Does Having A Lower Heart Rate Make You Fitter?

Heart rate is a big part of cycling and exercise in general, and we can now measure our pulse with ease, but what does bpm actually mean for our fitness? Is it true that having a lower heart rate makes you a fitter person? Conor and Hank delve into the science of whether having a lower heart rate really increases your fitness on the bike.
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[@vmarano4]

After a year of training I have lost 40 lbs and lowered my resting HR from 73 bpm to 48 bpm. My doctor is thrilled. Thank you GCN for encouraging and educating me along the way!!!

[@matteokalla]

Great accomplishment! Bravo!!

[@davidcraig2532]

Superb! Well done 😃

[@gefloigle]

👏👏👏👏💪

[@lionden4]

Well done!

[@bobbydotson39]

Amazing Work!!!

[@robertrjm8115]

As a 67 year old I re-started cycling about 5 years ago and regularly do 700-800km per month, mostly on endurance rides of 90 to 160km with an average speed of 22 to 20km/h depending on length, climbing and the scottish winds-breezes or gales. I have observed my resting HR to gradually drop down from ~60 at the start of cycling more to 48 to 50bpm and my avarage HR during the rides to slowly drop from 165 to 140 bpm while at the same time getting a bit faster and doing longer rides up to 200km. I never push myself to maximum effort as I want to enjoy my rides and don't want to drop off the bike half way and not get home. If, on occasion, I start to race , mostly to drop my 10 to 30 year old former colleagues and students my HR goes up to between 160 and 170 at which point I run out of steam (breath) in a few minutes and the lags start flagging. I regularly ride the same 90km route and can compare power, HR and ave. speed directly. (power is about 120W avarage (normalised ~140W) My Garmin tells me my Vo2max is 44 however I am doubtful if that can be correct. By the way I had a quadruple CABG 6 years ago and took up cycling again to recover and stay fit after this (brutal) open heart surgery. So it looks like, getting fitter leads to a lower resting HR and average HR during exercise.

[@user-fk8rb8ue5h]

I am 68 and I am just starting cycling again. Thank you for the inspiration.

[@odarge]

great to read this, and great for you.!

[@ljadf]

I was recently in a bike vs car crash, and the hospital kept me in for observation as my heart rate dropped below 36. The doctors kept saying it was normal for an "extremely fit athlete" which I'm not. I do have a high VO2 Max, but I've always had a low resting rate of around 53, it just happens to have dropped even more since cycling to an average of 46. Hot tip: Show your garmin results for average resting hr for the previous week to doctors to avoid unnecessarily long hospital stays.

[@MichaelTilma]

My rhr was 87 when I first got my Fitbit a few years ago, and after a year of cycling it has dropped to the low 60s. When I sleep, I've seen it drop all the way to 51 at the lowest. 💪

[@davewyman]

Everyone is different. I think I’m unusual, not for my heart rate, but because of how long I’ve been cycling with a some intensity. That dates to about 1975. I’m 73. While I haven’t been in a sanctioned bike race in 44 years, I try to ride 50-70 miles a week. I still enjoy riding up steep hills and sprinting on flats. I think that’s why my resting heart rate this morning, while stretched out in bed, was 37 bpm. At the moment, sitting down after having lunch half an hr. ago, I’m at 45 bpm. My max is a little over 180 bpm, which I can hold for only several seconds. I know from taking time off the bike on occasion that my bpm becomes somewhat reversed. I have a higher resting heart rate and a lower maximum heart rate.

[@njhubert]

I have been exercising steadily since January. While I don't know what my initial RHR was, I have lost 65 lbs, and RHR is now around 58. In addition just today I laughed out loud during a interval workout when I noticed the HR I used to shoot to be under after a complete cool down was now my average during harder portions. I would also like to take a second to echo the sentiments of others on here and thank GCN. I have been watching your channel for a while and enjoy all the goofiness, but overall knowledge and positivity.

[@tommyt8857]

Great video. I have a high heart rate. Usually average 150~160 on a high intensity group ride. Usually info I see about heart rate is that lower is better and I can't get my heart rate to fit the usual zones. Not even close. I do see lower heart rates as my fitness improves but it is always high. Even though I have a good resting heart rate.

