Resting Heart Rate
Heart rate measured at rest is a reliable indicator of how hard the heart is working and the fitness level of the individual. A trained athlete will have a lower resting heart rate (assuming no health conditions) while a sedentary individual will have a much higher resting heart rate. This is due to a more efficient cardiovascular system and a higher stroke volume. An increased stroke volume means that for every heart beat an athlete will be able to pump more blood from the heart to the working muscles. This means that the heart does not have to work as hard to provide the oxygen required.
Resting heart rate is defined as the number of beats of the heart per minute while at rest.
Training decreases an individuals resting heart rate, for example, a sedentary individual can reduce their heart rate from the average of 72bpm by approximately 1bpm each week of the first few months of consistent training.
A highly conditioned athlete will have a resting heart rate of below 40bpm and some have heart rates below 30bpm.
See image below which illustrates the benefits of a training program on heart rate:
Resting heart rate is defined as the number of beats of the heart per minute while at rest.
Training decreases an individuals resting heart rate, for example, a sedentary individual can reduce their heart rate from the average of 72bpm by approximately 1bpm each week of the first few months of consistent training.
A highly conditioned athlete will have a resting heart rate of below 40bpm and some have heart rates below 30bpm.
See image below which illustrates the benefits of a training program on heart rate: