For most adults, the normal heart rhythm at rest ranges between 60 and 100 rhythms per minute. Usually it stays between 60 and 80 rhythms per minute. Compared to the general population, athletes commonly have much lower resting heart.
Many of them reach under 60 rhythms per minute, some even around 40. For capable athletes about endurance, 40 rhythms per minute already is pretty normal. Elite endurance athletes, for instance marathon runners or professional cyclists, sometimes reach even under 40.
Why Athletes Have Low Resting Heart Rates
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Actually, professional athletes commonly have heart rates between 30 and even high 20 rhythms per minute. Cross-country skiers measure usually 32 until 40 rhythms, while professional cyclists and marathon runners have 35 until 45. Team athletes, as soccer players or basketball players, most commonly range from 45 until 55 rhythms per minute.
Such low rhythm shows great cardiovascular skill. It is also called athletic bradycardia or athletic heart syndrome. It happens to athletes that focus on endurance exercises instead of muscle building, like weight lifting.
Sprinters, jumpers and throwers do not reach such low resting heart rhythms. Years of high-volume endurance training strengthen the heart, so it can pump more blood with one beat. A stronger heart does not need to work this quickly to deliver the same amount of blood.
Stronger lungs and heart ease strain on the heart. Because the heart is muscle, it strengthens with the whole body and move blood more easily. It is not rare resting heart rhythms between 30 and 40 per minute.
Resting means sitting or lying down while awake. The rate can change because of stress, worry, hormones, medicines or physical activity. Also sleep quality, weather and past training affects it.
Resting heart rhythm under 50 is unusual, but see a doctor only if happen symptoms like weakness or loss of sense. If an athlete has under 60 rhythms per minute without dizziness or alike, usually is not reason to worry. On the other hand, rhythm above 100 per minute shows, that the heart works too hard to circulate blood.
That can signal a serious problem, that a doctor should look at. Talk to a doctor, if your resting heart rhythm always goes over 100 per minute. Also, talk with a doctor, if you are not a trained athlete, but have rhythm under 60.
