Is there a fitness subject that you would like to know more about? If so, email me at
cpkarkow@sportswestreno.com and let me know! I'll be happy to
find out some info and post it here!
Christine
February 17, 2008
"Maximum Heart Rate Lower in Athletes"
From-Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine www.drmirkin.com/
I often get questions from our members concerning heart rate zones and training. While most charts (including our own SWAC Heart Rate Finder ) give you a rather generic, ball-park heart rate zone figure, there are individual differences which can skew these figures. One of them is your level of athleticism, which is outlined in this week's fitness article about athletes' heart rates. If you ever have any questions, or would like a more individualized heart rate zone calculation, contact me or any of the trainers or fitness staff.-christine
A study from Liverpool, England shows that the maximum heart rate for athletes is lower than for aged-matched sedentary people. At first glance, this makes no sense because you would think that the faster you heart can beat, the more blood your heart could pump and the better an athlete you would be. However, a stronger heart pumps more blood with each beat, so stronger hearts don't have to beat as often. This means that as you become more fit, your maximum heart rate will get lower, not higher.
Virtually everyone agrees that heart rate depends on the amount of blood pumped toward it by exercising muscles. When you contract your leg muscles during exercise, muscles squeeze veins near them to pump blood toward the heart. Then when leg muscles relax, the veins fill up with blood. The pumping action of leg muscles during exercise forces extra blood to the heart, which causes the heat to beat faster and contract stronger. This is known as the Bainbridge reflex. We know this is true because we are able to transplant hearts. If nerves inside the heart regulated heart rate, the heart would not be able to control its rate of beating since the nerves are cut during the transplant.
Since the strength of leg muscles determines the fastest that your heart can beat and still pump blood, you might expect that athletes with stronger muscles would have faster heart rates. However, they don't. The researchers at John Moores University in Liverpool showed that athletes have lower maximum heart rates than sedentary people (International Journal of Sports Medicine, January 2008). The maximum heart rate of male athletes was calculated to be 202 - 0.55 ˆó age, and for female athletes, 216 - 1.09 ˆó age. Both weight lifters and runners had similar maximum heart rates, which were significantly lower than the age-matched sedentary people. The athletes have hearts that can pump more blood with each beat than the hearts of sedentary people, so they do not beat as often.
Past SWAC Fitness Info Articles
- More Mass made Easier
- Which is better, Butter or Margarine?
- Diet Sodas can contribute to Metabolic Syndrome
- The Skinny on Fat
- Challenge your Body with Supersets
- Aerobic Training Gives Weightlifters an Edge.
- Why Exercise Protects Your Memory
- Intestinal Bacteria May Cause Weight Gain
- What about hormones and antibiotics in milk?
- Treadmill Workouts to Keep Life Interesting
- Does Milk Really "Do a Body Good?"
- Lack of Quality Controls in the Ergogenic Aid industry
- Do Ergogenic Aids Help or Hinder Athletic Performance?
- Think like an Athlete-Design a Tailored Program
- Think like an Athlete-Identify Specific Performance Goals
- If you See It, You'll Eat It!
- Some Facts About Osteoporosis Part 2
- Some Facts About Osteoporosis Part 1
- Spot Reduction Exercises are Not Effective!
- Low Carb Diet and Endurance Training
- High or Low? What is the best way to burn fat and calories?
- Watch out, you may catch obesity
- Hyponatremia Should Never Happen to You
- Stop Skin Cancer Before it Starts
- How exercise can slow aging
- Weekend Warrior Syndrome-Kids Also Suffer
- Understanding Portion Control
- Sound Body, Sounder Mind part 1
- Sound Body, Sounder Mind part 2
- Metabolism 101, part 1
- Metabolism 101, part 2
- Metabolism 101, part 3
- Metabolism 101, part 4
- Hamstring Problems? Cross-training and muscle balance
- Injured or Tired? These foods will help you bounce back fast!
- Why you should Cool Down (after cardio workout)
- Should you perform behind the neck pull downs?
- Caffeine Helps!
- Run a Race for your Goals!
- Don't Blame Metabolism for Weight Gain
- Get the Full Story on Guinness...Is it really "Good for You?
- What Causes Muscle Soreness?
- How Lack of Exercise Shortens Lives
- Sports=Bad Knees? Not Necessarily!
- Sugar in Sports Drinks
- Dressing for Winter Endurance Sports