Book 10, Question 28
Why Does Heart Rate Rise When You Sprint?
Your heart rate rises when you sprint because your muscles need more oxygen and fuel, fast! Your heart speeds up to make deliveries. It also picks up the trash, which is carbon dioxide.
More fun facts
- Your heart is a muscle, so exercise helps keep it healthy too.
- In the first few minutes of exercise, your heart rate can jump by 20 to 50 beats per minute or more.
- For adults, maximum heart rate is about 220 beats per minute minus your age.
- For a 20 year old, that means a top heart rate of about 200 and a target zone of 100 to 170.
- Fit people, like Olympic sprinters, return to their resting heart rate faster after a race.
Sources: Scientific American, National Geographic, Scientific American
Questions kids ask
Does being fit change your heart rate?
Yes. Fit people's heart rates return to resting faster after exercise.