[@3000GTStealthGTO]

I went from 288 to 179lbs in 18 months. My resting heart rate is 43-46bpm and I cycle 70-100 miles a week.

[@casestudymtb]

Great info, and timely, I just noticed that my resting heart rate has dropped from the mid 80's to the high 60's in the last few years. I was rather pleased to see some positive adaptations even as a guy approaching 40

[@chrisridesbicycles]

I‘m on a training plan with 5 days a week since the end of May and I saw my resting hr go down by 3-5 bpm and the hr at a certain wattage by about 10-15 bpm. On the other side, on the Zwift Academy baseline ride, I went up to 188 which was the highest value I had for years. (age 42)

[@LL1684L2]

I now have a pacemaker for my heart. For me a lower heart rate proved dangerous as it became an indicator of something more serious. I'm not a really slim guy, but I used to run cross-country and bicycle a good amount in my thirties and forties. At ~60 years old, I developed Bradycardia with my heart well-below 60 (in the thirties) and a medical monitor actually found my heart intermittently stopping. My pacemaker is now set (by the hospital) at 60 bpm.

[@RoScFan]

Why did you develop bradychardia?

[@church21]

I am 44 and have spent the last 20 months cycling again after a 12 year lay-off. I dropped about 45lbs and lower my resting HR from 60 bpm to 35-40 bpm.

[@FatGrev1]

I have bradycardia. My HR can go below 30 some nights. I rang Garmin to ask at what rate does the hr monitor stopped working on my Fenix and they said 30, which explained the gaps I get some nights. And I have seen a consultant cardiologist and all is ok.

[@matthewclarke5008]

Is a cardiologist able to tell a strong heart that's doing it's job and beats slowly, from a heart that's too slow and is not doing its job?

[@tr2photo]

Regular cycling and losing weight has significantly lowered my RHR, mind you, riding up to the Westbury White Horse always raises it a little - I don't think I could have a conversation like Conor!

[@knightwish1623]

Well according to your video I'm in for a long life, I'll be 70 in 5 months and checking my Heart rate while writing this it's running at 48 - 52. :-)

[@KermitFrogThe]

There was a couple I sued to know in my home town when I was in my early twenties. The husband was mid 60s and wife in late 50s with no qualms whatsoever letting people know why they were so happily married. Not graffic, but her advice to someone young looking for a life partner was 'You find yourself a nice stamina athlete girl. They'll look after you.' I rmember thinking at the time when so many were talking along the lines of eat right, keep fit die anyway, how much more they were enjoying life than people who weren't looking after themselves. I enjoy my training so it's pleasure not a chore for me. But some decades later I am enjoying my life a lot more than others who lived 'the good life' in their youth. I would guess you are still enjoying your life and wish you carry on doing so as your effort will deserve.

[@knightwish1623]

@@KermitFrogThe My sport live started when I was at Senior Boys School with Crosscountry running which I loved doing. The fun thing was that when we ran, about 3 mlies out and 3 back, on the way back the rest of the class used to cut it short and get in behind me. As long as they weren't in front of me at the finish, because the teacher knew they would have been cheating. After school I joined the Junior Leaders and got into the Cycling team. that was good fun going around England to the races. At 17 I was posted to Germany (and been here ever since) for 12 years. In that 12 years I was in multiple sports teams e.g. crosscountry, orienteering, cross-country skiing, and a couple of summer sports. Most of the time I had a bike but we didn't have a team. I've rode a bike all my live (and have scars to prove it) and don't intend to give up until my legs won't carry me. :-)

[@KermitFrogThe]

