Among the many numbers that sum up Lance Armstrong’s illustrious, controversial career, there’s one that feels even more mythic than his seven Tour de France titles. At the peak of his powers, the cyclist reportedly had a resting heart rate of 32 beats per minute. Is it true? That’s slightly unclear — the stat appears to have been listed on his website at one point, detailing a range of 32-34 beats per minute.
BY TANNER GARRITY@TANNERGARRITY
Other once-in-a-generation talents have had similar BPM buzz over the years; Usain Bolt apparently averaged 33 BPM when he was setting world records in the 100 and 200 meters, while Michael Phelps hovered closer to 38 BPM throughout his swimming career. And now and then, a fringe athlete claims an absolutely absurd number. In 2017, French biathlete Martin Fourcade (a five-time Olympic champion) posted a screenshot of a heart rate variability chart, which showed his RHR drop as low as 25 BPM.
Casual exercisers might not care, or fret, too much about these numbers — they’re inclined to throw them on the same pile as ridiculous wingspans or vertical leaps. There are some things, they conclude, that professional athletes are blessed with and they are not. At the same time, amateur endurance athletes, those with interest in trying their own marathons or triathlons, might put too much stock into RHR. It becomes another thing to track, another thing that needs improving, in pursuit of a race day PR.
But at a time when biometrics are more readily available than ever by way of fitness wearables (I receive a “report” every morning from my WHOOP 4.0), it’s important that those who have no understanding of RHR learn what it represents, and those who view it as some sort of holy statistic learn it isn’t a be-all end-all — for either performance or longevity.
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