Your heart rate when playing

[Geordie]

Last week I started using a Garmin watch with built in heart rate monitor. It tracks your heart rate all day and you can see how it has changed during exercise and throughout the day. I have been surprised to notice that at certain times when playing my heart rate record shows the same rate, or higher, as when I’m exercising quite hard. I expected it to rise when playing but not by so much. Anybody got any insight on this?

[ghmerrill]

Take your blood pressure as well. You'll probably see some interesting results.

Think about it. Playing a wind instrument is in fact a form of cardiovascular exercise. Not exactly like running sprints, but it will have the expected effects.

[harrisonreed]

"Talk to your doctor to see if Inderal is right for you...."

[ghmerrill]

"Talk to your doctor to see if Inderal is right for you...."

I was going to make a snotty response to this along the lines that "How would you even get it without talking to your doctor, and why would you want it?" Then I remembered that beta blockers have become at least semi-popular among musicians to "even out" things like performance anxiety.

[harrisonreed]

Cheers. Jokes in multiple layers

[Geordie]

Gary’s point about playing being a cardio vascular exercise rings true for me. My blood pressure is good for my age which is why the size of the spike in heart rate came as a surprise.

[BurckhardtS]

Also realize your blood pressure massively fluctuates while exercising and also probably playing too. Your blood pressure can climb and drop as much as 45mm/hg within a minute, and it ALSO climbs when your anxiety response kicks in.

[Corey]

What’s normal (resting) and how high does it go while playing?

[ghmerrill]

Normal resting depends on a number of factors. Google it and see what it turns out to be for your current age, condition and medical history. There is no real "normal resting". There are expectations and targets based on your age, condition, your regimen, and your medical history. So "normal resting" is relative to a particular cohort or sub-population.

[Corey]

Clarification to the original poster: what is your resting heart rate, and how high does it go while playing?

[ArbanRubank]

I agree that it is a sneaky-good form of exercise! I know my body temperature and everything elevates pretty much in sync with how difficult the music is I am attempting to play!

However, I also believe I should strive to keep my metabolism down as low as possible when playing b/c it is best for me to play from as relaxed a state as possible. My multiple-tonguing, range, endurance and musicality are all best when I can keep myself as calm & fluid as possible while playing. That stated, I work very, very hard every day to make my playing as effortless as possible <grin>. And yet I always manage to get in a good work-out anyway! Lol.

[timothy42b]

My fitbit says my resting heartbeat is 58. During my prework practice this morning it jumped to 83 with a peak of 93. However, I play a few minutes then stretch shoulders, play a few minutes and exercise neck, play a few minutes and do a plank, etc. And I play in the basement so I've just gone down stairs a couple of times. So it's hard to know what's playing vs activity.

A few years back I did a parade. Not having marched in some time, I got out one of those exercise mini-trampolines and played scales while stepping in place. I didn't own a fitbit then though.

[Geordie]

Corey, my resting heart rate is 63-65. When playing can rise to 130-135 give or take.

[joshy0928]

I would love to see how many steps you can get off of moving the slide with the watch on your right wrist

[timothy42b]

I would love to see how many steps you can get off of moving the slide with the watch on your right wrist

I keep threatening to do that.

I direct a handbell choir, and I rang bells at a festival recently. 15,000 steps.