Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

coffee_collection t1_iuzql54 wrote

An athlete’s resting heart rate may be considered low when compared to the general population. A young, healthy athlete may have a heart rate of 30 to 40 bpm.

That’s likely because exercise strengthens the heart muscle. It allows it to pump a greater amount of blood with each heartbeat. More oxygen is also going to the muscles.

This means the heart beats fewer times per minute than it would in a nonathlete.

https://www.healthline.com/health/athlete-heart-rate#resting-rate

34

seamustheseagull t1_iv06ngy wrote

The muscles also gets more efficient at expressing energy and removing lactase, which is an exchange requiring oxygen.

When you're exercising, your oxygen requirements increase, so you breathe faster and your your heart beats faster. This also ensures waste products are dealt with faster.

An athlete's baseline oxygen requirement as a result of training is lower than someone untrained because their body makes better use of each breath. Thus, RHR and BRPM is lower.

This is why someone who is extremely unfit will breath heavier and faster, even when resting.

11

Ipresi t1_iuztw8y wrote

Your circulatory system also gets more efficient so blood can travel with less resistance. You get a better pump and plumbing so to speak.

6

RocMaker t1_iv0cavi wrote

I took a college level Cardio Fitness class and this is correct, except it’s not limited to “young” athletes”.

A stronger heart needs to pump less often to move the same amount of blood.

3

Syncopat3d t1_iv0fzc6 wrote

Does a stronger heartbeat also require more elastic blood vessels so that they don't burst from the higher systolic blood pressure caused by a stronger heartbeat? Or does a stronger heartbeat just involve the same systolic blood pressure sustained over a longer time?

3

NeverDryTowels t1_iv2vcep wrote

I run a lot and my resting heart rate is 48. My blood pressure has always been around 115/75

1