Last month, I took a different tack with my exercise protocol. I decided that after an exercise pulse (into heart rate—HR—zone 5) my HR doesn’t drop fast/low enough. I think that’s a valid call. Of course, I have no idea how the specialists would recommend I achieve a better drop speed.
So, I developed a plan. I decided to spend a few days at a target rate of 110 beats per minute (very difficult to move that slowly), then 115 bpm (easier), and then 120 bpm. Now I’m more like 125 bpm. After two weeks, when I was in the 115/120 range (and utterly bored), I re-instituted my version of HIIT (high-intensity interval training) for maybe two days/week…jog or whatever until the HR goes into zone 5, keep going with nasal breathing until I can’t continue (pant pant), then slow down, let HR go back to 120, and mosey at that rate for a while, then begin the HIIT regime again.
I’ll probably continue with this pattern, see if the HR drop situation improves. I could need several more months to achieve that.
Hypothesis: May is magnolia month.