Questions about resting heart rate

Hi Paul,

I've started the 4-week dragon fitness routine, and have a few questions about it:

1. The other day when I went for a run according to the day 1 plan, everything went pretty well, and after running for 6 minutes my heart rate came down to its resting rate in some 4-5 minutes. However, the next day I went to the gym because they have a training bike, and I wanted to keep accurate track of my heart rate throughout. After the bike exercise, it took me a full 20 or more minutes for my heart rate to get down to resting. I'm not ill or unfit, so 20-30 minutes seems like a long time. At this rate it'll take me ages to get to week 2.
Am I doing something wrong? Is this normal? Anything you would suggest?

2. After finishing the exertion phase, how do we wait for the heart rate to go down? Just sit down and do nothing, or stand still, or walk normally? (I ask because the trainer in the gym told me if I just sat on the bike and waited, my heart rate would go up briefly.)

3. If we are on the Dragon fitness routines 4-week programme, should we still also use the 50-yard sprint you mention elsewhere in order to increase lung volume? If so, how often should we do it?

Thank you!

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Aug 18, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Dragon Sprints.
by: Anonymous

The 50 yard sprint is simply one method of performing the Dragon fitness workouts. If you were using it, again as indicated in the book and FAQ's, in the 4 week program you'd do it 3 times a week, every 2nd day or so, and just sprint the 50 yards at 70%, rest recover, sprint it at 75% RandR, sprint at 80% and so on.
Aug 18, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		What to do when recovering
by: Paul from Isometric-Training.com

Again I've written about this in the book, and the FAQ's. Personally I read excerpts from the Hagakure, or lie down and nap.

If you sit on the bike, that's fine - and yes you will see a short rise in heart rate - you're meant to!!!! That's the whole point!!! That rise is the oxygen deficit you've created through exertion calling on more oxygen, and that leads to a higher heart rate. Once you stop, if you've hit the right zones you'll see that small increase, as the body recovers, then it will drop. Stay relaxed till you're at your recovery point. Then repeat at a higher intensity. ;-)
Aug 18, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Abnormally long recovery rates
by: Paul from Isometric-Training.com

In this example there are a couple of factors. Firstly you did a workout the day before. The heart is a muscle, as are the muscles that govern respiration. As such they, like all muscle NEED TIME TO RECOVER.

I discuss recovery extensively in Project Dragon. It's vitally important not just for muscle size and strength but for your cardio work as taught and explained in PD.

It's likely you simply weren't recovered.

Secondly how where you monitoring your heart rate? In PD I recommend using a chest strap monitor. Other methods simply aren't reliable or accurate. Many gyms today outfit there equipment with sensor pads that take a pulse reading from your hands - this is a pulse rate - NOT your real accurate Heart Rate.

I'd suggest you follow the program - REST, recover, get fitter - then stimulate again. Daily training is acceptable but a more advanced technique that requires training and development.

Additionally, you may actually be quite unfit. A 6 minute jog at 70% you should recover from (when fit) in less than 1 minute. - Not 4-5. ;-) But this is good, you'll see improvement quickly - but don't rush forward before your ready - you'll only short change your results and never improve.


Aug 18, 2011
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starstarstar 		Multiple Questions
by: Paul from Isometric-Training.com

Hi,

Firstly, a word to all - don't ask multiple questions per post - I don't mind multiple questions, BUT post them individually. That way people can easily see what the questions is and saves them asking something similar.

With that said, let's look at each of these. I'll answer each one in separate comment box for ease of searching and thread clarity.

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