For decades, blokes have tossed around the idea that your heart only has so many beats in it. That you should “save them up” instead of “wasting” them on running, riding, or anything that gets you puffing. Turns out, that’s complete crap for most of the population and a lower resting heart rate is the reason why. There was a study just done — on elite cyclists — that suggested this, in a backhanded way.
This New Australian research, however, just blew myth out of the water — and it’s the best kind of news for anyone who trains. According to scientists at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and St Vincent’s Institute, fitter people actually use fewer total heartbeats a day than sedentary types. Yep — even though athletes’ hearts hammer during a workout, their resting heart rates are so much lower that they still come out ahead.
How far ahead? Around 10 percent fewer beats every 24 hours — that’s about 11,500 heartbeats saved per day. Multiply that over a year and your ticker’s done 4 million fewer reps than your mate who never leaves the couch.
The Efficiency Myth, Dead and Buried
The research, published in JACC: Advances, tracked elite cyclists, weekend warriors and average guys, comparing 24-hour heart-rate data. Athletes averaged 68 beats per minute, compared with 76 bpm for the unfit group.
It’s a small difference that adds up fast. “Even though athletes’ hearts work harder during training, their lower resting rates more than make up for it,” explains Professor Andre La Gerche, who leads the HEART Lab at St Vincent’s.
He says a slower resting pulse isn’t a sign your heart’s “tired” — it’s proof it’s efficient. A strong heart pumps more blood per beat, so it doesn’t need to hammer away to get the job done. That efficiency translates directly to a longer lifespan and fewer cardiovascular problems.
In other words, training doesn’t drain your battery — it upgrades your engine.
Resting Heart Rate (RHR) is the number of heartbeats per minute while at complete rest. It’s an important indicator of cardiovascular fitness—lower RHR often correlates with better heart health and higher fitness levels.
| Category | 18-25 | 26-35 | 36-45 | 46-55 | 56-65 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athlete | 40–52 | 44–50 | 47–53 | 49–54 | 51–56 | 52–55 |
| Excellent | 56–61 | 55–61 | 57–62 | 58–63 | 57–61 | 56–61 |
| Good | 62–65 | 62–65 | 63–66 | 64–67 | 62–67 | 62–65 |
| Above Average | 66–69 | 66–70 | 67–70 | 68–71 | 68–71 | 66–69 |
| Average | 70–73 | 71–74 | 71–75 | 72–76 | 72–75 | 70–73 |
| Below Average | 74–81 | 75–81 | 76–82 | 77–83 | 76–81 | 74–79 |
| Poor | 82+ | 82+ | 83+ | 84+ | 82+ | 80+ |
Moderate Beats Madness
If you’re thinking, “So I’ll just train like a Tour de France pro,” not so fast. The biggest benefits come from consistency, not extremes.
“The biggest bang for your health buck is going from unfit to moderately fit,” says La Gerche. “Just a few hours of purposeful exercise a week can transform your heart’s efficiency.”
So whether it’s riding to work, hitting a few trail runs, or swimming laps, you’re not burning through your life’s supply of heartbeats — you’re teaching your heart to use them smarter.
The Real Takeaway
A lower resting heart rate is one of the clearest signs your training is working. It’s also one of the strongest predictors of a longer life. The researchers call it “metabolic efficiency,” but you can think of it this way: every session you put in today means your heart can chill out tomorrow.
And if someone still tells you exercise “wears you out,” tell them to take it up with the Victor Chang Institute — or better yet, take them for a run and prove the point.