@@knightwish1623 At school I was the skinny little nerd with glasses. I too did a good bit of running, long limbs and neglible weight meant I ran pretty much the same speed regardless of distance. I got a little weight set and did the same 10 exercises with that for a number of years without knowing how pointless this was toward gaining any percievable benefit. After school I ended up doing competetive dangerous sports, yes I was that much of a mess. And this killed of the intended route of me going to college because I was at a party in southern France the day I was supposed to start it and didn't get back for a few months. Following that I discovered iron. Not the little noddy stuff but proper roid pit where there were dumbbells weighing more than I did and those into intra-muscular hormon supplements had arms bigger than my legs. I loved it. I got a lot of flack as one of the only naturals and gave it right back. I handle this a lot better than some of the dishonesty in trendier health clubs with people declaring themselves natural having just recovered from an 8 week bout of acme. One of the instances I remember from the roid pit days was a guy coming up and shoving me on the shoulder saying'I'm a natural just like you.' I looked at the 6' 3" 24 stone monster waithing for the punchline 'Everything I've ever injected has come from totally natural sources.' Cycling was my main mode of transport for many years and is still one of them now. I would rather get wet on a bike than sit dry in a jam getting to work. Previous workplace where there was a proper cyclist working there, a mutual colleague of ours said we should have a race, to him we were both fast. I pointed out I am a quick commuter he was a cyclist, when asked what that meant I stated itmeant I would keep up for about half a mile then never see him again. My time lifting pointlessly heavy things has meant I will never be truly fast on a bike. My average pace is still above the speed ebikes can assist to and I still enjoy passing them as they look at the MAMIL confused. I recently stopped running, the pain from old injuries unrelated to running got too much to ignore and enjoy, so cycling has taken over there too. When I could run I couldn't cycle without an aim, even when that aim was 35 miles each way to get an ice cream. Now I am happy just going for a ride as I used to be with running. I spent some time in Germany and loved it. Especially the very dry,, cruel sense of humour. One of my fondest memories was being in a bar watching as a group of english were being ripped into verbally by a group of germans in english with the humour going over their heads. When the english left one of the locals asked if I was english, then asked why I had been laughing when I confirmed I was. Response, 'You have morons here, we have them in England, neither get copright.' At which he nodded, brought me into the conversation and we had a great laugh, mostly at my expense due to numbers and my own self-depricating humour but they appreciated the returned banter just as much. I don't blame you for staying there. I grow contuinually desparing of the average intellect in the UK and understand how we are getting an international reputation of being backward and stupid.

[@knightwish1623]

@@KermitFrogThe After only two years of being here and lerning basic German (from the people, I had no schooling) I always said I would stay when my Army time was up. But I am still a British citizen :-)

[@Gwokster76]

My heartrate range this year has been 36 to 196. If I am going through a loading phase in training my resting will be in the mid 40's but at the end of a recovery week I am back in the 30's. I have always had a low resting however my max HR has dropped from 205 to 196 as I have gotten older. I am 45 now. Thanks for the interesting videos GCN.

[@brannmacfinnchad9056]

Yup; especially after working retail (walking 10-15 miles a day) for a while I noticed my riding hr go down by...a lot. Like, my Zone 2 used to be 165ish, and I would see 220 and higher occasionally (without discomfort--I suspect there was an instrument error there). Now it's much more normal looking. I've only been tracking resting HR for under a year, but it has also mostly trended slowly down. Also noticed trends; when I'm stressed, and drinking more alcohol and salty snacks, resting HR tends upwards. Also effecting sleep, which has a knock on effect. Moderation folx!

[@mathewrose2951]

Heart rate, especially when comparing two workouts at the same time of day with the same level of rest prior and the same level of caffeine, can be invaluable in tracking fitness. I spent almost a month off the bike from work commitments and found that a brisk ride up Ventoux in Zwift at a consistent 280 watts for a little over an hour had gone from an average heart rate of 165 for me up to a near-threshold level of 176. Same watts, same course, same time, but a harder relative effort. To me, that's data showing a loss in fitness that I need to train to regain.

[@_JS96]

Don't forget temperature, humidity, mood, nutrition in the last week+, time of day, etc can all go into changing those kinds of figures. If you do 3-5 test runs on different days and average them, you could probably be more precise! Just to avoid spooking yourself with odd figures. Sometimes I can do the exact same trip/ride, only 3 or 4 days apart, and the stats dont line up as closely as I'd like s😅

[@marlonm396]

Very good video and content. I have a Garmin tri watch, but I purposely bought a heart rate monitor band for better readings. I like to monitor my numbers as I work out especially when being over 50. Don't want to push too hard these days..

