I’ve just picked up a Garmin vivoactive HR and am a little disturbed by what is is telling me. My average resting heart rate over the first 4 days I’ve worn it is apparently 39, with a low recorded of 31.

The obvious conclusion is that it is wrong, especially since this kind of monitor are known not to be hugely accurate, so I’ve checked my pulse manually while it was reporting an HR of 42, and measured 11 beats in 15 seconds (a rate of 44 for anyone confused by the maths…) so it doesn’t sound like it is actually that far from reality. Max HR during this mornings spin class was 172 while going for 3 minutes of maximum power output.

I’m 42, with a BMI of 24 and like to think I’m pretty fit (3 x 45 minute spinning sessions, 2 x bodypump and 1 x cardio & weights each week, along with ‘real’ cycling when I can find enough spare hours together in one day). I’ve been doing this mix of exercise for about 3 months having gradually built up from just running and cycling 10 months ago.

Should I be concerned enough to bother the GP with this? I know resting HRs down to around 40 are not that uncommon but that is in young, highly trained athletes rather than the middle-aged-carrying-a-few-kg-more-than-they-should-be category.

I’ve been to the GP a couple of times over the years with dizziness and feeling faint (especially when standing after sitting for a while) and while they’ve done blood tests and looked at blood pressure nothing has been found to be amiss, and have said it is probably related to my anxiety issues rather than anything physiological. I Don’t really want to waste their increasingly stretched time if I may just be in extremely good health rather than the opposite!

I’m a bit older that you at 44 with similar stats. Why would you be worried with that? Mine are about the same, resting HR 44, max HR 172.

My GP expresses surprise like I’m some kind of mutant, but I’m carrying about 2kg of fat that I don’t need to and am an average cyclist at best.

Same for me. Resting is about 44 (on a good day). I get the low blood pressure/dizzy when standing quickly in the evening too, especially if I’ve had a hard training session that day. Last blood pressure test (to get signed off to ride the Haute Route) has me at 118/76.

Garmin HR wearer aswell.

Age 40
RHR =41
Max 191
See no issue with the stats, better than a high one!

is it just the result of years of regular cycling?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletic_heart_syndrome

if concered your GP always a good place to start.

I have a vivo HR as well, I reckon it’s maybe 5 bpm out, my rhr is usually about 49 on it, and it’s 5 higher using the strap.

Its not that uncommon for someone who has done a lot of cardio exercise over the years. Get it checked out by your GP though as bradycardia can (although unlikely in your case) be an early sign of heart troubles.

Sounds perfectly normal to me. 37 yo here, 40 ish resting HR, has been as low as mid 30s, sometimes nearer 50 depending on level of fitness or knackerdness!!

Mines similar, not too sure what you were expecting.

Almost certainly totally fine and related to your fitness. However, in view of a previous history of dizziness, it’s probably worth making sure you have had an ECG (heart tracing) at some point just to rule out that you don’t have an odd electrical problem with the heartbeat.

Hannah (a cardiologist)

Ah – thanks all…most reassurring…all the guidance I had seen suggested anything below 60 was cause for concern. I shall just bask in the knowledge that I’m in better shape than I thought I was

Found a Lloyds Pharmacy heart sensor and watch in a cupboard the other week and finally got round to fitting new batteries earlier this week…

Age: 43
Weight: ~80Kg (had been ~90Kg from 2014 to summer 2016, still got some excess to lose)
Min bpm: 57
Max: 208! 😯 (sensor is too old to work with Strava, but I suspect it was from attacking Woodmill Lane or “Bitterne 13.5%” segment)

I’ve become very conscious of my age, weight and fitness since last summer and I’m taking steps to improve things, including a semi-resolution of using my bike more since January which is going well (I somehow clocked up ~16 miles earlier doing loops around my neighbourhood for ~75 minutes, longest single ride by in ~9 years).

Been contemplating buying a Polar H7 sensor all week to work with my tablet and smartwatch, having got used to wearing this old Lloyds gadget this week, I think getting something more modern that shows how my ticker does over rides could be very useful.

Another data point: I’m 38, “just over” 90kg, and according my new Fitbit my average resting overnight is 52bpm but I can easily drop to mid-40s on my Garmin with a HRM strap, and have recorded a record low of 39bpm. My max is something like 185bpm.

I mentioned this to the doctor and the summary was that unless you’re complaining about other symptoms too, you’re fine.

