Quick HR question

gimpl
gimpl Posts: 269
edited February 2018 in Road general
Despite promising myself I would continue to cycle and maintain my fitness level throughout January I was laid low by the cold and chest infection thing that has been doing the rounds. So back out on the road this weekend for the first time this year and once again noticed that my HR is around 10-15 BPM higher throughout the ride. Now when back to usual fitness if I tried to maintain the same average HR I would be breathing out of my arse and I certainly wouldn't be able to maintain it. I know as I've noticed this before and tried.

So any explanation or opinion (apart from Imposter's) on this from anyone please, just curious.

Comments

  • me-109
    me-109 Posts: 1,915
    I thought this thread was something to do with employment. I must be far too corporate these days!
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Same with me. We've lost fitness.

    Don't go crazy but build back up and as you regain the fitness your HR will drop for the same effort. I can already start to see it improving bit by bit.

    This bug's been properly nasty.
  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    Have you considered water skiing?
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • gimpl
    gimpl Posts: 269
    Fenix wrote:
    Same with me. We've lost fitness.

    Don't go crazy but build back up and as you regain the fitness your HR will drop for the same effort. I can already start to see it improving bit by bit.

    This bug's been properly nasty.

    Apologies - re-reading again I may have confused the issue a bit.

    Really what I am asking is why, when unfit I can maintain a much higher heart rate for longer than when fit.

    SloppySchleckonds - No not for a while :D
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Gimpl wrote:
    Really what I am asking is why, when unfit I can maintain a much higher heart rate for longer than when fit.

    HR does not directly track aerobic output, as you have discovered. In other words, having a high HR is not necessarily the same as holding a high effort level. HR is poor measure of effort level, but in this context, a slightly better measure of fitness..

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