Does maximum heart rate influence performance? 

Short answer, no. Cardiac output matters.

Your maximum heart rate has a higher chance of DECREASING as you get fitter. I’ll explain why. 

The term “heart rate” describes the frequency (in beats per minute, BPM) at which the heart is beating at a given point in time. Combined with the stroke volume (the amount of blood ejected from the heart per beat, SV), we get the total quantity of blood being pumped from the heart to circulate around the body per minute (the cardiac output, CO). Blood carries oxygen and fuel to the muscles and removes carbon dioxide as a waste product. At rest, our need for this process is low, so the heart can beat relatively slowly to fulfill requirements. However, during exercise, the demand for blood increases dramatically, and, as the ability for stroke volume to increase is low, this is primarily met by increasing heart rate, making heart rate a good indicator of how hard the body is working to produce metabolic power. Consequently, heart rate has been used by athletes and coaches for several decades to objectively measure exercise intensity and prescribe training.

Through the development of wrist-based HR sensors, many runners have started utilising heart rate in their training, which has led to some dubious ‘experts’ touting bro-science about HR and fitness. Despite heart rates’ advantages over earlier training metrics, such as perceived exertion, heart rate is not a perfect training tool.

One number I see thrown around is maximum heart rate (HRmax). The higher your heart rate the better runner you are or the better you are at pushing yourself. These statements are simply WRONG.

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