ABSTRACT
One of the most common responses to endurance training is a reduction in resting heart rate. The primary stimulus for a decrease in heart rate is an increase in parasympathetic tone to the sino-atrial node. There is, however, evidence that sympathetic tone is also decreased and the intrinsic heart rate may also be reduced. It is clear that if the subjects exercised at the same relative exercise intensity pre- and post-training the individual would be working harder or faster after training. Maximal heart rate is not affected by training to any great extent although some data exist to suggest slightly lower maximum heart rate post-training possibly due to a blunted sympathetic drive. At maximal exercise the increased cardiovascular and performance capacity is primarily related to an increased stroke volume and thus maximal cardiac output. Blood pressure data post-training again are relatively similar to pretraining values.
