I've read that there is a connection between your resting heart rate and overall fitness level (I guess we're talking aerobic fitness). Is there research to support this that anybody is aware of?

I guess the reason that I ask is that my resting heart rate is in the high 40's (taken when I wake up, before I get out of bed). From what I've seen, this would make me some kind of competitive athlete, which I am not (trust me on this one).

I'm sure, like everything else, that genetics plays a big role. But, I am curious if aerobic fitness correlates well with resting heart rate.

Anybody have any info?

I think that usually when the resting heart-rate is taken it isn't directly out of bed, but at a time in your day when you've been conscious for a while but not participating in any physical activity.

I think that usually when the resting heart-rate is taken it isn't directly out of bed, but at a time in your day when you've been conscious for a while but not participating in any physical activity.

Yeah I think I'd agree with that, it's when you're fully awake and sitting up properly; mine varies between 44-54 during that, usually bang on 50bpm.

If I took my sleeping pulserate into account then we're talking a 41bpm average, which I know because I tested out my heartrate monitor on it when I was curious a month or so ago :D Your heartrate drops a hell of a lot when you're asleep.

Genetics determines a large role - the size of your heart and the ejection fraction, etc are all contributing factors. However, training can lower your resting heart rate. So heart rate by itself is not a level of fitness, but the change in resting heart rate can be an indication of improved fitness.

Here is an article I wrote about this, which pertains not only to this thread, but some other discussion about max heart rates which has been going on:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/likness19.htm

Jeremy

I've got the same thing going on. I'm 195 lbs @ 6'. When I was bigger (~ 210 - 220) my resting HR was in the 60's. Nurses asked if I ran a lot, and I had to laugh at them: "Do you see this gut?"

Now my resting HR is in the 40's (I just counted out 42 over 1 minute). I think the nurses will faint at this point, or double check themselves.

I've also read that "size" in general is related to heart-rate. As an example, elephants have really low HR's, and humming birds have very high HR's. I haven't seen any studies, but I am curious :)

Yeah it's very much the case that it's related to size, AFAIK dogs and cats have heartrates over 100bpm; and with humans as the exception to the rule most organisms with a heart live for roughly the same number of heartbeats; humans are the exception because we live far beyond our supposed designated number of beats.

Side note: Miguel Indurain has a sub-30 heartrate. Now THAT'S fit.

One thing that happens with exercise is that your heart muscle will grow, just like other muscles that are getting trained.

They say that the heart can grow as much as 30% if "trained" well. When you have a stong, large heart, it needs to beat less for circulation in a resting state.

Like with most other things in life, moderation is the key to heart growth also. As far as I know the muscle part of the heart can grow much faster than the valves. So if your heart grows too fast, the valves cannot keep up and they can have different problems, either they won't close correctly or can get small tears in them. If this happens you might need surgery to fix the valves up.

So if today you have a 72 resting heart rate, you probably don't want to get a 30 in a year ;)