[@SioLazer]

I bet whoop can track this but I use Oura. I like to know which rides have what impact on my RHR. The other thing that will have an impact on RHR is the rise in progesterone during the luteal phase. Being able to track these two together has helped me make fitness adaptations. It's such an easy thing to track so if you're reading this and don't want to pay for a device, all you need is a stop watch and a pen and paper. It's so worth it.

[@jasongirvan6729]

I’m 43 and I get an audience at the dr’s office when testing my heart rate as my resting heart rate is 41-45 bpm and has been as low as 38 and this is normal for me since my mid 30’s

[@trailrunnerjack5615]

I'm 65 and my HR in rest is between 48 -53 BMP ;-)

[@jasongirvan6729]

@@trailrunnerjack5615 awesome, we’ll be able to show these youngsters a thing or two.

[@TengoHambre]

32 , resting heart rate 28😬 just did a 24 hour testing with my cardiologist, but he told me my heart is working perfectly slow pump but q really really stromg and healthy one. I was worried a bit but its nice to visit a doc sometimes for clarity😊

[@KermitFrogThe]

I have had a few people asking how i manage to be this fit at my age, especially because I don't look anything special due to range of things I do that contradict. My response is start young, don't stop. The closest to magic formula everyone wants is find stuff you enjoy. If you don't like what you do, you'll quit. I cycle to commute and with lockdown just to keep up cardio, lift pointlessly heavy things, making me slower on the bike, stretch and do coordination work, and whatever else I enjoy. Resting HR in low 50s, I am approachng 50, and weight 50% more than my genetics make me, largely due to my penchant for iron. My max HR is relatively unchanged in over 30 years, but I am not as fast with that H|R as I was then.

[@KermitFrogThe]

@@jasongirvan6729 I remember being in a gym a few years ago and there were a couple of students watching me set up for deadlifts. They were about my weight but more prettily distributed, not difficult, and one of them laughed, when I looked across they said, 'Noting personal. Just waiting to see you try and lift that.' Few moments later as bar is back on the deck after a perfect lift my response was ' Never underestimate balding old men.' The advantage of having trained as long as I had compared to them was taking 40kg of the bar left it still too much for them. Flip side when I was on a fitness forum and there were a group declaring how fitness kept you looking young and I had a counter argument. I look relatively fit, but shape is not the defining characteristic of age. Balding check, greying check, face that could use some serious ironing check, I am fooling no-one. Crazy to think that chat was a number of years ago now. Things get even more confusing for those trying to identify my age.

[@KermitFrogThe]

I remember doing some heart rate training years ago, whne the kit was really expensive so it was shared among the club. The guy gathering the data presented our age to us based on the max HR - 221 for a laugh. The distance runners tended to be infants and some of the sprinters were yet to be born. My average heart rate in activity hasn't changed much over my life. What I can do with that has. I go out on a ride and have an average HR or around 170 for a few hours, same as 30 years ago. But I don't get quite as far even though my bike is faster. Max HR on even a commute ride will usually be at least 200, so my face has figured out I am old, my heart hasn't yet. Considering I am nearly 50 and can maintain an average HR that is close to my Max ARHR, based on 221 - age, I am happy with that. Resting is in low 50s so again happy with that. A lot of family history of heart issues, each case I could point ot lifestyle, but the sheer number means it's worth taking minimal chances. Heart attakcks are 'unpleasant' to say the least. They often don't kill and are just extended periods of your body screaming at you that you are going to die in the most painful way. A bit of effort to avoid this is worth it, just find something you enjoy so it never feels like a chore.

[@douglaspate9314]

Until 2012 my resting heart rate was 35-37, with the max I'd ever seen of 120. Then in 2012 I had a full pulmonary thrombosis that almost killed me. My heart was affected. My resting heart rate is now 55-60, and my the max heart rate I have seen, after a week of total stress, then taking part in an interval Zwift training session a few weeks ago, was 151. I am now 63 and have enjoyed endurance as well as high impact sports all my adult life.

