Max heart rate

[HomerPigeon]

I got a heart rate monitor for Christmas and used it today for the first time at a Spinning class. I am a bit confused by the results!

I had looked up what my max heart rate should be, and worked out 80%, 70% etc so I would know what I was meant to be doing. But I decided that I would test things by exerting myself as I usually do (instructor will say "this should feel like 8 out of 10 effort") and seeing what heart rate that came out at.

Depending on the formula used, my max heart rate comes out somewhere between 177-184 (I am 37 and I used the formulae on the Brianmac website). But in the Spinning session, my heart rate was 170 when the instructor was telling us to do a 7 out of 10 and 185 when she said to do 8 out of 10. I deliberately didn't push myself "to the max", yet I seem to have been at my max heart rate.

Does this mean I should slack off a bit next time? Or is it possible that I have an abnormally fast-beating heart?

Everyone's heart rate is different and although there are calculations to work out Max he they will not be accurite

How long does it take for you he to return to normal afterwards? And what is your resting her each morning? These are the type of things that will indicate your fitness levels and without them it is not s full picture of your fitness and he etc

My resting heart rate is around 63, and after hitting the 185 rate in Spinning last night I would say it took about 2 minutes for it to go back down to about 160.

I don't feel very fit.

Is there a better way to work out my personal max heart rate?

Go and do a spin class and see how high your heart rate goes and take that as your guide

But obviously don't push yourself in a silly way or that could be dangerous

I would time how long at the end of a spin class it takes for your he to drop back under 100, as this will be a sign of your fitness level improving

If you are worried about your he though see your g p for advise as your he can be an indication that something is not right if it runs at the wrong speed