Another data point. I’m 57 and closing in on 58, 85Kg. RHR is mid 40s and has been in that area since my early twenties at least. I don’t know what my true maximum is but I can hold 172 – 175 for a couple of minutes on one of the steeper climbs around here.

Just over three years ago I had a hip operation. At the pre-op I got wired up to an ECG (never had one before), the nurse stuck on all the appropriate electrodes then set the recorder going. As she turned away alarms started going off. She turned back, looked at me, frowned and adjusted something on the ECG. “The machine thought you were dead!” she explained “just relax” 😆 Even when going in to theatre my HR was only 48 and the anaesthetist had to inform them that this was normal for me.

I’m 35 and my resting HR is around 40bpm, was low/mid 30s in my 20s when I was really working on my cardio fitness! I’m doing cardio work again now and I’ve gone from 45 to 40bpm since September!

Another recent vivoactive HR owner
i’m 47 , resting HR is 59 , high 174
sounds like I need to get fitter !

The inaccuracies are, allegedly, greater when you exercise for many of the wrist worn HRM’s.

However @JCA, it doesn’t sound too implausible.

Me: 48, 75kg, 45-48bpm when properly rested, ie, not after a big meal, and not much caffeine in the system. max 180 when trying to better myself in the gym.

Im 51 with a resting rate of 37.

I did see the Dr and wear a monitor for 24hrs. Also went to see a specialist for lots of tests. In the end they said dont worry about it. Since there were no bad side effects they were happy.

But when the nurse does the standard checks she gets quite concerned.

A resting heart rate in the 40s is common for a fit cyclist I reckon. Low 30s is quite exceptional… It’s not unheard of. Miguel Indurain famously recorded a resting heart rate of 28, though I believe that was a one off even for him, and low 30s was more common.

I’d get it checked out if it was that low, just to be on the safe side.

Start smoking to get it up a bit.

Yeah and eat pies and drink lots of beer.

You sound concerned OP.

😆

It’s not unheard of. Miguel Indurain famously recorded a resting heart rate of 28, though I believe that was a one off even for him, and low 30s was more common

I think his blood was probably a bit like treacle TBF.

I’m 38 resting is 40 if I’m fit, 49 if I’m not, max 199. Wrist based hr is bound to be a bit flakey. I’ve got a phone app that uses the camera, quite good for occasional spot checks.

I’ve been very low 30s in my 20s and 30s. High 30s/low 40s now. I suspect much of it is genetic rather than a sign of fitness (though most of us are undoubtedly of above average fitness). I always get dizzy when I stand up too quickly.

I’m 43 and mines down to low 30s.
I have an ecg every year and it sets of all the alarms due to long intervals between parts of the wave-trace, so I’ve done at least 3 24 hour traces.
Those basically indicate it’s fine if a little lazy when underworked! It can run ‘rough’ at idle! The cardiologist stated it was due to cycling keeping it used to running fast. Hopefully I won’t drop d…..

I ordered a Polar H7 at the weekend, along with some thin, full-finger Dafeet gloves to get my Wiggle order over £50 and use the £10 discount “wigglelove” code. It arrived yesterday, two days ahead of the estimated date. 🙂

It gave me healthier results than the old LLoyds monitor I was using on yesterday’s ~10-mile loop, with a max recorded heartrate of 181 over the same climbs (Woodmill; Meggeson; Ullswater; max was towards end of ride giving it all the beans I had left climbing top bit of Townhill Way).
Not quite as alarming as 208 the Lloyds was giving me, plus it’s great seeing my heartrate on Strava segments.

Also saw a min. heartrate of 49 so far in bed first thing this morning, lower then the ~57 recorded by the Lloyds.

About ten years ago I was doing a fair amount of cardio and first thing in the morning, lying down, HR would be mid 30s, and a bit higher when upright and later on in the day, 40s. Although my actual cardio ability was nothing special, I was a spectacularly slow runner and a mediocre biker. I could also not sustain over 170 for any amount of time. I was simply doing a reasonable distance every week.

I’m (quite a bit) less fit right now. My resting rate was mid 50s last time it was measured, mid morning, sitting, a few months ago.

Rate itself, nothing to worry about, I would say, unless there’s a weird rhythm that indicates problems.

I’m 45 and my RHR at desk right now even with a few coffees is 46bpm, my MHR is about 181-182