[@rileyvonbevern4652]

Endurance comes from the breath, i tend to count mine, breath easy and if it feels laborious ease up or go faster if I'm riding tempo

[@galenkehler]

My resting heart rate has never changed (55 +/- 3 bpm) for the 20 years I was training even though my FTP changed quite a bit. Threshold BPM has been even more consistent at exactly 176 the whole time.

[@prometheus6847]

I am 23 now and my resting HR varies, so After a decent workout in the higher 40s, whereas when well rested its at around 40bpm

[@Sveniboydeluxe]

I am a very fit 26-year-old and my resting HR is in the same range. My lowest HR is measured at 38 during the night and my highest goes up to 200 at peak exhaustion.

[@andywalford7544]

My RHR was always around48-52 bpm. I then developed an arrhythmia in my 60s, testsshowed a sleeping hr of 28 with pauses of up to 4 s. Not good! Now running a pacemaker and medication. Still cycling happily though!

[@maniac0303]

Resting HR ~37 bpm. Max heartrate ~184bpm. FTP 307 watts, 5min max: 371 watts @ 84kg, 1.84m, 49 years old. My doc says everthing is fine! Before I start to train regulary in 2014 my resting HR was ~55-60bpm and my weight was 115-120kg.

[@WegrennerX]

That’s some serieus power bro! Lose a few kg and you’ll be golden.

[@Brohayer]

I did 2 FTP tests 5 weeks apart. My avg. HR after the second ftp test was 20 bpm lower than the first! Not a lot of power improvements ~5watts but the gains were still there!

[@Rose_Butterfly98]

I managed to get my resting heart rate down to 48 again last year. It's generally been around 48 to 56 since I was 8. Started out as something to confuse my science teachers with when I first had it measured. My threshold should be around 206. Don't normally get to do that on bikes but I ran for almost an hour at 206bpm according to my Garmin watch. My highest recorded was 230 while sprinting once. Also the only time I managed to run faster than 40kph.

[@theiansm]

Age: 28. Max HR I recorded was 195. FIrst weeks of getting a heart rate monitor, I always averaged around 160-170, sometimes even 175, while riding (somewhat training, trying to gain speed and endurance). And then I found out that that was too much and I kind'a freaked out so I stopped pacing hard and didn't wear a heart monitor on my rids... But then I watched race videos of riders, similarly aged and new-ish in the sport, training/racing and getting a similar heart rate. -_- Freaked out for nothing.

[@michaellynn9763]

I’ve just recently experienced this over past couple of weeks after getting heart rate monitor. Same age and HR too :)

[@keanoscarermitano619]

Could “Spin VS Grind” similar to 1.Riding with higher cadences to speed up the Heart Rate and Training and 2.Riding with comfortable cadences to produce a Lower Heart Rate when riding at average pace speed Had a thought of having marginal gains for a 30-Day Span.

[@richcrompton6891]

I’m 55 now and my resting HR is pretty low. It has gone up over the years, but still averages 42. 220 - age is nonsense though. I’m comfortable holding HR at 175 for an hour or so. Hit 185 and things are different though! I’ve never been able train with HR though. Always feels too easy unless I’m maxing it! Lol!

[@mixedmartialartscoach6347]

My heart rate was 100-110 bpm 5 year ago..After i started regular running,cycling and swimming days turned to years..The result today..Heart rate when im relaxed is 32bpm..Its usually around 50bpm..

[@Roadbikerider79]

I like to check my resting heart rate. If it's higher than normal, that means I have usually done some hard training and recovery is needed.

[@Darsithis]

My resting heart rate is typically around 50-55bpm thanks to cycling.

[@bobbydotson39]

So I don’t have a trainer for my bike, but I do have an “AirDyne” when I perform your workouts I do try to keep up my intensity but I fall off after a bit. Can anyone else confirm this?

