Olympic Rowers' Resting Heart Rate

Olympic rowers’ resting heart rate is usually low: MedlinePlus puts well-trained athletes at 40 to 60 beats per minute (bpm), against 60 to 100 bpm for most adults. There is no single rowers’ number, and a low reading does not make anyone a better rower.

This is general information, not medical advice. If you feel dizzy, faint or unwell, or you have chest pain, speak to your GP. In an emergency, call 999.

Why endurance training can lower it

Regular aerobic training can make the heart more efficient. The chambers can hold more blood, each beat moves more of it, and fewer beats are needed at rest. Genetics, age and body size also play a part, so the effect varies a lot between people. Our page on how to get an Olympic rower’s body looks at how much of an elite build comes down to training.

The sum shows why. These are round numbers for illustration, not measurements of any athlete. To move 5 litres of blood a minute at rest:

Blood moved per beat	Beats needed per minute
70 ml	About 71
85 ml	About 59
100 ml	50

Be wary of specific figures quoted for named Olympians. Even an accurate one would tell you little about your own heart.

Why rowing builds the engine

A 2,000 m race lasts several minutes and draws on both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. Sources give different splits, so treat any exact percentage with caution.

Rowing uses large muscle groups in the legs, back and arms, so a lot of blood has to be pumped for long periods. Years of that training produce the large aerobic capacity seen in elite crews. Our guide to VO2 max and rowing explains how that capacity is measured, and are Olympic rowers the fittest athletes puts it in context.

How the numbers compare

Group	Typical resting rate	Source or status
Most adults	60 to 100 bpm	NHS
Well-trained athletes	40 to 60 bpm	MedlinePlus
Named Olympic rowers	Treat with caution	Individual figures vary

How to measure yours

1. Measure first thing in the morning, before you get up and before caffeine.
2. Lie still for about 10 minutes.
3. Find the pulse on the thumb side of your wrist with two fingers, not your thumb.
4. Count for 30 seconds and double it. If you count 28 beats, your rate is 56 bpm. A chest strap or watch also works.
5. Repeat for 7 days and use the average.

For example, readings of 52, 54, 53, 55, 52, 53 and 52 add up to 371. Divide by 7 and your average is 53 bpm.

Use the same method each time, at the same time of day and in the same position. A wrist-worn optical monitor can be less accurate than a chest strap, particularly during exercise, so a consistent morning routine matters more than the device. Our guide to heart rate monitors covers the differences.

How to use it in training

Resting heart rate is a trend tool. Keep a simple log with three columns: morning reading, sleep (good, average or poor) and how your last session felt. After 4 weeks you will know your own normal range.

What you see	What it may mean	What to do
A slow drop over several weeks	Improving fitness	Carry on
5 bpm or more above your average for 2 to 3 days	Fatigue, illness or stress	Swap hard sessions for easy ones or rest
A sudden, large change that stays	Needs a proper look	Book a GP appointment

The 5 bpm trigger is a rule of thumb, not a medical threshold. Readings also move with sleep, stress, hydration and alcohol, so don’t judge your fitness on this number alone.

Heart rate variability

Some watches and straps also report heart rate variability (HRV), the variation in time between heartbeats. Coaches sometimes use it as one input when judging recovery, but readings are noisy and differ between devices. Compare a device only with itself, and read the trend over weeks alongside how you feel.

Resting rate versus training zones

Resting heart rate is a different thing from the zones you train in. Zone systems divide effort into easy, moderate and hard bands based on a percentage of your maximum heart rate. Maximum heart rate formulas are rough estimates and individuals can differ by a good margin, so treat any formula as a starting point. Heart rate zones for rowing shows how to set them up.

Easy sessions should feel conversational whatever the monitor says, and for most people the bulk of training should be at that effort. Our guide to the Maffetone Method for rowing covers one low-heart-rate way of keeping them easy.

Warning signs

Get checked if you notice a consistently very low or very high resting rate, an irregular heartbeat, palpitations or fainting, or if your pulse stays raised without an obvious reason. A low rate with no symptoms in a fit person can be normal, but only a clinician can tell you that about your own heart.