms of altered maximum heart rate with endurance training and tapering - PubMed), and I wrote the same above. It is one reason Coggan and Friel heart rate zones are based on LTHR (and not HRmax).

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8

FWIW I’ve had a look at the ramp tests I did before I stopped doing them and my max HR has been between 93% and 97%; 95% average it’s only a sample of 5 though. At the same time approximately (mid September) my max in a TT was 99% with an average of 93% so I feel my max is right but :thinking: HR is so fickle. Power with me seems almost as fickle though, or maybe more :thinking::thinking:

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9

The last couple (ok, only) times I hit my max heart rate I started to black out.

Are you usually blacking out on your ramp tests?

10

Yes, same experience. My very 1st ramp test “off the couch” was 11-14 bpm higher than any subsequent ramp test now that I’ve been consistently training. My overall heart rate is noticeably lower than my early days of first following TR plans.

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11

another case of “fresh is faster (bpm)” :wink:

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12

Time of day. I can pretty much tell if a workout was done early in the morning or later in a day, just by looking at my average HR. Much lower in the morning.

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13

Good one, I should have included that too. I am opposite to you, and have about 10 bpm increase in early morning workouts vs the same effort in the evening.

14

The max HR ive seen on a ramp test is 185 but failed a load of workouts in the tail end of SPBL2… also went back into an overtrained state that lasted 8 months and I’m only just crawling out of 5 months later. I know though that hard Vo2 max intervals put me in a hole for days after so in my best interests i do vo2 intervals at 110% (unless its 1 min intervals) and ramp test i stop when i reach 182 bpm HR, not a beat more. My ftp has been slowly climbing back and i feel like cashing in 3 beats early on the test allows me to survive bad days life throws at me with poor sleep and other life stress

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