Swim Health

Is it normal for someone to change their stroke to a more efficient (slower, better catch, better breathing rhythm etc.) and have their heart rate spike? A young man (18 years old) that I know was swim training at full speed, with poor technique, flailing if you will, and tiring out quickly, but his heart rate would be fine. Now that he has acquired better technique, and is able to longer distances, he says his heart rate spikes up to about 200 +. That seems odd to me, but I was wondering what your thoughts would be here. Thanks and all the best.

Comments

  • musclewhale89musclewhale89 Alberta, CanadaMember

    How is he measuring his heart rate? 200+ seems like he is either measuring wrong or has a faulty device. He really should never be hitting 200 bpm during a swim.

    Sara_Wolfwendyv34
  • MLambyMLamby Senior Member

    @musclewhale89 said:
    How is he measuring his heart rate? 200+ seems like he is either measuring wrong or has a faulty device. He really should never be hitting 200 bpm during a swim.

    That is what I thought. I will ask him about that. It seemed crazy high to me as well, which is why I asked. Thanks.

  • BackToRootsBackToRoots United StatesNew Member

    IF based on electric HRM and if he's using a chest strap or wrist monitor, device could be counting both "QRS" and "T" squiggles seen in each heartbeat, thus doubling HR. Less likely his cadence decreased enough for monitor to start including some muscle contractions. Simple solution: count his pulse. If palpated pulse >200, there may be a problem & more detailed digging warranted.

    MLamby
  • MLambyMLamby Senior Member

    @BackToRoots said:
    IF based on electric HRM and if he's using a chest strap or wrist monitor, device could be counting both "QRS" and "T" squiggles seen in each heartbeat, thus doubling HR. Less likely his cadence decreased enough for monitor to start including some muscle contractions. Simple solution: count his pulse. If palpated pulse >200, there may be a problem & more detailed digging warranted.

    Thanks so much! All the best!

  • FlotsamFlotsam UKNew Member

    Theoretically an 18 year old swimmer could be hitting 200/min at max exertion, and some people can run very high heart rates, even at sub-max efforts. It's not unusual for me to stray into the 170s towards the end of a swim, and my theoretical peak is around 180/min. If he was swimming badly before he would have tired due to muscular fatigue, which happens at lower heart rates than somebody swimming efficiently and tiring through 'cardiovascular' burnout.

    I know he's not elite, but look at Sharon van Rouwendaal holding 190/min for most of a 10k https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=692376069114471&set=pb.100050262529088.-2207520000.&type=3

    Anyway - what I mean is it's not necessarily illness or dangerous*, but it would say to me that he's either swimming very hard, or quite inefficiently.

    (* but if he feels unwell, chest pain etc then he needs to get it checked out)

    LakeBagger
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