[@TwoBuddiesFabrication]

Wahoo at 59 my resting HR is 41 its pretty much been there or lower for the past 40 years, exercise whatever you do do it for life don't let up ever

[@soda1264]

I started a training plan in april, since that my bpm went from 160 to 140 for a 3h effort @210W mean, which is much more than I ever expected. Unfortunately I didn't check my resting heart rate back then, but now its around 41, lowest I've seen was 38. So training with powemeter and getting those Intervals done is a complete gamechanger to me.

[@mas2491]

Nice Explain 👍 🇱🇰

[@ChrisBrown-xf2ce]

The last time I was in the hospital (A&E visit) they kept me in for observations due to concerns over my BP & HR being too low for a 50-year-old bloke according to their experience. I explained this was normal for me and due to decades of aerobic training. It must be the case that hospital staff become confused when presented with a social deviant and his/her cardiorespiratory fitness compared to the social norm of carrying a few extra pounds and little physical activity. I like being a social deviant 😉

[@chris1275cc]

LOL, Had the same issue a few years back (A&E mild concussion). Did you get the "yeah right" look when you told the (likely overweight and unfit healthcare professionals) just how much exercise you do?

[@ChrisBrown-xf2ce]

@@chris1275cc Pretty much. It's a sad fact the majority of NHS staff are overweight/obese. Non-low levels of physical activity combined with busy western lives & chronic background stress resulting in chronically increased cortisol hormones increase blood glucose levels. Equals metabolic damage and the propensity to put on weight especially in an environment of high fat, salt & sugar ready to eat convenience foods. The standard western lifestyle has a lot to answer for!

[@matthewclarke5008]

I understand, but they will save your life in an emergency, so my respect goes to the hospital staff.

[@keyshe9992]

Ive had many heart issues before. (I was in hospital with a heart rate of 16, when asleep. If the doctor didn’t arrive i would have died). So currently im trying to raise my heart rate. When i slept it use to go below 30 but after eating well and doing regular training i think its efficency has increased. Its not dropping below 50 bpm at all now which im happy about and over a year i have increased my resting hr from >40 to 55+ which is good for my heart. I still can’t get it above 180bpm when training though. Is that common?

[@CarlHipkiss]

Mine is 46 according to my Fitbit. When I sleep it is dropping 10 beats less. I am hardly super fit either 😬

[@barrymonaghan6593]

My resting heart rate usually varies from 45 to 50, I'm 58, but when I had a strong IPA ale the evening before my resting heart rate went up to 54. I take my RHR while still in bed when waking up. Alcohol definitely raises your heart rate.

[@BruceDouglass]

67 years old, Ironman athlete, endurance training for 50 years now, resting hr of 32

[@jabehauber]

I'm in my mid-50s and my ticker runs hot. Avg ride rate is 165. On big efforts I can peak at 200. The absolute numbers are scary. So I asked a cardiologist about this. He asked what my recovery heart rate and timing was. 60bpm within 10 min. He said, mate you're fine. He was more worried about my temperature maintenance during efforts. More water, more sweat is better for me. I need to increase my system cooling to counterbalance the higher heart rate. And ride evidence shows that I do consume about 2x the fluids my ride mates do.

[@AlessandraGregori]

Are you drinking more because you're thirsty? I generally drink much more than everyone else when doing sports, even when out hiking for the day.

[@jabehauber]

@@AlessandraGregori I used to get thirsty/dry mouth until I started taking smaller sips more often. I find that water is equally as important as food. It keeps my energy level up and riding comfort maintained. I sweat it all out too, so it's not too much.

[@tunaficiency]

My resting hr is 42 when I’m training and 52 when out of shape I’m 42 and my max is about 200 bpm when I did a cyclo x race it hovered around 190 for 45 mins 184 - 190 when I used to do TTS 20 years ago it used to be between 192- 197 for 20 odd mins

[@dtmateo]

We’re similar. Resting HR is low 50s but my threshold is 173bpm. I literally could sustain it for an hour of steep climbing

[@scottbert9556]

I actually have a prob with a lower heart rate and blood pressure, so I have to pause when I stand up or I can (and have) blacked out.

