Beginner RHR issues

[Dalos]

Hi all,

Not sure if this should be in the general fitness forum or this one. Just wanted to say thanks to all who post here, there's a massive amount of brilliant information for a newcomer.

I'm having a bit of trouble pinning down my RHR of all things, which should be pretty simple. Everything I've read seems to indicate it should be lowest in the morning before I get up. It varies from 68-73 then which I went with for HR zone calcs and seemed expected / normal. However prior to my workout (times vary, but just getting up from my WFH desk and walking 6 steps to the next room, no exertion) it has been as low as 58 and as high as 80. (manually timed of 60 secs, twice to be sure, as my P7 isn't great at low HRs, sometimes doubling them, but it usually matches this). I don't know if this variability is new as I've only been checking since I began rowing. I've had a fairly sedentary lifestyle for 15 years or so (and even back then I lifted, with little cardio) and in my teens and early 20s it was running in the high 90s (had this checked out, all fine) so I expected it to be on the higher side.

Wondering if this is anything to worry about for a start, and if I just go with the lowest figure? (58 seems very low for someone as out of shape as I am). Going to keep googling / searching but there seems to be a fairly substantial brain trust here with relevant experience!

Asides in case relevant:

https://log.concept2.com/profile/1428485/log

36M, 182cm, 90.5kg and a week into the beginner Pete plan. (and loving it, having to hold myself back from rowing much longer UT2s that I feel I could do). Have used this forum for a wealth of information. Training at DF120, watching my force curve in the UT2 zone 80-90% of the time with a couple of 2kTT / stress tests (max HR seems pretty obviously 190BPM). Running comfortably at 16-21 SPM between UT2 and TR/AN (seems the standard for beginner with strength but no aerobic capacity to have lower rates) and working on my technique. I'm a stats junkie so loving seeing all I have read / all the calculations (multiple excel sheets with pace / HR zone etc. estimators) being spot on physically in practice (e.g. UT2 - 20 secs for 2k pace almost exactly from today). Far from being complicated it leaves me as a beginner feeling like it's all pretty simple and laid out once you get your head around it and have some data to input (all the hard calcs others have solved). Looking forward to it all just being a function of time, effort and meters rowed.

No sights on any serious goals / pace and my times now are shocking given my current fitness level, in it for fitness (but with 3 friends hounding me to 'get in a boat' the moment I got my model D, one of whom pulls a 6:20 2k on the erg at my age, that might change!)

Because of the previous my high rate years ago I have a cardiac stress test every 2-3 years (no issues Feb 2018) and I've had a feeling of a bit of a flutter at night (google says that's no issue when starting exercise though) so will be popping in to see the doc anyway to get the all clear.

[jamesg]

You're doing alright. RHR will stabilize somewhere below 60 as you get fit. No worry now, you don't need RHR when starting training, just use a flat percent of max if you know it, or say 30-40 below max - even if max = 220-Age, failing anything better.

[hjs]

Use the lowest rest hf you see, and yes its normal that it fluctuates. Nobody has the exact number dayly.
If you now have seen 58, thats your Rest rate. Over time time that will lower, if it does change your reserve. Same for max, use your current max, if you see higher numbers use those.

[Dangerscouse]

As mentioned don't worry about it, as long as you know your max HR ie 190bpm, you can use that for any HR training.

Good luck with the training, and stay patient as your body will respond better with incremental stress, rather than you trying to keep up with your 6:20 2k mate

[Tsnor]

One thing, in computing resting heart rate, make sure you go to the bathroom before you measure it or your measurement will be significantly high. I saw this in a training video, googled it and sure enough credible medical studies show "When your bladder is full, your blood pressure and heart rate are higher. When you empty your bladder during urination, your blood pressure and heart rate drop. "

Aside 1, I don't measure RHR, I use whatever random number fitbit gives me. It swings a bit day to day.

Aside 2, Everyone here except me has a RHR in the 40s. Very discouraging until you discover they also pull 2Ks in the low 6s and compete in the nationals. Then it becomes rather neat. Normal population RHR is 60-100. My RHR is a bit higher than yours.

Expect 8-12 weeks before you see RHR changes. If you mainly do hard, short workouts like those in your log then research says you will get excellent V02 max, but not substantially change your RHR.

RHR responds to long, slow workouts. For you that would be 45 mins or more at a HR less than 150. (max= 190, RHR 65, HR reserve = 190-65 = 125. 70% of 125 = 87. max HR you should do long and slow = 65+87 ~= 150). Without these long, steady rows (or bike rides or ...) you are not apt to move RHR much.

Some studies show Max VO2 growth is at HR approx 177 (90% of 125 + 65 = 177). You were hitting a bit above that for your 2K max pace.

[Dalos]

Thanks everyone, sounds like I was just overthinking it a bit, and good tip on the morning. After the loo I lay back down for a bit and it was 61-62, still a bit surprised it's that low but I'll take it. I have edited the base and reserve, doesn't change the figures massively but I may ease off on UT2 slightly so it doesn't bleed to UT1.

I'm aiming to keep most of the BPP at UT2, with only one of the longer piece interval splits at UT1 (could drop that to UT2 as well) and the speed intervals / HIIT sessions at TR (in and around that 177 HR). Feel I could go on far longer than the 5k / 5.5k (25 mins) to get to those 45-90min SS sessions needed, but trying not to rush it / over train and follow the plan through, have plenty of time to go as long as I can and get to 15-20k sessions after the 24 weeks are up. Only hitting Max HR and AN at the tail end of a 2k TT (TR at estimated pace for 1750m then 250m of AN if I have it in the tank).

Summary below, even with the 2k TT (only planning that every couple of weeks to reset pace calcs etc.) it keeps me in the 80% UT2/UT1 zone with most UT2, without it comfortably there, having the one session in and around that 177HR zone seems to be on point as well. (I guess all that matching up isn't surprising given how widespread the plan is).

Feeling pretty comfortable with all the metrics now, just need to put in the meters!

https://imgur.com/9yoitt4

Oh yeah, and no I'll not be using any comparisons to a guy at 6:20! I do now really appreciate just how powerful / fit he is though, could have put three of me against him at my first test and he would have pulled more, that just blows my mind. (Other guy rowed in an 8 nationally with 2 former Olympians and first guys partner is a Heavyweight F at 3:35 1k, so they are all beasts.) I'll be head down chugging away at my own minor fitness goals, different league!

[robbiep]

My RHR for the last week has ranged between 47 and 56, with an average of 52

Today, my RHR is 49, but my Garmin watch says that my lowest recorded number in the last 4 hours is 42.

My RHR can be heavily affected by training the day before (especially running, rowing or cycling have less effect, not being load-bearing), a large meal, or even a couple of drinks