Maximal heart rate should be 220 minus age.
If you have been in contact with covid like any viral illness (covid, do a test) stop exercising for at least a couple of weeks to ensure the virus is out of the system after the last symptoms.
1 Like
MHR is an individual measure. The 220-age thing was only ever designed to give a ball-park measurement and shouldn’t be relied upon as a fixed measure. My personal current MHR is around 195, which is higher than the 220-age measure churns out, and has been determined by monitoring maximum measured HR during a sprint interval session - one of the other methods recommended to determined MHR.
In terms of illnesses, I’ve tested today and returned negative on a home Covid test - I have 2 more tests available to me so will test tomorrow morning too.
The common thinking in the coaching circles today is that it’s okay to carry on training through an illness so long as it isn’t affecting your respiratory system (ie you feel it in your head, but your breathing is fine) but intensity should be temporarily reduced until you’re feeling recovered. If you feel it on your chest, it’s best to stop until your chest feels normal again. For me being an asthmatic, I am careful with just how much I push anything if I can feel it on my chest.
2 Likes
I’ve dealt with a few over the years who have been so ill with viral myocarditis that I personally wouldn’t take the risk, but each to their own and their risk appetite.
220 minus age is a test standard for a Bruce protocol. Too many who have ‘normal’ hearts have ended up needing CPR. I did some work with a Premier Rugby League team some years ago. Whole team screened, 2 had known cardiac anomalies but 2 had undiscovered conduction defects.
Unknown defects are far more prevalent than we think.
Increased heart rate decreases coronary blood flow therefore myocardial perfusion as systole is a constant but diastole is a variable and that is when coronary blood flow happens.
Was doing really well on my diet. Then I went into the Co-op and they had fresh custard donuts.
Nom nom.
3 Likes
Hit a new PR on Deadlifts this morning. Quite happy with that.
Don’t think the rest of the gym was.
3 Likes
Good effort!
Small bits of progress made frequently soon adds up to big achievements.
2 Likes
Yep. Managed to beat my personal best when I was in Shader. So definitely happy with the progress.
2 Likes
The hardest thing about personal fitness is putting your trainers on and walking into the gym. Once you’ve done that you’ve more or less cracked the mental barrier that stops you. Anything you do after that is a bonus no matter what it is (apart from turning around and walking back out that is!)
5 Likes
Yesterday’s gym session saw a 25m40s 5k treadmill run (still 20 seconds off my PB but it’s ruddy hot in the station gym), max heart rate was 168, then an hour and a half of weights. Today’s plan is a 25 min HIIT.
Monday’s session is a leg work out and we all love doing that 
1 Like
Parkrun #32 - 25:16 according to strava… im on the right side of my trend curve
3 Likes
Fastest parkrun for a few weeks today, at just under 28 mins. But more importantly, today was also number 100!
1 Like
Set out today to do a gentle parkrun, what with a big event next weekend. But I felt good. So naturally, I ended up going out and securing a completely accidental PB…
Not sure an average HR of 184 is the best, but I’ll work with it. At least it’s raised my VO2 Max reading!
2 Likes
Anyone fancy a challenge?
Yes, I also laugh like a little school kid when David Goggins screams “STAY HARD”
Who’s gonna carry the boats?!
On a personal development though, finally over 100kg bench press again.
Massive decrease in strength since the back went so quite happy with it. Working sets around 85-90kg now.
1 Like
I’m just starting to look into weight training. Picked up a couple of injuries recently whilst paddling and I think it’s because I don’t do any strength work really, so currently trying to work out how to design a programme that works for me and what I want to do.
1 Like
Depends what you want out of it really.
I have to factor in a huge amount of mobility work as well. Gotta force myself to do it or pain comes back.
Nothing more that injury prevention really; I guess the side benefit of improved strength will be increase in power but I’m not doing it specifically for that.
Trying to understand how many reps / sets / rests I should be doing seems to be the most complicated bit!
I always find weights work boring as sin, but then I guess that’s because I’ve never had a goal or a structure for it. Now I have a reason to do it hopefully I’ll be able to get it into my weekly routine and stick to it. Not sure I’ll be able to do more than one session a week though.
1 Like
Some general strength and conditioning might be all you need. Try some bodyweight exercises rather than starting with weights.
I need to do more S&C but generally CBA and would rather go for a run.
As a general rule:
5-7 with 87-90% of your 1RM is strength training
8-14 with 60-80% is hypertrophy
15+ is endurance training.
I build my sets around 1 big exercise with 5x5 at the beginning and then 5-6 exercises at 3x12.
But my goal is strength training.
So I would say work in the 12-15 region. Incorporating lots of mobility work.
1 Like
Yeah, I used to do more circuit training (and will be again in the winter) which does a lot of bodyweight stuff - but summertime means paddling on a Thursday night rather than circuits, so I guess I lose any S&C content to my fitness at that point… which is not helpful when you enter the winter (and WW Kayak / SUP / Canoe season) where the additional strength would be beneficial.