Heartbeats: How Fast Is Too Fast?

Common locker room wisdom holds that our heart rate should never exceed 220 minus our age. But according to this piece by the Washington Post’s Moving Crew, that kind of one-size-fits-all advice can be left in the dirty towel basket. Different hearts beat at different rates, the Crew tells us, and healthy bodies will fatigue long before their hearts give out.  The Crew points out that different workouts can be expected to generate different rates. Running, for instance, generates a higher HRM than cycling, rowing or swimming, so maxing out on a treadmill
will yield an HRM up to six beats higher than that on a bicycle and up
to 14 beats higher than what you could reach swimming. That said, the Crew recommends that no matter how old or how fit you are, if exercise causes dizziness or chest pain, stop what you’re doing and contact a doctor. Read more.