HR 36 - 205, any inherent benefit?

BeauMaximus

The longer I am around cycling the more I realise how unusual my hr range is.
I am only an average cyclist in the grand scheme of things so it is obviously not that important.
But my question is, is it likely to be providing me some performance benefit anyway, even though i dont have the other pieces of the puzzle that make up a world class cyclist.
I.e, were I to have a more normal hr, all else being equal,I would be a slower cyclist?

Thanks

jibberjim

It depends...

Everything else being equal a high maximum heart rate is beneficial. But of course in reality everything else is not equal. Normally a high max HR is down to a smaller heart and low stroke volume - meaning your heart can beat really fast but not push much power through - think how fast a motorbike revs compared to a truck even though the truck is way more powerful. However normally a low resting HR is down to a larger heart and larger stroke volume as you don't need to beat much for the same cardiac output.

So you would normally think someone in your situation would be very blessed, however so many other things contribute that it's impossible to isolate. No one factor will make a real difference.

BeauMaximus

Thanks Jim, thats what I was thinking along the lines of.
That I must have an efficient cardio system to have a low RHR which means at top end, I must be getting a tonne of oxygenated blood around the muscles.
That can only help, but as you say, is no doubt being counteracted by weak legs or too much weight or what ever other factors are behind me not being a pro cyclist!

Out of interest, what would you say are the main areas of strength that a cyclist needs to be world class (I realise this will change slightly depending on discipline and role, but generally), without all of which, he wouldnt be world class.

a bit like a boxer without a good chin is unlikely to make it to the very top.

springtide9

BeauMaximus wrote:

Thanks Jim, thats what I was thinking along the lines of.
That I must have an efficient cardio system to have a low RHR which means at top end, I must be getting a tonne of oxygenated blood around the muscles.
That can only help, but as you say, is no doubt being counteracted by weak legs or too much weight or what ever other factors are behind me not being a pro cyclist!

Out of interest, what would you say are the main areas of strength that a cyclist needs to be world class (I realise this will change slightly depending on discipline and role, but generally), without all of which, he wouldnt be world class.

a bit like a boxer without a good chin is unlikely to make it to the very top.

To have a chance, you have to make training your life. And as well as physically strong, you also have to be mentally very strong to complete at a high level.

Even gifted athletes have to make training their life to have a chance of becoming world class. Even then, they'll be competing with other gifted athletes so might not even get close to the top.