Signed up for an athletic event this year? Most people seek out an acupuncturist to treat injuries and address pain. While Chinese medicine and acupuncture is a good choice for such treatment, it also effectively addresses athletic training and recovery, specifically in the areas of circulation, respiration, nutrition and digestion, and to nourish the fluids and blood.
One area to pay particular attention is overtraining. Overtraining is detrimental for the heart. When an athlete overtrains, some of the key signs are the resting heart rate is elevated, sleep becomes restless and/or there is insomnia, and irritability. The key to avoiding overtraining is to spend a good percentage of your training at long slow distance, which is at < 80% of maximum heart rate. For the endurance athlete, a good amount of the training must occur at this level in order to prevent depletion. There are many considerations for maximum heart rate during training. The following is a general description of appropriate heart rate with consideration to age. It is important to consult with a physician if there are concerns regarding the heart and blood pressure.
Maximum heart rate decreases with age
Maximum heart rate = 220 – your age
Example: maximum heart rate for a 40 year old person:
220 – 40 = 180 (beats per minute)
Training at (or below) 75% maximum heart rate:
Consideration for Heart Disease History
Training at 80% maximum heart rate: General Training
Training at 85% maximum heart rate: For Performance Athletes
High Intensity Training > 80% maximum heart rate
Low Intensity Training
< 80% maximum heart rate Limited Training Bulk of Training
Athletic longevity and success depends upon paying attention to low intensity,
days off, low heart rate, sleep and proper nutrition. Chinese medicine and acupuncture
can be of great assistance in keeping your system running at it’s best.
Download PDF file for Athletic Performance & Recovery
Courtesy of Daisy Lear | Written June, 2014