[@mmmbass6068]

Good to have a low resting heart rate, but what ever you do, don’t get too close to your max !!! Years ago when I was quite fit in my mid 20s, I ran so hard up a hill at the end of a long run I went close to 220. I sh*t myself and slowly walked home. The next 3 days I was sick as a dog in bed with what felt like the worst case of flu ever. I now ride by heart rate & cadence.

[@PedroRodriguez-kg4bq]

I'm 27 and cycle hilly 16 miles every 2 weeks and have an active job in a hospital but somehow my resating HR is 55-65... bit worrisome

[@matthewclarke5008]

My resting heart rate is 52 since increasing the intensity of my 2 hour biking sessions, and I am 170 kilos obese, I feel fit for obese, my legs are muscly.

[@MrRp25]

Age 65, rhr 48 max 183, and I average around 153 bpm for a good length average solo ride (50 -120km) at about 25km/hr 🇨🇦 that being said, I'm at least 30 lbs overweight cuz I like my pints.

[@trailrunnerjack5615]

also Age 65 rest HR 48 >53 , but not after a tought day in the saddle ;-)

[@MaxFluff]

I just got a smartwatch and it says that when I'm cycling my heart rate is at 190bpm (I'm 23 years old 1,88cm 77kg) I think that that is almost dangerously high

[@GregLanz]

I'm 53 and my rhr is around 48 and has been since high school

[@gabkoost]

I never understood the 60 to 100 being "normal". The overwhelming majority of people i know who have regular exercise (even if moderate) are under 60. I am 40 and weight 66kg. My RHR is around 42 to 46 depending on my training stress and other factors. Weight is also a massive influence on HR and those wikipedia text book cliché parameters do not mention it. Of course, if you are light and relatively fit, your heart will need much less beats to make the blood flow around your body. I would only worry about my RHR if it's OVER 60 because i never once saw it as high.

[@rickchandler2570]

My resting heart rate was 45 a month ago. Was having an issue during workouts and went to my doctor, turned out I had heart disease and about 10 days ago had a triple bypass and the doctor said about 50% of my heart wasn’t doing anything. So I would question that a lower heart rate really equates to a healthy heart. Of course I’m recovering now, but my resting heart rate now is about 85.

[@rickchandler2570]

@@googlingluke Thanks for the detailed explanation. Much appreciated. Yeah it sure sounds like while it’s a number, it’s not a substitute for proper health checks with your doctor. Wish I would have gotten that advise when I was young. This is hereditary for me but I had the misconception that if I just ate right and exercised, I’d not have a problem with this. Wow was I wrong. But lesson learned and now I know. I won’t be having this issue again I can assure you.

[@rickchandler2570]

@@googlingluke 100% agree. I’ve had some friends that have died of a heart attack and didn’t even know they had an issue. I consider myself lucky

[@dyvel]

If you are disciplined enough to only compare with yourself, then yes.

[@kakarot2430]

My HR is quite high I assume. 33 years old, having 188 bpm of LTHR 198 max HR. My HR could easily go over 130 bpm after 5 minutes of a slow ride, I just realized after 3 years of intense training without an HR monitor. I am 56ish kg & 168cm. I can't tell if I am good or bad.

[@chris1275cc]

188 is a good, bordering on excellent LTHR. 130 is the low end of zone 1 for your age (easy) and most people find zone 1 impossible to stay in anyway, just moving the extra weight of the bike at speed that that feels stable is enough to put some people in zone 2. So id say you are good. Disclaimer: Not a doctor (well not that kind anyway)

[@HoldenAdventures]

Hank does science

[@YogiliciousP]

Any chance to do a video on carbon dioxide? I do believe my limiting factor, particularly with climbing, is my inability to manage my CO2 levels. I can cheat if I blow off CO2, but that’s quite a seen & sound! A vid on how to improve CO2 would be fantastic!

