{"id":69914,"date":"2021-07-21T07:38:09","date_gmt":"2021-07-21T14:38:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/?p=69914"},"modified":"2022-03-25T11:16:57","modified_gmt":"2022-03-25T18:16:57","slug":"why-your-heart-rate-increases-during-exercise-and-what-it-means-for-cycling-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/why-your-heart-rate-increases-during-exercise-and-what-it-means-for-cycling-performance\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Does Heart Rate Increase During Exercise and How It Affects Cycling Performance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"lead\">The more intensely you exercise, the harder you breathe, and the faster your heart beats. But have you ever wondered why some athletes\u2019 heart rates respond differently to the same efforts, or why your body needs to increase your heart rate in the first place? More importantly, how can you use the answers to these questions to get faster?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more on heart rate and aerobic fitness, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/BPBFmrFQ0Js\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ask A Cycling Coach Ep 313.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Why Does Heart Rate Vary Between Athletes?  (Ask a Cycling Coach 312)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JJRN8ZxIUgM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Your Heart Rate Increases During Exercise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes down to it, endurance sports like cycling are all about oxygen supply and demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The vast majority of time spent on the bike is powered by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/the-aerobic-energy-system-what-it-is-why-its-important-and-how-to-train-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">aerobic energy system<\/a>, which uses oxygen to generate sustainable energy. This oxygen enters your body through your lungs; from there it is absorbed into the bloodstream and pumped to the muscles by your heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whenever exercise intensity goes up, your muscles need more oxygen to power the growing workload. To counter this sudden rise in oxygen <strong>demand<\/strong>, your body responds by increasing oxygen<em> <\/em><strong>supply<\/strong>. Norepinephrine is released by your sympathetic nervous system, which accelerates your breathing rate to uptake more oxygen into your bloodstream. Your heartbeat speeds up and grows more forceful, to send oxygen-rich blood to the muscles and expedite the removal of aerobic metabolism\u2019s byproduct, carbon dioxide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Oxygen Uptake Kinetics: Matching Supply and Demand<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The process of increasing oxygen uptake to meet your body\u2019s needs is called <strong>oxygen uptake kinetics <\/strong>(sometimes also known as <strong>VO2 kinetics<\/strong>). While this mechanism happens automatically, it\u2019s not instantaneous. For the first few moments of any increase in power, your body fills the gap with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/anaerobic-energy-system-what-it-is-why-its-important-and-how-to-train-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">anaerobic<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/the-neuromuscular-energy-system-what-it-is-and-why-it-matters-for-cyclists\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">neuromuscular<\/a> energy systems, which don\u2019t require oxygen to produce energy. For a common example, think of what it\u2019s like to run up a short flight of stairs\u2014 that\u2019s your anaerobic system doing the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But anaerobic metabolism isn\u2019t sustainable. Its energy supplies are limited and it generates lots of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/what-is-lactate-threshold-and-how-to-train-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">byproducts<\/a>. As a result, your body increases oxygen supply so the aerobic system can clear these byproducts and take over for the long haul. To return to our example, when you get to the top of the stairs and suddenly start breathing heavily, that\u2019s your aerobic system activating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group key-takeaway\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More On Energy Systems<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/energy-systems-used-for-cycling\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Energy Systems Used For Cycling<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/the-aerobic-energy-system-what-it-is-why-its-important-and-how-to-train-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Aerobic Energy System: What It Is and How To Train It<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/anaerobic-energy-system-what-it-is-why-its-important-and-how-to-train-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Anaerobic Energy System: Why It&#8217;s Important For Cyclists<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/the-neuromuscular-energy-system-what-it-is-and-why-it-matters-for-cyclists\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Neuromuscular System<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reaching a Steady State<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When oxygen supply fully meets demand and your aerobic system can sustainably power the effort, heart rate and ventilation settle at a constant rate. This is known as <strong>steady state<\/strong>. It occurs during a range of efforts below <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/what-ftp-really-means-to-cyclists\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FTP<\/a>, and while steady-state riding isn\u2019t always comfortable, it is within your body\u2019s physiological capabilities to sustain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the demand for oxygen in your muscles outpaces your body\u2019s ability to supply it, steady state can\u2019t be attained. When this happens, even if your power output stays the same, heart rate and ventilation gradually increase until you reach <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/how-vo2-max-work-makes-you-fast-the-science-behind-it-all\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">VO2 max<\/a>\u2014 your body\u2019s maximum capacity to intake and use oxygen. Beyond this point, you can\u2019t sustain the effort for very long, no matter how hard you try. Eventually, your power output will decrease, until you ultimately reach steady state at a greatly reduced intensity. Cyclists commonly call this \u201cblowing up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Better Aerobic Fitness Makes you Faster (at a Lower Heart Rate)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As your aerobic fitness improves, the efficiency of your cardiovascular system increases. This is why endurance athletes generally have lower resting heart rates than untrained individuals\u2014 fit athletes\u2019 cardiovascular systems can supply their body\u2019s oxygen demands with less effort.