Is there an effective way to train to reduce your Maximum Heart Rate?

Question

I exercise 5 times a week doing 50 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of strength training. Lately I've been using a heart monitor and have been surprised to find that I can easily push 180 bpm without feeling overly tired or out of breath (I can carry a conversation). I'm 36 years old so that means that my MHR should be 184 but that's only if I'm traning anaerobically (which I don't want to) So for the past week I've reduce the speed (which has come to walking on the treadmill instead of jogging) in order to land in the 150-160 range. My question is, if I'm trying to lose weight, should I continue on this range? (even if I get bored to death walking) Is there a good way to train to reduce your MHR?

Answer 1

Max heart rate calculations using age (the 220 minus age or whatever) are for normal, sedentary people and can be off 10 or 15 beats or more per minute.
For athletes to discover max hr, you need to push and find your max heartrate.

Go to a track, do a couple mile warmup. Then, get ready to do 1/2 mile repeats. Wearing your HR monitor strap, sprint your first 1/2 mile. Record your max HR. run a 1/4, then do a second 1/2mile sprint. Record your max HR. run a 1/4, then do a third 1/2mile sprint and record the max HR.
The sprints should be absolutely all out...totally all out.
The second or third sprint should get you at your max HR.

Use THAT as your max. If you are conversational at 180, then by definition you are not at max HR.
If you are converstional at 180, I am guessing your max to be 195.
Is it unusual? Yes. Unheard of?? Absolutely not. Many triathletes i work out with are well away from the "norms".

Yes, for best weight loss, you'll want to be in your high zone 2 or low zone 3 for almost an hour...but you are going to need to adjust your zones before starting up that program.

Here is the coaching stuff I follow...and it has been very successful for me:

http://www.ultrafit.com/

***oh, and to answer your first question: reducing max HR?
Yes, eat lots of fat and become sedentary.

You do NOT want to reduce your max HR! You DO want to find YOUR max HR and then start using that new info to craft a good aerobic workout for yourself.

Answer 2

Dude ... you want to INCREASE your MHR, not reduce it. The MHR is a guideline, not a hard and fast rule. It is NOT an absolute measure of aerobic / anaerobic. If you're not huffing and puffing, its still aerobic. If you get to 180 bpm without feeling tired, that's a GREAT THING. That's the goal - you have a very healthy cardio system. Keep doing what you're doing.

I'm 47, and routinely get my bpm up to 160-165 and feel fine. The longer we can do this, the younger we will stay. You obviously have been working out regularly for a long time. Discard the guidelines and listen to your own body.

Answer 3

first tell us

are you taking any fat burning drugs? bec if you do then plz remember these drugs are "hot" in nature and give maximum heart rate even at normal times!