Heart rate

[Mralexrides]

A better measure of fitness is how quickly your heart rate goes back down post exertion. Don't get hung up on max heart rate unless you are trying to id it to train in heart rate zones.
I ride with a power meter as I used to race a bit, I was still riding 150+ miles a week until I fractured my pelvis recently. My heart rate was often lower than others who had similar functional threshold power to me (equally fit) but I was higher than others. My max now is probably sub 170 and my resting is as low as 32. I know guys still racing, who are fitter than me with much higher rates. It is so individual it is not worth stressing over. If you want to find your max for training though warm up sufficiently and then as said, ride as hard as you can up a hill until you are going to be sick and see where it goes.

I did go on rollers and go hardest gear for max effort for 5 mins... My vo2 max went through the roof but i got the sweats and felt really sick after like 10 minutes and couldnt get off the bed for like 40 mins lol

 

[Lovacott]

about 60

60 is about right for a resting heart rate.

What's your BP?

 

[BurningLegs]

@Mralexrides - if you’re concerned you should speak to your GP about it.

I am a similar age to you (I’m 32) and I ride regularly. I train, race, and cycle commute. I consider myself relatively fit. My max heart rate is 201. I only hit that a few times a year, but getting into the 190s in a race is normal for me.

Everyone is different - but worrying about your heart is definitely bad for your heart, so do speak to your GP if you are worrying.

 

[Lovacott]

220-age is a load of bollocks

Like BMI is also a load of bollocks.

A year ago, my BMI was 26 and I had a fat arse and belly. Today, my BMI is still 26 and I've got a flat belly and tight buns.

 

[CXRAndy]

If you are not suffering any chest/arm pains, or arrhythmia, chances are you're just a little less fit than your fellow riders.

Ride more often, mostly at steady pace.

Get some multi hour rides per week. In a few months you will see improvement.

Losing weight, steadily, is the best ways to ride faster and with less effort

 

[Mralexrides]

60 is about right for a resting heart rate.

What's your BP?

not sure but last time i had it checked the nurse said it was good.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Like max HR there is a wide range for resting HR. You are pretty close to the middle of the distribution for your age. Note this is from the HRV training app I use, but is based on 10s of thousands of users.

As you get fitter your resting HR will drop. But remember it all relative to your physiological make up. Don’t worry what someone else’s HR is.

Max HR you can’t change, where as resting HR you can influence within your physiological limits.

 

[Mo1959]

Like max HR there is a wide range for resting HR. You are pretty close to the middle of the distribution for your age. Note this is from the HRV training app I use, but is based on 10s of thousands of users.

As you get fitter your resting HR will drop. But remember it all relative to your physiological make up. Don’t worry what someone else’s HR is.

Max HR you can’t change, where as resting HR you can influence within your physiological limits.

View attachment 594968

Same as mine. Lol.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Same as mine. Lol.

View attachment 594974

He he. My resting was 43 on Thursday but same average of 46 resting over the month 😀

 

[Mo1959]

He he. My resting was 43 on Thursday but same average of 46 resting over the month 😀

It didn’t stop around 7am. I was in the bath and took the Garmin off.

 

[ColinJ]

I think that resting heart rate is as different for different people as maximum heart rate is.

Comparing yours with other people's is a bit of a waste of time, but comparing your rates on different days can tell you something. For example, it might go down steadily over a period of months as you get fitter. Going up over a day or two could be a sign that you are getting ill*** or overtrained.

When I was very fit and slim, mine was 34 bpm. These days it is probably 50-odd, though I haven't checked it recently.



*** Mine once went up to 150+ bpm for no apparent reason and stayed there for many hours. I should have taken more notice of that...

 

[Mo1959]

I think that resting heart rate is as different for different people as maximum heart rate is.

Comparing yours with other people's is a bit of a waste of time, but comparing your rates on different days can tell you something. For example, it might go down steadily over a period of months as you get fitter. Going up over a day or two could be a sign that you are getting ill*** or overtrained.

When I was very fit and slim, mine was 34 bpm. These days it is probably 50-odd, though I haven't checked it recently.



*** Mine once went up to 150+ bpm for no apparent reason and stayed there for many hours. I should have taken more notice of that...

Yep……I try and take things easier if it goes up for no obvious reason in case I am coming down with something or have maybe been doing too much. I don’t get too hung up about it.

 

[Mralexrides]

I need to really keep my gamin off to measure the resting heart rate but I find it hard sleeping with a watch on and only really put it on for rides, runs or swims.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I need to really keep my gamin off to measure the resting heart rate but I find it hard sleeping with a watch on and only really put it on for rides, runs or swims.

No need to sleep with it. Just sit down relaxed and let it measure it a minute or two. Lie down will be lower but for purposes of training your resting HR when sat relaxed will be fine. The key thing is to measure under same conditions each day. For me this is after I’ve got up in morning and before I do anything else (other than wander downstairs).

 

[ColinJ]

I found that the difference in RHR between sitting up and lying down was about 5 bpm. I could get it down another 5 bpm by clearing my mind and totally relaxing.

Thinking about work problems though would add 90-100 bpm. Seriously - I was suffering from stress at the time!