Your heart is a muscle just like any other muscle in your body. When you exercise, it gets stronger. There are a lot of effects on the heart when it is stressed. When the heart becomes stronger, it pumps more blood with each stroke which means it takes less beats to get the blood through the body. This results in a lower resting heart rate and lower exercise heart rate when working at the same workload. This is why as you continue to exercise, you have to turn up the speed on the treadmill or bring up the incline to get your heart rate to the same level it used to be as a lower amount of workload. If wanting to start an exercise program, always remember to start out light in the beginning and gradually increase your workload as your body gets used to the workload. Just remember that if you are not challenging yourself, your not changing yourself so always work at a workload that is going to make your body want to adapt.
Bryan Burk, ACSM Fitness Specialist
Chelsea Wellness Center/Stockbridge Wellness Center
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