Optimised heart rate formulae to monitor endurance training in sedentary individuals

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the heart rate formula 170 – 0.5 age ± 10 used to prescribe endurance training for healthy sedentary or moderately trained individuals. A total of 795 incremental tests of women and men during running and cycling were analysed. The maximum heart rate, heart rate at deflection and age-dependent declines of these heart rates were determined. The maximum heart rate and the heart rate at deflection were greater during running (women: 192 ± 10 and 181 ± 9 bpm; men: 191 ± 10 and 179 ± 10 bpm) than cycling (women: 185 ± 11 and 170 ± 11 bpm; men: 187 ± 10 and 169 ± 11 bpm, P < 0.001) without any sex-based difference. With the upper limit of the existing heart rate formula, 4% during running and 35% during cycling exceeded the heart rate at deflection. We suggest two heart rate formulae for healthy sedentary or moderately endurance trained individuals separated for mode of exercise but not for sex: 165 – 0.5 age ± 5 for running and 160 – 0.5 age ± 5 for cycling.