Terminology
VO2 - Volume of oxygen to be consumed in one minute
Heart Rate - Linear relationship with exercise
Maximum Heart Rate - This is the maximum amount of times our heart should beat per minute before becoming hazardous to the individual.
220 - Age = MHR
0.7 x Age = MHR
Resting Heart Rate (RHR) - Number of beats per minute when at rest
60 - 100 bpm (Average)
28 - 40 bpm (Elite)
100+ bpm (Unhealthy)
Resting heart rate can be effected by a number of things. Firstly the altitude an individual is at can alter an individuals RHR. In addition the environment and setting an individual is in can also interfere with measuring RHR. We understand that anxiety can too interfere with measuring RHR.
Before we begin to exercise there is an initial anticipatory response to exercise in which our muscles get prepared to work. A initial flush of oxygen carried by the blood in our body prepares our muscle to engage with exercise.
Maximum Heart Rate tends to be very stable but decreases by 1 bpm every year as we get older.
Sub maximal heart rate is intense physical activity that regularly increases at intervals but never exceeds 85% of an individuals MHR.
We also have a steady state heart rate which is when HR goes up until it meets a steady state of supply of oxygen and then levels off. In contrast to MHR which is never a steady state. However it is important we understand that we can train our steady state and that this can vary between individuals.
What does this mean?
Well two individuals working at the same intensity may have two completely different HR bpm and therefore one individual may reach their steady state before the other. Steady state is a good predictor for how efficient a heart is working. The more intense an exercise the longer it takes to reach a steady state.
Heart rate recovery
- Initially there is a rapid decline after exercise and then this becomes a slower decline.
- This doesn't instantly return to resting level.
- If you train HR it will return to resting level quicker than it does before training it.