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is also true during exercise. Though the specifics of heart rate are subject to many external factors and can vary widely from person to person, aerobically fit athletes typically have lower heart rates for the same effort than athletes who are less fit. And as your fitness improves throughout the season, you may even notice your average heart rate during both rest and exercise trending downward\u2014 a positive sign of increased aerobic efficiency.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But how does aerobic fitness make you faster? The answer again lies in oxygen supply and demand. The greater your aerobic system\u2019s capacity to uptake and utilize oxygen, the more effectively it can power your oxygen-hungry muscles, so you can reach steady state at a higher intensity and sustain hard efforts for longer. Also, improved aerobic fitness correlates with faster oxygen uptake kinetics, meaning your aerobic system can respond more quickly to changes in intensity. This helps spare your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/anaerobic-intervals-for-cyclists-how-they-make-you-faster\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">anaerobic energy stores<\/a> for when you really need them\u2014 to power over hills, attack out of corners, and sprint to win races.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"at-cta\" class=\"cta\">\n    <div class=\"adaptive-training-cta-image\">\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"cta__copy\">\n        <p class=\"cta-title\">Adaptive Training<\/p>\n        <p><strong>Get the right workout, every time<\/strong>\n        with training that adapts to&nbsp;you.<\/p>\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/adaptive-training\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"btn btn-primary\">Check Out TrainerRoad<\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How To Improve Your Aerobic Fitness With Structured Training<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Building aerobic fitness is highly impactful and should be a major component of your training throughout the year. If you\u2019re following a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/cycling-training-plans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">structured training plan<\/a>, your plan will take care of the details for you. But for every athlete, it all begins early in the season with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/base-training-for-cyclists-why-and-how-to-build-your-aerobic-base\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">base training<\/a>. Base used to be synonymous with lots of long, low-intensity rides, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/sweet-spot-training-everything-you-need-to-know\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sweet spot workouts<\/a> offer a useful way to build a strong aerobic system in a more time-effective manner.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Higher intensity riding in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/cycling-power-zones-training-zones-explained\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Threshold and Vo2max zones<\/a> target your maximal oxygen uptake directly, pushing your aerobic system\u2019s capacity to fuel your muscles and clear lactate to their very limits. These workouts are quite fatiguing and are best introduced only once or twice a week early on, and with greater frequency, focus, and specificity as the season progresses through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/building-power-and-raising-ftp-with-the-build-phase\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">build<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/training-specialty-phase\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">specialty<\/a> phases.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter where you are in the cycling season, you can always maintain your aerobic fitness with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/endurance-training-for-cyclists-where-zone-2-fits-in-your-training-plan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">endurance riding<\/a>. Occasionally <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/how-to-substitute-intensity-with-volume\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">substituting intensity with volume<\/a> or adding on additional easy spinning to the end group rides or workouts might not seem very impactful, but low-intensity pedaling relies entirely on the aerobic system. Moreover, when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/cycling-nutrition-everything-you-need-to-know\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">properly fueled<\/a> endurance riding is sustainable and doesn\u2019t add much additional fatigue, and can make a significant impact on your fitness when practiced regularly over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Your heart rate naturally increases during exercise to fuel your muscles with oxygen. How can you improve your capacity to uptake oxygen and get faster?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":69917,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[882,3382,1830,4117,4121,3045,278,4116,4119,4118,4122,1022,4120,4123],"class_list":["post-69914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-training","tag-aerobic-capacity","tag-aerobic-energy-system","tag-aerobic-fitness","tag-aerobic-metabolism","tag-breath-rate","tag-energy-systems","tag-heart-rate","tag-heart-rate-response","tag-oxygen-demand","tag-oxygen-uptake","tag-oxygen-uptake-kinetics","tag-steady-state","tag-ventilation","tag-vo2-kinetics"],"cc_featured_image_caption":{"caption_text":"P.C. Alonso Tal, M.C. @trilla_e","source_text":"","source_url":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69914"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69914\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}