Note:
If you are keen and have queries, please contact Coach Rameshon at 9100 4369 or you can email him at m.rameshon@gmail.com or swift.rameshon@gmail.com. Please refer to website http://flexifitness.com.sg (for more information on him and his programmes)
By Rameshon
Bsc (Hons) Degree in Physical Education, Loughborough University (1992-1994)
Masters in Education (University of Western Australia, 2005-2008)
Heart Rate - Indicator of Health, Fitness and performance
Resting Heart Rate - Usually taken when one rises up from the bed.
For the past few weeks, I have been discussing about heart rate knowledge during my cardio lessons in our physical education lesson to students of Hwa Chong Institution (college). This knowledge of taking heart rate came when a teacher taught our class, when I was a secondary two student, on how to take the heart rate at the radial artery (Please see below).
Picture 1 - How to take the heart rate using the radial artery area using two fingers only.
The teacher taught us during my high school civics and moral education days on how we will know that we are healthy. She told us 72 beats per minute is a normal healthy range for human beings. She told us that if the resting heart rate is higher than this, a person is at a high-risk zone for facing heart problem of the future. A resting heart rate range provided a person has not any activity a day before and on that very morning, between 80 and 90 spells trouble in the long run for a person. In the long run, a person may suffer from coronary artery problems plus a host of probably heart-related problems.
The teacher also told us that when a person gets lower than 60, it means that a person is fitter. That means that the heart is pumping 60 beats throughout the day per minute. Hence, the faster the heart works, it means a person will be having a shorter life-span. That is what is written in several yoga books. Lower the heart-rate, one will live longer and retain youth and retard the ageing process. The faster the resting heart-rate per minute, one may kick the bucket earlier than usual.
Picture 2 - Another way to take the heart - rate is to put two fingers at the hollow of your neck with two fingers and gently press downwards.
Several physiological books have mentioned that researchers have recorded top marathon or endurance athletes having a resting heart rate of 30 - 40 beats per minute. You can call yourself as an elite if your heart falls within this range.
The increase in the size of the cavity at the left ventricle allows the heart to be a bigger pump, hence more blood will be able to come in to the left ventricle. and then it pumps blood to the rest of the body. Due to frequent exercise program, the increase in stroke volume leads to a reduction in heart-rate, allowing the heart to be a more functionally efficient pump.
Picture 3 - The size of the heart is about the size of the fist.
Note:
By Narayanan
Rameshon has taught in Hwa Chong Institution, plus several schools, and Republic Polytechnic as well. He has won many accolades and he was awarded Merit Award for 1991 marathon performance in breaking the national record of Singapore, at that time. He has made 22 male athletes do a marathon in sub-3hrs. He has made 7 female runners do sub-4 hours for the marathon, as well. He was inducted to the ‘Roll of Honour’ by the then College of Physical Education, organised by Singapore Olympic Academy, in 1998, for breaking the National record repeatedly 4 times, till he did 2hr 24min 22sec).
He also has a Coaching group and he trains them on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm at Botanic Gardens. Those interested can call him at 91004369 for coaching assistance, to improve performance. There is also personal training that he does for many in a week. You can e-mail him at swift.rameshon@gmail.com.
