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Exercise physiology and aging

connda

By connda
in Health and Medicine

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connda Star Member

connda

Posted
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Just wondering if anyone in this forum has formal training in exercise physiology and aging.

I've been athletic most of my life. Now I'm in my early 60s. I normally do aerobic exercise on a treadmill. Over the last 5 years, I've noticed that my heartrate has decreased while exercising at the same load level. I walk inclines and vary the treadmill speed to increase my heartrate. Assume I've been using the same machines for the last 5 years. 5 years ago (57) I could maintain a heart rate of between 135 to 145 bpm. Now at the same exercise intensity, my heart rate is between 115 to 130. It's really difficult to get my heart rate in the 130 to 140 range. I could get my max heart rate into the 160s five years ago. Now my max heart rate for very intense workouts is upper 140s.

Why the slowdown?

AyG Platinum Member

AyG

Posted
Posted

As you age your maximum heart rate will decrease. That's perfectly natural. It probably started decreasing in your 20s, but you didn't notice.

What you need to do is exercise as a percentage of your maximum heart rate. Or more accurately, a percentage of the difference between your maximum heart rate and your resting heart rate.

So, say your resting heart rate was 80 when you were younger, and the maximum was 180, then if you wanted to exercise at 50%, you'd exercise at 80 + (180 - 80) * 0.50 = 150 b.p.m..

Now you're older, if your resting rate is 70 and your maximum is 150, then to exercise at 50% you'd exercise at 70 + (150 - 70) * 0.50 = 110 b.p.m..

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arjunadawn Gold Member

arjunadawn

Posted
Posted

Please evaluate your blood pressure in relation to the observations you are making regarding you resting and loaded heart rate. So, BP, perhaps morning, night, but variously do a BP reading sitting, 5 min later standing, do some exercise the after break, BP again. Get your average comprehension of what your BP is doing as well. This is a vital window into your overall functioning. Please learn to incorporate your understanding of BP into HR. HR is just part of the mechanism to achieve the objective. The objective is finally cellular/tissue perfusion with oxygen, and getting rid of waste. The HR was will variously be proportional to the BP to achieve these goals.

As we age varying factors such as postural (vertical/horizontal) BP changes are to be expected, and the HR will correspondingly reflect this. How they affect you should be considered in total with your vital signs- HR/BP (skip temperature). Not only is it fairly desirable to have lower BP and lower HR (right, that's what they teach us?) but it is to a point. We actually need the pressure to remain high (at rest) enough to actually force the exchange of gases in the lungs- alveoli- and to drive the entire pulmonary pump (this is not an issue for you. I just want to background the scope of the relation between HR and BP). I always advise, because it is correct, to see a doctor. I am not an exercise physiologist, as you've indicated you prefer.

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jpinx Platinum Member

jpinx

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Posted

You can have a perfect heartrate and blood pressure, but if a number 9 bus has your name on it's bumper the whole thing is academic ;)

  • Like 5
connda Star Member

connda

Posted
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Please evaluate your blood pressure in relation to the observations you are making regarding you resting and loaded heart rate. So, BP, perhaps morning, night, but variously do a BP reading sitting, 5 min later standing, do some exercise the after break, BP again. Get your average comprehension of what your BP is doing as well. This is a vital window into your overall functioning. Please learn to incorporate your understanding of BP into HR. HR is just part of the mechanism to achieve the objective. The objective is finally cellular/tissue perfusion with oxygen, and getting rid of waste. The HR was will variously be proportional to the BP to achieve these goals.

As we age varying factors such as postural (vertical/horizontal) BP changes are to be expected, and the HR will correspondingly reflect this. How they affect you should be considered in total with your vital signs- HR/BP (skip temperature). Not only is it fairly desirable to have lower BP and lower HR (right, that's what they teach us?) but it is to a point. We actually need the pressure to remain high (at rest) enough to actually force the exchange of gases in the lungs- alveoli- and to drive the entire pulmonary pump (this is not an issue for you. I just want to background the scope of the relation between HR and BP). I always advise, because it is correct, to see a doctor. I am not an exercise physiologist, as you've indicated you prefer.

I've had a stress echo cardiogram at 50 and again near 60. Nothing abnormal. BP tends to be a little low at rest and slightly elevated after exercise. I have a BP monitor at home.

arjunadawn Gold Member

arjunadawn

Posted
Posted

Please evaluate your blood pressure in relation to the observations you are making regarding you resting and loaded heart rate. So, BP, perhaps morning, night, but variously do a BP reading sitting, 5 min later standing, do some exercise the after break, BP again. Get your average comprehension of what your BP is doing as well. This is a vital window into your overall functioning. Please learn to incorporate your understanding of BP into HR. HR is just part of the mechanism to achieve the objective. The objective is finally cellular/tissue perfusion with oxygen, and getting rid of waste. The HR was will variously be proportional to the BP to achieve these goals.

As we age varying factors such as postural (vertical/horizontal) BP changes are to be expected, and the HR will correspondingly reflect this. How they affect you should be considered in total with your vital signs- HR/BP (skip temperature). Not only is it fairly desirable to have lower BP and lower HR (right, that's what they teach us?) but it is to a point. We actually need the pressure to remain high (at rest) enough to actually force the exchange of gases in the lungs- alveoli- and to drive the entire pulmonary pump (this is not an issue for you. I just want to background the scope of the relation between HR and BP). I always advise, because it is correct, to see a doctor. I am not an exercise physiologist, as you've indicated you prefer.

I've had a stress echo cardiogram at 50 and again near 60. Nothing abnormal. BP tends to be a little low at rest and slightly elevated after exercise. I have a BP monitor at home.

:-)

I think, overall, what you describe is what most people desire. You don't really intuit something wrong, do you? In my estimation, a patient's gut instinct is usually correct. If you feel good, generally find your medical reports are ok, and feel you are "ok" then just check in with the doc on routine exams and share your thoughts. Just wanted to point out what you apparently already know- HR/BP- these things are our cardiac output. That is, after all, the end thing we want ok. Good luck to you.

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