Resting heart rate

patslitzker

Has anyone else notice a drop in their resting heart rate since picking up fitness? I've been doing a lot of cardio lately and Today my heart rate got down to 47 while sitting down. Should I worry about this?

Azdak

No. Unless you are also taking any medication that lowers heart rate. Then not a concern unless you feel dizzy, shortens of breath, etc. by itself, lower heart rate is natural adaptation to exercise. Endurance exercise increases parasympathetic tone, which causes resting HR to slow.

Rocknut53

My resting heart rate when I was 60 pounds overweight even with lots of exercise was 74-75, now down 60 pounds to almost ideal weight it's 54 or so.

LaurelE2015

Ditto...mine is usually mid- to low forties resting, as a result of exercise and the freakish family gene for low HR.

Question...does this also affect how high you need to keep it when working out? Mine is generally in the 118-130 area when I run. I can get it higher on hills and during HIIT, but that approaches more than four times my resting rate. Others, with a resting rate in the fifties/sixties (regardless of age), don't aim for three times their resting rate. Charts show ranges based on % of max. Because mine is naturally low, should I aim to work at a higher rate to offset the lower amount of work it does regularly? Just curious!

patslitzker

I've been doing the insanity DVD which I think may play a role in my heart rate being lower plus losing 170 lbs probably has a role in that as well even though a I have a little more to lose. It hasn't seemed to effect how high I can get it though, while doing insanity I can reach 180-190 bpm

Azdak

laurelelliott2015 wrote: »

Ditto...mine is usually mid- to low forties resting, as a result of exercise and the freakish family gene for low HR.

Question...does this also affect how high you need to keep it when working out? Mine is generally in the 118-130 area when I run. I can get it higher on hills and during HIIT, but that approaches more than four times my resting rate. Others, with a resting rate in the fifties/sixties (regardless of age), don't aim for three times their resting rate. Charts show ranges based on % of max. Because mine is naturally low, should I aim to work at a higher rate to offset the lower amount of work it does regularly? Just curious!

It can affect it a little. The best way to determine HR intensity is the "Heart Rate Reserve" method of calculation instead of just multiplying HR max by a set percentage.

For example, to determine a 75% training heart rate:

HRmax minus HRrest = HR reserve

Multiply HR reserve by training percentage (expressed as decimal, in this case 75% or .75)

Add that number back to HR rest to determine training HR.

For someone with a HR rest of 80 and a HR max of 180:

HR reserve = 100 (180 minus 80)
Training reserve: 75 (100 x .75)
75% training HR: 155 (75 + 80)

Now, after training, if that same person lowered their HR rest to 60, it would change the calculations:

HR reserve is now: 120 (180 minus 60)
Training reserve: 90 (120 x .75)
75% training HR: 150 (90 + 60)

So, not a huge difference, but if rest HR starts getting down into the 50s, it will be noticeable.

Of course, like all HR estimates, ultimate accuracy requires that you have an accurate idea of your true max HR. However, if you do have that number, then this method can be pretty useful.

In general, the longer you engage in endurance training, the slower your HR will react to changes in intensity. That is neither a positive or a negative per se, It just is.