I'm 57 and have been swimming masters a few years with some decent results in sprints (recently, 27.8 in 50 yard free, 35.8 in 50 yard ***), but my workouts were not very vigorous. I was swimming maybe 2-3 times a week and putting in anywhere from 1100 minimum to 2200 maximum. I have started working out with a team (of which I am not actually a member), because I realized I should push myself more. It's been hard to keep up and do all of the sets in practice, but I feel I am getting better, little by little. I've dropped 5 more pounds and my morning blood sugar (I'm type II diabetic) is now routinely under 100.
After a particularly hard set, the coach instructed me to take my pulse, which was 23 for 10 seconds (138). He told me to cool down and do a 300 as slow as possible and after finishing, my pulse was 21 (126). He then pronounced me to be in "terrible condition" because he said I should be able to get up to 26 and come all the way down to 18 after the cool down. He instructed me to "call it a night" after completing a total of about 1900 (I'm guessing the total practice was about 3000) and also told me I should for now stop trying to go fast and just work on increasing my aerobic fitness.
Is this accurate? I am 57, so my target rate, according to what I read, should be NO HIGHER THAN 138 (85% of max). Also, this is self-monitored, and being off by 1 or 2 for the ten seconds can make a difference of 6-12 bpm. This guy actually suggested that I "should get checked out." I'm also on blood pressure meds which sometimes can suppress the heart rate (although I am on an ARB, not a beta-blocker). My resting pulse is about 68.
Should I be concerned...is he right?
Just in terms of the heart rate issue, absolutely not. The heart rate ranges you see all over the 'net, and what the coach is most likely referring to, are just general guidelines. There are going to be exceptions to those ranges, and I'm an extreme exception.
As soon as I hop in for warmup, my heartrate jumps up to around 30 in a 10 second period. My maximum heart rate after a 100% effort set has hit 44 in 10 seconds. My maximum measured heart rate (measured for a minute) was 262 a few years ago. My resting heart rate is 56 or 57 for a minute. Just getting up from my desk and walking around can get my heartrate to spike up to the mid/upper 20s for 10 seconds. In the process of cooling down, my heartrate drops quite quickly. I've had it go from ~250 down to 100 in less than 2 minutes before, but that was when I was in better shape than I am now. Currently it takes a bit longer for it to drop down to that, maybe about 5 minutes, although it goes from maximum heartrate to less than 200 within the first 20-30 seconds.
Clearly, I'm way outside the typical heart rate ranges. I've been to several doctors over the years about my heartrate, and they've all said, while it is rare to have a range like mine, there's nothing wrong with it. I don't have arrhythmia or any other heart condition, just one heck of a large dynamic heartrate range.
It doesn't sound like you're as extreme a case like me, but sure, go ahead and have it checked out by a doctor. Better safe than sorry.
I'l start by making it clear that I'm not medically or physiologically trained.
However:
1) You have made a step change in your training and it will take time to adapt
2) Training zones according to heart rate are approximate and individual - there's no "should" IMO
3) As you are on medication that may limit your heart rate, that's even more the case (point 2)
4) If you enjoy sprinting, what does it matter whether you can do longer, harder aerobic sets? You will get the health benefits from swimming relatively easily, and speed benefits from doing spring work - do you need the stuff in between?
5) While heart rates are somewhat useful, there's also an argument for going on feel, especially as we get older
6) We're not age groupers and don't need to be dictated to by our coaches...
Just a few thoughts..
