Is max heart rate a good indicator?
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Maximum heart rate (MHR) is not a good proxy for physical fitness, according to discussions by and guest on the . While MHR can be roughly estimated using the formula 220 minus your age, this is seen as a general guideline and can vary significantly between individuals. It's noted that a person's MHR isn't necessarily going to increase with improved fitness and therefore isn't a reliable measure of physical condition or endurance capacity 1.
Nevertheless, these discussions also highlight the importance of occasionally pushing one's heart rate towards maximum in training routines for various cardiovascular adaptations, including improved stroke volume and cardiac output 2. However, it should be emphasized that attempting to increase MHR isn't necessarily beneficial and it won't change much with fitness levels 3.
Therefore, while MHR can be a useful metric for designing certain training elements, it does not comprehensively represent someone's fitness level and should not be used as a sole indicator 4.
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