Derek Darves
Not knowing anything about your training regimen, your description of
physical symptoms sounds like someone who is approaching the deeper
stages of over-reaching and/or a prolonged imbalance of calories in and
calories out. Barring some other medical condition, a constant sense of
being cold, for me at least, is usually a sign that I am not consuming
enough calories.
Likewise (again, for me), difficulty elevating HR during exercise
usually indicates that I have not incorporated enough recovery into my
training program and/or too much intensity work while not being fully
recovered.
Your resting HR does not seem to low or troublesome, though. Mine is
about 38 when I wake up and in the low forties sitting at the computer
or slowly walking around. I have had an EKG and an ECG in the last year,
and they never said anything negative about my resting pulse. A general
lowering of the pulse is a normal adaptation to endurance training. But,
in my experience it can also indicate a prolonged imbalance of energy
in/out. If you are dieting right now you might want to back off for a
while and see if your resting HR increases.
Also, even though HR Max naturally declines with age, I have heard that
this decline is not always linear, even though the formulas might
suggest that it is (e.g. 220 minus age). In other words, your max HR
might decline a bit one year, and not at all the next. While these are
all possibilities, none of this, of course, rules out some ancillary
medical problem, but I?ll let doctors on the list speak to that...
Good luck,
Derek
chr-@thinairad.com wrote:
I have a question about low heart rates. I'm concerned mine is way to
low
and I might have some health problems. It seems everything I read and
compare too says I should be about 20-25 beats higher than I am. I
remember
reading if your heart rate is low or if you have troubles raising it, it
could indicate you are sick. However this has been going on for a
while.
First off I've monitored my heart rate with two different heart rate
monitors and by manually checking my pulse. My roommate watched over
the
process to make sure I wasn't being dumb and missing something. I'm 31
years old, been racing for 3 years. For the first two years of racing I
would be much higher and top out in 190s. It has been in the last year
my
heart rate has dropped to a point of concern.
Now my heart rate continues to be really low on and off the bike. When
I'm
sitting down and walking around for short amounts of time it will stay
between 45-55 bpm. I've seen it as low as 40 while sitting in front of
the
computer. Normal walking (like to the store) is around 65 bpm. When
I'm on
the bike it takes a good 10 minutes for my heart to warm up to around
110-120 while doing an easy spin. On a general training ride I hover
around
135. When I'm at top speed, way past lactic threshold, it tops out
around
165ish.
Couple other oddities. I hardly ever sweat, and I'm usually cold. I've
made sure hydration is not an issue.
Any medical people have comments or more seasoned riders have
experienced
something similar.
Thanks to all who read and reply,
Chris Browning