Lightfoot, T. Maximal heart rates of athletic and non-athletic adolescents . Southeast American College of Sports Medicine, Athens, Georgia, 1986.
Studies have differed as to whether adolescent athletes (AT) have lower maximal heart rates (MHR) than adolescent non-athletes (NA). If MHR differs for these two groups, then predicted maximal heart rates (PMHR) used in setting exercise intensities may give erroneous information. The purposes of this study were to determine the differences between: 1) adolescent AT and NA MHR, and 2) PMHR (220-AGE=PMHR) and observed MHR. Sixteen AT male adolescents and six male NA adolescents, (12-14 years), were subjected to a maximal treadmill protocol. The treadmill protocol used a constant speed (6.5 mph) and incremental grade increases, (4% per min). MHR was measured in beats per minute (b/m) with a three lead ECG. All adolescent AT were involved in an organized aerobic sport (soccer) for a period of at least six months prior to and leading up to the data collection. None of the NA adolescents had been involved in any sport for at least six months prior to the testing. There was no significant difference (p<.12) between the means, (AT=202+7.5 b/m, NA=209+7.8 b/m). Because there was no difference between the two group's MHR, validation of the age-related MHR formula on each group was not necessary. A regression equation was fit using the subject's ages and MHR [208-(.3)*AGE = MHR]. Tests comparing this regression formula with the popular age-related PMHR formula [220-AGE = MHR] revealed that there was no difference between the two formulas, (intercept difference, p<.68, and slope difference, p<.55). This study show that there was no significant difference in MHR between male adolescent athletes and non-athletes. Furthermore, these facts confirm the validity of using the popular age-related formula for outlining exercise limits for all adolescents, independent of athletic status.