Lowering resting heart rate

[russell]

Why do you want your heart rate to be lower? I'd have thought there are better indicators of your training having a positive effect than your heart rate being marginally lower, which although an indicator of fitness is not always an accurate reflection of ones level of fitness. Isn't reduced recovery times a more meaningful reflection of progress?

If you take any top athletes rating heart rate it will be low, top cyclist can be as low as 30. Take the heart rate of a overweight sedentary person and it will be over 70-80. I think there is a strong correlation between fitness and rhr.

[suityou01]

I enjoy running (outside) though, and my knees are ok, not had a problem, good trainers and running technique help. I would find a rowing machine boring.

That's so weird, there's this other poster on here called Minestrone who also obsesses about running.

[russell]

That's so weird, there's this other poster on here called Minestrone who also obsesses about running.

You should go to runners world forums, one guy has 1000's of sockies all obsessed with running. Are all those people I see when I run in the park and on tv at marathons etc actually me?

[oracleslave]

If you take any top athletes rating heart rate it will be low, top cyclist can be as low as 30. Take the heart rate of a overweight sedentary person and it will be over 70-80. I think there is a strong correlation between fitness and rhr.

Am not saying there isn't a strong correlation, just that there are better measurement indicators. My resting heart rate is 60 but I'd venture there are a lot of people with resting heart rates between 60 and 90 for arguments sake that are loads fitter than me.

[russell]

Am not saying there isn't a strong correlation, just that there are better measurement indicators. My resting heart rate is 60 but I'd venture there are a lot of people with resting heart rates between 60 and 90 for arguments sake that are loads fitter than me.

Depends how you define fitness, but I agree with you that how fast you heart rate recovers is probably a better, more accurate measurement.

[DaveB]

If you take any top athletes rating heart rate it will be low, top cyclist can be as low as 30. Take the heart rate of a overweight sedentary person and it will be over 70-80. I think there is a strong correlation between fitness and rhr.

60-80 is the normal healthy range. Above 100 is Tachycardia, below 50 Brachycardia, although it depends on age and other symptoms to decide if it's a problem or not.

Athletes and those who train cardio on a regular basis will get it below 50. Below 40 is unusual and anything close to 30 is rare. AFAIK the lowest recorded for any sports person was Miguel Induraine who had a resting rate of 29 bpm.

Bear in mind that your resting rate goes up by around 1 bpm per year once you get past 35 or so as well.

[russell]

60-80 is the normal healthy range. Above 100 is Tachycardia, below 50 Brachycardia, although it depends on age and other symptoms to decide if it's a problem or not.

Athletes and those who train cardio on a regular basis will get it below 50. Below 40 is unusual and anything close to 30 is rare. AFAIK the lowest recorded for any sports person was Miguel Induraine who had a resting rate of 29 bpm.

Bear in mind that your resting rate goes up by around 1 bpm per year once you get past 35 or so as well.

Thanks Dave, next time just post the link to Wikipedia

[DaveB]

Thanks Dave, next time just post the link to Wikipedia

I would if I was quoting it.

Ex wife was a GP so I have a smattering of medical knowledge picked up by osmosis while she was in Med school and then in practice. I'm also a bit of a cycling nut, hence knowing who Miguel is and a bit about him from magazine articles. I could tell you all about Lance Armstrongs lung capacity as well if you like.

[russell]

I would if I was quoting it.

Ex wife was a GP so I have a smattering of medical knowledge picked up by osmosis while she was in Med school and then in practice. I'm also a bit of a cycling nut, hence knowing who Miguel is and a bit about him from magazine articles. I could tell you all about Lance Armstrongs lung capacity as well if you like.

Ah ok sorry, just read the article on heart rate and it mentioned Miguel and the other factoids. My bad.

[DaveB]

Ah ok sorry, just read the article on heart rate and it mentioned Miguel and the other factoids. My bad.

No worries.