Resting Heart Rate

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daz2270
daz2270 Posts: 73 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all. When I first began my fitness journey 18 months ago, my Resting Heart Rate was in the mid 70's. After losing 60+lbs my RHR is now down to mid 40's. As far as exercise goes I do weight training 4 x per week. I don't do a great deal of cardio but I do walk 20k-25k steps per day. Anyone else notice this happening? For info I'm 46 yo, male. 5' 10 ins. SW 231lbs CW 167lbs.

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  • ajwcyclist2016
    ajwcyclist2016 Posts: 161 Member
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    Fairly normal for resting heart rate to lower as the heart muscle has got stronger so can now pump more blood around the body
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Mine dropped from c. 65bpm to c. 48 from getting fitter and slimmer.

    Your heart has less work to do with your reduced size and has also become more efficient at pumping too as your fitness improved. Congrats!
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
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    55 years old and didn't have a heart rate monitor when I started. Currently I am in the high 50's I run 6 miles three times a week. I measure mine with a Fib Bit Blaze.
  • daz2270
    daz2270 Posts: 73 Member
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    Thanks @sijomial after googling it (bad idea) I was slightly perturbed that low heart rate might be something to be concerned about.
  • ajwcyclist2016
    ajwcyclist2016 Posts: 161 Member
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    Presuming you're healthy you should be fine. At the end of the day an ecg is always possible to get from your doctors.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    daz2270 wrote: »
    Thanks @sijomial after googling it (bad idea) I was slightly perturbed that low heart rate might be something to be concerned about.

    Remember bradycardia is a description rather than a condition. :smile:
  • CMNVA
    CMNVA Posts: 733 Member
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    daz2270 wrote: »
    Thanks @sijomial after googling it (bad idea) I was slightly perturbed that low heart rate might be something to be concerned about.

    I posted a similar question last month. My resting heart rate (sitting in a chair like now) was dipping into the 40s. I am *not* an elite athlete!!! I had only been doing couch-to-5K for 8 weeks. It did freak me out. Good news is that as long as you feel well and your heart rate increases appropriately when you exercise, it's all good.

    For me, I realized that my daily medication was actually causing it. I have been taking Pepcid AC for a year now. I quit taking it over a week ago and my heart rate at all times is now more in line with what it has always been and I haven't seen anything in the 40s since.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    If you're worried, see a doctor. None of us can say much about you.

    With that said, my RHR is very low, too. When I was in the hospital I kept setting off the ECG alarm because my heart was beating too slowly. After a few alarms, I told the nurse that I'm a cyclist, and he turned the alarm off.

    Your heart is a muscle. Like all muscles, it gets stronger with use. It's also a pump, and as it gets stronger, the "stroke volume" increases, meaning it can pump the same amount of blood with fewer beats. This is extremely common.

    (I can't promise that's what's happening with you. But I wouldn't sweat it if I were in your shoes.)

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