Resting heart rate - is there a too low?

traveller80

Hi,

Just a quick question. Ive read that the lower your resting heart rate, the fitter you are. But is there such thing as too low?
I run and do kettlebells, so im not unfit. My resting heart rate (which i usually take when im in bed just before i go to sleep) is often around 60bpm or less. One time it was 56.
Like i said im relatively fit, but nowhere near super fit so just wondering if its a bit strange to have a heart rate that low

Also im 30, female if that makes any difference.

Brian?

traveller80 wrote: »

Hi,

Just a quick question. Ive read that the lower your resting heart rate, the fitter you are. But is there such thing as too low?
I run and do kettlebells, so im not unfit. My resting heart rate (which i usually take when im in bed just before i go to sleep) is often around 60bpm or less. One time it was 56.
Like i said im relatively fit, but nowhere near super fit so just wondering if its a bit strange to have a heart rate that low

Also im 30, female if that makes any difference.

56-60 is not low. Mine was measures in at 48-49 a few times a couple of years ago. I was training a lot at the time: cycling, running, swimming, weights.

Mine was measured in a lab as part of study for Trinity into metabolic rates, the lads doing it said it was nothing unusual and nothing but a good thing.

Working out your max heart rate is far more important.

cc87

A resting heart rate around 50 or 60 bpm isnt really that low. Many athletes would have rest HRs in the 40s.


It you went back 20/30 years it was probably the average to have a resting heart rate in the 60s.

traveller80

thanks ...i read some website about it which had me worried being the hypochondriac that i am:D

Barry.Oglesby

I'd start to get worried at 0.

Dotcomdolly

Barry.Oglesby wrote: »

I'd start to get worried at 0.

snort.

nbrady20009

Nah hibernation for the win.

Kevin Duffy

I've been consistently as low as 42 and can't say there were ill effects. On another note, afaik, you should measure your resting HR on waking, not before sleeping. You might be even lower than you know

The Davestator

I read some reports on Sonia o sillivan's training a few years back and she had a RHR of 32 apparently!

Inspector Coptoor

I'm a big fat man with a resting heartbeats of 46 bpm.

Don't sweat it

Brian?

Barry.Oglesby wrote: »

I'd start to get worried at 0.

You have nothing left to worry about at that point.

Bundberg

I once had 30, I was a sportsman

Barry.Oglesby

briankeating wrote: »

You have nothing left to worry about at that point.

Yeah but for the few seconds before then I'd be worrying about whether the dude trying to figure out the defrib machine has basic reading comprehension.

metamorphosis

The Davestator wrote: »

I read some reports on Sonia o sillivan's training a few years back and she had a RHR of 32 apparently!

Easy believe it. When i was doing a lot of road racing last summer, my RHR went to 38. A guy who chairs for a cycling club in Tipperary who's in his 60s and still cycles like he's in his twenties today has a RHR of around the same.

TheZ

Miguel indurain was reported to have RHR 28 bpm

Duck's hoop

He did indeed. Big Mig also had a lung capacity of in excess of 8 litres. Monster.

Brian?

Duck's hoop wrote: »

He did indeed. Big Mig also had a lung capacity of in excess of 8 litres. Monster.

He was a freak of nature alright. Funnily enough his younger brother had almost the same lung capacity and HR, but was nowhere near the cyclist.

First person to mention EPO gets banned .

Glowing

just out of interest, what is the best way to find your max hr?

Arthurdaly

Im interested in this question also, my current training is built around 220 - age. Without getting into a lab how would I calculate my mhr. From previous races (cycling &running), when my garmin say 182 bp, which I think maybe be lactac threshold country I will blow and ease back. Whilst I am younger than 182 based on the age formula suggests I would like to know my max for training purposes.

A0

traveller80 wrote: »

Hi,

Just a quick question. Ive read that the lower your resting heart rate, the fitter you are. But is there such thing as too low?
I run and do kettlebells, so im not unfit. My resting heart rate (which i usually take when im in bed just before i go to sleep) is often around 60bpm or less. One time it was 56.
Like i said im relatively fit, but nowhere near super fit so just wondering if its a bit strange to have a heart rate that low

Also im 30, female if that makes any difference.

Adult: normal resting HR ranges from 60-100 bpm.
Trained athletes: normal resting HR may be as low as 40 to 60 bpm.
In divers (apneists) it can be as low as 25bpm.

You should measure your heart rate first thing in the morning, when you are in bed, using a HR monitor (I don't know how you do it but avoid the caveman way, with the fingers on the carotid )

A0

Arthurdaly wrote: »

Im interested in this question also, my current training is built around 220 - age. Without getting into a lab how would I calculate my mhr. From previous races (cycling &running), when my garmin say 182 bp, which I think maybe be lactac threshold country I will blow and ease back. Whilst I am younger than 182 based on the age formula suggests I would like to know my max for training purposes.

HRmax = 220 – age is not the most accurate, but always used!
HRmax = 208 – (0.7 x age) seems to be more accurate.

I know you mention it, but you should give a go to a Lab test. Otherwise, do a sort of speed session, including a few sprints to warm up and increase your HR and finish off with a sprint in a hill where you are likely to reach HR max. You can also do that on a treadmill, warm up then run as fast as you can and record the HR max.

Lactate threshold does not occur at HR max.

The Guvnor

The smart answer would be - 0 is a tad too low.

[Just read the thread and seen I was beaten to it!]

In all seriousness, whilst RHR is or can be used as an indication of cardiovascular fitness it is largely genetic.

Mine has been as low as high 30's when I was rowing.

Right now about 60-65. In the am it is still about 40.

Plenty of people out there with RHR's below 60 and a % mid 30's to low 40's.

Under 40 is not overly common but not a concern either.

Not sure if men have on average a lower RHR than women.

The Guvnor

Just read the thread and would well believe Sonia's RHR.

kingQuez

RHR does seem to improve with training and increases in fitness; I've seen mine drop by ~10bpm over the past three years.

kennyb3

Had a bad lung infection recently and managed a cool 85RHR compared to my normal 42-45.

robinph

Have not checked mine in a while but would consistently get readings around 36-39 when checking in the morning before getting out of bed.

Hanley

kingQuez wrote: »

RHR does seem to improve with training and increases in fitness; I've seen mine drop by ~10bpm over the past three years.

Undoubtedly it does

walshb

I was always fairly active and I still am. Quite fit. Trim enough. My resting heart rate is between 32-45 bpm. It can be as low as 32 beats ten mins after waking. Just normal day, relaxing, it is usaully the high 30s or low 40s.

corkcomp

the only problem is when someone "thinks" your resting HR is too low without knowing your lifestyle, mine was around 46 a couple of years ago when I was doing a lot of running. I had a gen anesthetic for some dental work and had great fun trying to convince they nurses that I was ok afterwards.. they reckoned my HR was too low to be discharged:mad: