want to lower resting hart rate

legs gone

Hi, I got back into cycling 4yrs ago ,i am 40 with a max HR of 202.For the past 4 yrs i have been trainning/racing for road and some track races and my resting HR is stuck at 58bpm in bed.I know that a lower resting HR mean greater fitness how can lower my resting HR?

formernoreasta

As far as I know, people have different resting HR's, and while in general, a lower RHR represents being in better shape, everyone is different. For instance, you have a relatively high max HR for your age, so in that light, a RHR of 57 is not that high. The range (57-202) is still rather large. In comparison, my RHR is 46, but my max is lower, about 185. Just my $0.02.


But in general, just ride a lot, and keep your HR high. It may lower more.

beerco

Re-think what you know. A lower RHR means simply that. Focus on your fitness, not your RHR.

donrhummy

Actually, they're now finding that a greater inidication of fitness/health is not a low resting HR but how fast your HR recovers after a max effort. So, if you go super hard for 3 minutes (I think that's what they use in the tests) and raise your HR to 170 bpm and then stop and rest for 1 minute and it's dropped to 140, you're in so-so shape/health. I think it needs to drop more than 35 bpm or something like that, it may be more. Try googling it.

Sillyoldtwit

If that's true I must be in pretty good shape for a 64 year old. My HR drops from 167 to under 120 in a minute. In fact after the first interval it's more like 40 secs. Tyson

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BikingBrian

As I recall, the awards ceremonies of most races don't feature a "lowest resting hr" category .....

donrhummy

That's very good. I found an article online that states that a drop of 45 beats means good fitness, so you're doing great! I believe that resting HR is also important but the more critical factor is the recovery heart rate (how much it drops after intense effort).

As for your resting HR, while 58 is higher than some cyclists (e.g. mine's 41), you're 64. They say the average heart rate (diregarding age) is about 70 bpm, although I don't believe that, i think it's closer to 80. So for a 64 yr old to be at 58, you're doing better than most 30 year olds. Also, I believe that the avg. resting HR of most endurance athletes is claimed to be around 50-60 bpm, so you're doing well.

Some of this is genetic and means very little for your fitness levels. For example, Santiago Perez (fromerly of Phonak) had the lowest measured resting HR of any pro cyclist at 31 bpm. That's even lower than Lance, yet who do you think has the better fitness levels?

Sillyoldtwit

Huh! Where did I say my resting HR is 58? It's closer to 50bpm.

Edit: After making that statement I thought as I hadn't checked my resting HR for some time that I'd better check it. Although I was lying on the sofa watching the Boston Red Sox v. the Mariners (very exciting) my HR was 52BPM (measured twice) I'm sure when I wake up in the morning it's closer to 47/48. Tyson

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Piotr

But they do have a contest for best looking calves at High Uintas Classic.

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donrhummy

Sorry, got you mixed up with the OP who had a 58 resting HR.