Fitness: Is resting heart rate a good measure of fitness?

Article content Get a group of athletes together and sooner or later they start comparing resting heart rates. A frequent measure of physical fitness, the very fit can boast a resting heart rate of 40-50 beats per minute, compared with the average Joe and Jill who’s closer to 60-90 bpm. A well-exercised heart circulates a greater volume of blood and oxygen per heart beat, with elite endurance athletes like cyclists and cross-country skiers often claiming resting heart rates in the 30’s.

Professional cyclist Miguel Indurain has one of the lowest resting heart rates on record at 28 bpm. But fitness isn’t the only thing that effects resting heart rate. Genetics, body weight, sex, certain medications like beta blockers and unhealthy lifestyle choices (smoking, drinking, poor diet) also have an effect on heart rate.

Women and the overweight have higher resting heart rates, and depending on your parents you could inherit a resting heart rate that runs high or low. To find your own resting heart rate, take your pulse for 30 seconds first thing in the morning and double it. Just make sure it’s before your morning cup of coffee and prior to checking work emails.

Caffeine and stress can add extra beats. Repeat this exercise for the next few days, averaging your readings to account for any small fluctuations that occur from day to day. A normal resting heart rate is between 60-100, but the closer it is to the higher end of the scale the greater the risk of cardiovascular disease.