[@tonysegadelli9421]

I have lived in the tropics for over 25 years where it's obviously a lot hotter than the UK. My Garmin is set up based on max HR in the tropics. I recently returned to the UK and my Garmin says that based on HR my calorific burn is negligible even for very long rides (eg 108km ride burnt only 1642Cal). Since I stopped using it and rely on cadence sensor it's rocketed (75km ride burnt 2714Cal). Elevation and temperature were similar plus I tend to ride at moderate exertion levels. Is there really that big a drop in HR between the tropics and UK or is something else going wrong? Im male, ride mostly on the road, weigh 85kg and ride a cheap mountain bike. Any feedback would be appreciated?

[@chris1275cc]

100k for me at moderate effort unusually burns around 2000 calories but I'm 25kg lighter than you (and very likely shorter) and ride a pretty light modern bike but mostly gravel so the 75km ride does seem to be closer to what Id expect. I`d be checking the batteries in the HR monitor (or maybe consider replacing it) I had an issue with a Wahoo speed sensor reading low because I was using cheap out of date batts` throw in a good battery like a Duracell and go from there.

[@rommelreyes2209]

i reach 190-200bpm normally when I race

[@suhdud4646]

I recently went for my yearly check-up and the doc after seeing my resting HR of 54bpm the doc asked me 2 questions - #1 "Have you had a heart attack?" #2 "Do you participate in sport?" Me - You could have asked me the second question first. You almost gave me a heart attack.

[@christopherreid6972]

I have a resting heart rate below 50bpm which means I struggle trying to get my heart rate in conjunction with my ability to cycle that fast

[@stuwhite2337]

I'm late 50s. If I push myself on the bike my pulse can exceed 200. Resting rate is low to mid 60s.

[@leightondavies8884]

57bpm while watching this - I’ll take that 👍

[@g.west2372]

50bpm after reading this :-)

[@oeylille]

So my resting hr around 45 to 50 is not healthy?

[@ekm3820]

It’s perfectly fine if you are fit and work out frequently.

[@ekm3820]

Mine has dropped to 40 since I started cycling competitively. As long as I keep up my physical routine I’m good says, my doctor.

[@oeylille]

@@ekm3820 Thanks. Another good reason to keep exercising then.

[@gabrielljx]

I’m 32 and my max heart rate is 195bpm when I sprint😨

[@Skaughtto]

So... exercise good.

[@ridemorelivemore]

My resting pulse never went below 55

[@CrudeOYL007]

2:40 is wrong, less 60bpm is normal in resting HR

[@BenJamin-rt7ui]

I'm 52 and my resting heart rate is 29bpm.

[@lionden4]

Are your soul left you for a bit? 😊

[@winters3]

my ring heartreat ist since years @33-35 :) now i'm 42...

[@clemensklosterer1342]

37

[@xXshishamastaXx]

My FTP increased by 20% in 7 Weeks and my Treshold heart rate increased by 2bpm at the same time. Interesting to hear that this is because of lactate uptake.

[@BFinesilver2]

Heart rate is perculiar to your own physiology. Hr reserve is max-resting. Many people have maximums well off what is predicted for age. Mine is 13 beats lower than 220-age. However my resting hr is 38. The way people tespond at different %s of max hr varies. For some the heart responds slowly at lower intensities of exercise and more quickly as intensity increases. For others, it's the other way around. One person's 70% can seem a lot easier ir tougher than another persons.

[@chris1275cc]

Its a bit like BMI, it works well for the average person, but the very nature of an average means that most people fall either above or below it.

[@jagjeetsihra2862]

Resting heart rate = 48 to 52 bpm. At 58. Coffee makes a difference.

[@truthseeker8483]

dead people actually have a very very slow heart beat.......

[@shanegreen2583]

Wow I’m an exceptional athlete with resting rate of 55

[@TheNovaNorm]

*fewer

[@philfortner1805]

Remember hard fart training strengthens your abs and blasts through the finish line faster. Always trust a hard fart.

[@4chartown4]

My RHR is at 1 I'm fitter than all of you

[@ClaviculaNotoria]

0.0001 bpm rhr, top that.

[@gabkoost]

I think that someday, with time, you will be able to drop to 0. Believe my words-

[@gabkoost]

@@ClaviculaNotoria Everyone will someday.

[@ClaviculaNotoria]

@@gabkoost ultimate fitness