# Another HR question



## Kawboy8 (Feb 26, 2006)

My wife and I were talking today about my HR. My HR stays pretty low, I have never gotten it above 156, and resting it stays about 50-ish. I keep myself in pretty good shape, running, cycling, lifting...swimming. The thing is, during a ride my HR gets up to say 130, but I will be out of breath. From what my doc says, my HR, blood pressure...everything is really good and that having a low HR means my body is fit and my heart only needs to beat a certain speed depending on the oxygen my muscles need. So, if my HR is good and my muscles don't need more oxygen, why am I out of breath?


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

Have you ever had a pulmonary function test?

Do you stay out of breath?

I sometimes get this feeling initially after "going hard" but then it goes away.


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## Kawboy8 (Feb 26, 2006)

MerlinAma said:


> Have you ever had a pulmonary function test?
> 
> Do you stay out of breath?
> 
> I sometimes get this feeling initially after "going hard" but then it goes away.


No, I don't stay out of breath and I recover very quickly. My wife calls me a heavy breather. It just seems like my HR is just cruising a long...while I am out of breath and my legs are fried.


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

This time of year, my HR will go high before I get out of breath.

When I get in great shape, my HR will stay relatively low for me (150-155) but I'll breathe hard.

And if I'm in great shape but exhausted, my HR will stay low, my legs will not go, and I'll be out of breathe easily.

What little I've read, pulmonary function is usually not your limiting factor.

I even asked my doc (pulmonary specialist & personal friend) about one of those lung exercisers and he also suggested pulmonary function is usually not your limiting factor. And said the thing probably wouldn't work anyway.


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## Kawboy8 (Feb 26, 2006)

So...nothing really to worry about?


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

Ever do a stress test? Is that the same as a "pulmonary function test?"

It's an easy way to learn your max HR and how much you F-ing hate a) the treadmill b) everyone else in the room c) cold stickers that chain you to a machine d) your life for 15min.

Highly recommended :thumbsup:


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

iliveonnitro said:


> Ever do a stress test? Is that the same as a "pulmonary function test?"........


Pulmonary test is for lungs. Stress test is for heart.

I'd hate to say nothing to worry about since I'm not a doc.

I just know that when I start up stairs I'll feel short of breath. But it goes away quickly. Almost like this is a way of telling my body to get ready for some effort.


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## Kawboy8 (Feb 26, 2006)

MerlinAma said:


> Pulmonary test is for lungs. Stress test is for heart.
> 
> I'd hate to say nothing to worry about since I'm not a doc.
> 
> I just know that when I start up stairs I'll feel short of breath. But it goes away quickly. Almost like this is a way of telling my body to get ready for some effort.


Yes, I am the same way.


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## Andrea138 (Mar 10, 2008)

When you work harder, your muscles demand more oxygen, so you must breath harder in order to supply it. Low resting heart rate can be a sign of fitness, but heart rate during exercise is much more variable.


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## Kawboy8 (Feb 26, 2006)

Andrea138 said:


> When you work harder, your muscles demand more oxygen, so you must breath harder in order to supply it. Low resting heart rate can be a sign of fitness, but heart rate during exercise is much more variable.


When you breath, you take in oxygen, which goes to your blood, which is tranported to your muscles via the heart. so, if you need more...would the heart rate get higher in conjunction with higher breathing? sorry if I don't seem to have a clue. So....really I could be hitting harder and harder because my HR is not going through the roof? My wife gives me the "push it harder" speech, on hills. I am pushing it, and every part of my body tells me I am pushing, except my HR.


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## Andrea138 (Mar 10, 2008)

As long as you don't have a health problem, breathing really hard is perfectly normal. Your heart rate and breathing depth/rate will go up higher the harder you are working, but they don't have to increase at the same rate. Once again, barring health problems, you can push it as hard as you want up the hills without worrying about how hard you are breathing- until you get that searing lactic acid feeling in your legs- then you'll have to slow down a little.


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## Kawboy8 (Feb 26, 2006)

Andrea138 said:


> As long as you don't have a health problem, breathing really hard is perfectly normal. Your heart rate and breathing depth/rate will go up higher the harder you are working, but they don't have to increase at the same rate. Once again, barring health problems, you can push it as hard as you want up the hills without worrying about how hard you are breathing- until you get that searing lactic acid feeling in your legs- then you'll have to slow down a little.


Cool Sounds good. No health issues at all.


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## 2ndPlace (Sep 17, 2008)

everybody is different in their bodies reaction to stimuli.

personaly i am hyper everything. higher HR max and LT, higher metabolism, higher VO2 max, more carbs needed, body runs hot...etc.. 

also i tend to breath at a harder rate sooner than others in a pack. makes them think i am tired, but am not. just a response to my body ramping up. by the time they are breathing hard my body is relaxing and breathing less hard(settling in).

unless you are hyper ventalating and about to pass out, you are fine. just different.

train on, race on and have fun


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