Maximum Heart Rate: What Is It For?

maximum (FcMax) is the extreme ability of the heart to increase the pulse, measured in beats per minute (bpm).

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Theoretical FcMax, or the one estimated using a mathematical formula, is necessary for the evaluation of the internal workload of a workout, because it falls within the formulas of:

• Cooper and Karvonen
• Hirofumi Tanaka.

Later we will analyze them in detail.

For further information: Workload .

Heart Rate Trainers of the aerobic system Age Slimming Cardiovascular 65% FcMax 75% FcMax 85% FcMax 20 126 145,5 165 25 124 143 162 30 121,5 140 159 35 119,5 137,5 156 40 117 135 153 45 114,7 132,5 150 50 112,5 130 147 55 110 127 144 60 108 124,5 141 65 105,5 122 138

Adapted from: Health / Fitness instructor "s - by E.T. Howley & B. Don Franks - Human kinetics Publiscers, Inc. 1995

Cooper's formula: (theoretical FcMax) x% Fc

Karvonen formula: (Theoretical FcMax - Resting HR) x% VO2 max + Resting HR

% VO2max % Fc 50 65 60 72 70 79 75 83 80 87 85 91 90 94

Correspondence table between% Vo2 max &% F.C.

This table has the sole objective of giving a correspondence between the maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) and the heart rate, confusing the two formulas would give rise to gross calculation errors.

For example, having to calculate the working heart rates of a subject aged 22 (with 65 bpm at rest), who must perform cardiovascular work aimed at "weight loss", therefore at the minimum limit of his aerobic threshold: for Cooper the load corresponds to 65% of the maximum heart rate, for Karvonen to 50% of his VO2max (Aerobic Capacity).