When you follow a strength and conditioning program to improve your cardiovascular endurance, there are a few simple things you can keep track of. One of them is your resting heart rate, which measures how many times your heart beats per minute when you're at rest. As you get fitter, your resting heart rate tends to go down. This happens because your heart becomes more efficient at pumping blood to your muscles, so it doesn't have to work as hard. One reason for this is that the amount of blood your heart pumps out with each beat increases. When there's more blood in your heart, it doesn't need to beat as often to deliver oxygen to your body. So, if you notice your resting heart rate getting lower, it's a good sign that your training is paying off and improving your cardiovascular fitness. To monitor and track your progress in this regard, there are several devices that we've utilized with high-level athletes, which have proven to be reliable in measuring heart rate. If you already own one of these devices, that's fantastic! Here are a few options you can consider for tracking your resting heart rate:

1. Self-Exam: This method involves manually checking your pulse by placing your fingers on your wrist or neck and counting the beats for a minute.

2. Pulse Oximeter: This device measures your heart rate by clipping it onto your finger, and it also provides information about your blood oxygen levels.

3. Apple/Garmin Watches: A popular wearable device that not only tracks your heart rate but also offers various fitness features and health monitoring capabilities.

4. Whoop Strap: This fitness tracker is designed to provide comprehensive data on heart rate variability, sleep, and recovery, which can be valuable for assessing your cardiovascular progress.

5. Oura Ring: Another wearable device that monitors your heart rate, sleep quality, and other relevant metrics to help you gain insights into your overall health and performance.

Feel free to explore these options and choose the one that suits your preferences and needs. These devices can serve as valuable tools for tracking your resting heart rate and evaluating the effectiveness of your training program.

If you have any questions about these devices or need further guidance, don't hesitate to ask in our Facebook group!

It's crucial to understand that these changes in resting heart rate can vary depending on your age. Generally, younger individuals who are more active tend to have lower resting heart rates compared to older, less active individuals. However, regardless of your age, what's important is to observe a change in your resting heart rate as you progress in your fitness journey.

Over time, as you engage in regular exercise and improve your cardiovascular fitness, you should see a decrease in your resting heart rate. This decrease indicates that your heart is becoming more efficient at delivering oxygen to your body even when at rest.

So, whether you're a younger, highly active individual or an older, less active individual, the goal is to witness a positive shift in your resting heart rate as a sign of improved cardiovascular health. Keep track of these changes using the devices we mentioned earlier, and celebrate the progress you make along your fitness journey.

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