Running HR vs. Biking HR

Your maxHR will typically be at least 5-8bpm lower for the bike because you simply aren't using as many muscles. You should determine and use these sport-specific max HR values to establish your training zones and then use those zones to guide your effort for each workout. In my experience my legs tend to get the burn well before my breathing gets out of hand. On the run I will be out of breath long before my legs feel it.

BUmping back to the top to get any additional thoughts. I know that my running HR will be higher than biking, but by 30 beats suggests to me that I'm just out of running shape. Even if my max HR running is much higher than biking, it doesn't seem like my running HR should jump that high at just 4mph. Should I go slow, like speedwalking, if that's what it takes to keep my HR down? Or just jog as slowly as possible and let the HR do what it may? What's the best way to find my max running HR, or to do a LT test for running (especially when I'm so unfit right now)?

Thanks again!

I have the similar thing going on....when I swim I'm probably around 135-140 (going hard) but when I run (probably 8:30 mile pace) I'm at 155-160...

but regarding the max heart rate, I was told that we should re-evaluate our max HR occasionally, especially if we're going from being out of shape to being in shape. As we get more in shape, our max HR will change as our body gets more efficient at running/biking/swimming and then adjust your zones accordingly.

So for now I'd say to just go at whatever pace is necessary to keep you in the right zone according to your max HR.

OH, and regarding why the heart rate is lower...I don't know the muscles in use between running and biking, but for swimming, the muscles change from primarily legs (large muscles) to the arms (smaller muscles and less oxygen needed) but also a difference is that your blood is being pumped more hortizontally for biking (torso hort and legs vertical) than running (torso and legs vertical) and even more hortizontally for swimming (torso and legs hort), so your heart doesn't have to work as hard because there isn't gravity to pump against.

Edited by eviltangerine 2005-02-24 11:40 AM

Your max HR sholdn't change much with fitness level. Over time (years) it does tend to creep and elite athletes also tend to average ~5 bpm lower but otherwise it's really your LT that changes with fitness...basically you're getting more efficient as you train and you can go faster/longer without going anaerobic.