PHYSICAL EDUCATION -YEAR 10

SEMESTER 2- 2010
RESTING, EXERCISE AND RECOVERY HEART RATES

INTRODUCTION

What happens to your heart rate when you begin to exercise? Correct, your expectation that your
heart rate increases as you become more active and decreases with less activity is right. There is a
huge range of activity levels that produce a corresponding range of heart rate changes as your
body's energy systems try to provide the right chemical mix at the right place at the right time.
What happens to your heart rate when you stop exercising is also important. In this activity you will
be measuring resting heart rate, exercise heart rate and recovery heart rate. Before you start, it is
important you understand the concept of recovery heart rate.

Recovery Heart Rate

• Athletes recover quickly from workloads that are easy, whether they are well trained or poorly
trained.
• Heavier workloads require longer recovery periods than lighter workloads, regardless of an
athlete’s physical condition.
• Heart Rate declines in two stages after exercise:
o During the first stage, which generally lasts 1-2mins, the decline is rapid. Heart Rate often
decreases 40-60 beats per minute (bpm) during this time interval.
o After the first stage, the rate of decline slows and many minutes may pass before the Heart
Rate declines an additional 40–50bpm. This depends on the intensity and duration of the
exercise.
• Passive recovery causes Heart Rate to decline faster than Active recovery i.e. sitting around with
no activity is considered passive recovery. Active recovery involves very low intensity aerobic
exercise, i.e. walking or slow jogging.
• Passive recovery, however, does not remove lactic acid from muscles as quickly as active recovery
does. Therefore, although Heart Rate declines more rapidly during passive recovery, the actual
concentration of lactic acid is removed more slowly.

Study involving Rowers*

Average levels End of strenuous 12min after 12min after
at rest exercise exercise exercise (Active
(Passive Recovery)
Recovery)
HR (bpm) 70 169 87 138

Lactic Acid 1.0 12.6 8.1 6.1

Levels (mmol/l)

(*Koutedakis & Sharp, 1985)

1
METHOD – STEP UP TEST
1. Choose a partner. Decide who will be the first subject to do the test and who will be the
recorder. Practice taking your carotid and radial pulse. Which is easier?

2. Both subjects sit quietly on the benches in the pool area and do not talk or walk around.
The aim here is to take a resting heart rate, so breathing should be slow and even. Avoid any
interaction during this ‘quiet’ time. Record your heart rate on the data record sheet.

3. The step up test involves stepping up and down to a set rhythm. The aim is to do 2 step
ups every 5 secs. You will put your first foot up, second foot up, first foot down, second foot
down.........and so on.
• When both legs are on top of the bench legs should be straight,
• Ensure the whole foot is in contact with the bench each step.

4. Heart rates during and after the test will be measured by taking the subject’s
carotid/radial pulse. Heart rates will be measured after each minute of the test and then
during the recovery time. Students must record these on the data sheet provided.

5. Reverse roles so each of you complete the test.

6. Download your assignment from the MHS Portal and complete the graph and the attached
questions. You need to submit pages 3, 4 and 5!!!

7. All answers for questions 1-5 must be word processed.

ASSESSMENT RUBRIC

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA V high High Medium Low Very low Not

5 4 3 2 1 shown 0
1. Complete table of HR results from
the step up test
2. Accurate and labelled graphs of
both partner’s results
3. Questions 1 & 2
Graph analysis & discussion
4. Questions 3, 4 & 5
Identification & discussion of
training zones
5. Overall clarity and accuracy.
Quality of presentation.

HD1 HD2 D1 D2 C1 C2 P1 P2 S1 S2 BS
23-25 21-22 19-20 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 <11

2
 DATA RECORDING SHEET

NAME: Harrison parker FORM: 10G

A. ENTER ALL HEART RATES RECORDED IN THE TABLE BELOW.

TIME Rest End of End of End of 1 min 2 min 3 min 4 min

HR 1st min 2nd min 3rd min post ex post ex post ex post ex
PARTNER A 70

PARTNER B

C. COMPLETE THE POST EXERCISE HEART RATE GRAPH FROM YOUR RESULTS.
CLEARLY LABEL YOUR AXIS AND LINES. ON THE SAME GRAPH DRAW THE RESULTS OF
YOUR
PARTNER (IN
200
A DIFFERENT
190 COLOUR).

180

170

160

150

140

130

120

110

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

3
4
QUESTIONS:

1. Compare the 2 graphs. List some relevant conclusions you can make from the data?
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2. Discuss why each partner responded differently to the exercise intensity?
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Use http://brianmac.co.uk/hrm1.htm as a source of information for the following questions.

3. Calculate your maximum HR using the formula 220 – your age (bpm).
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4. For each minute of the test indicate which ‘zone’ you were in.

Rest
1 minute
2 minute
3 minute
4 minute
5 minute

5
5. Explain what training in the ‘Aerobic Zone’ means and discuss 3 fitness and health benefits that
this intensity of training brings.
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