HR and Breathing...

Today I did a little experiment. On a stationary bike (a Lifecycle
with computer)I gaged a few things of interest but am seeking a a
scientific answer. Being a spinning instructor and better than average
roady, I'm always looking for better ways to excel in the sport.

I was on the Lifecycle today and sustained a 115 rpm cadence with an
average heart rate (my polar not the bike's) of 150 bpms for
45-minutes straight. Being an older fart at 44yrs, I was keeping my
exertion in the 80 percent range, and actually not working that hard.

Every 10 minutes I focused on relaxing my breathing. I took in very
deep breaths and let them out slowly. My HR dropped and I sustained it
at 139 bpm with the same r's and tension (gear)... As I winded down my
ride (last 15 minutes or so), I pushed up the tention to a very hard
gear, bought my revs up to 125pm and my heart rate climbed to 165
rapidly (still feeling great and assuming I was about 85-90 percent
effort. I started deep breathing and forced relaxation and within 10
seconds my rate dropped and sustained to 150 bpm...

Sweet a? Now to try it with some fast friends and some alt terrain...
Probably be puking my gutts out.

I know oxygen and effort effect the heart and rates, but can someone
kindly explain this in more depth...

Thanks,
Scott

The decrease in HR is probably due to the decrease in O2 requirements for
the respiratory muscles. It is indeed more efficient to obtain a given O2
intake / minute through volume / breath rather than through breaths /
minute. Of course, once you've exceeded lactate threshold, hyperventilation
is inevitable.

--
--------------------------
Andre Charlebois
AGC-PC support
http://agc-pc.tripod.com
BPE, MCSE4.0, CNA, A+

"scottt" wrote in message
om...
Today I did a little experiment. On a stationary bike (a Lifecycle
with computer)I gaged a few things of interest but am seeking a a
scientific answer. Being a spinning instructor and better than average
roady, I'm always looking for better ways to excel in the sport.

I was on the Lifecycle today and sustained a 115 rpm cadence with an
average heart rate (my polar not the bike's) of 150 bpms for
45-minutes straight. Being an older fart at 44yrs, I was keeping my
exertion in the 80 percent range, and actually not working that hard.

Every 10 minutes I focused on relaxing my breathing. I took in very
deep breaths and let them out slowly. My HR dropped and I sustained it
at 139 bpm with the same r's and tension (gear)... As I winded down my
ride (last 15 minutes or so), I pushed up the tention to a very hard
gear, bought my revs up to 125pm and my heart rate climbed to 165
rapidly (still feeling great and assuming I was about 85-90 percent
effort. I started deep breathing and forced relaxation and within 10
seconds my rate dropped and sustained to 150 bpm...

Sweet a? Now to try it with some fast friends and some alt terrain...
Probably be puking my gutts out.

I know oxygen and effort effect the heart and rates, but can someone
kindly explain this in more depth...

Thanks,
Scott

Fast inspiration, slow expiration allows greater gas transfer across the
alveoli. If you time your breathing with your heartrate as well , its
easier again at the same effort. three in, eight out, change on the thud.
TJ

"Trevor Jeffrey" wrote in message ...
Fast inspiration, slow expiration allows greater gas transfer across the
alveoli. If you time your breathing with your heartrate as well , its
easier again at the same effort. three in, eight out, change on the thud.
TJ


Cool, I will try it...

S