The Effect of Exercise on Heart Rate

The Effect of Exercise on Heart Rate

The aim of this investigation is to find out how different types of

exercise can affect my heart rate.

To measure and record my heart rate, I am going to undergo an

experimental test. I am going to do 3 different types of exercise:

walking, light jog and lastly hard running. First, I will draw out a

table to record my results, and then I will measure my resting heart

rate for one minute. To make the experiment as accurate as possible, I

will take and record each exercise, including my resting heart rate, 3

times to increase precision and to make sure each recording is exact.

Initially, I am going to measure my resting heart rate 3 times for one

minute. Each time I get my reading, I will record it into the table.

My first exercise that I will carry out is going to be walking. I am

going to walk for exactly one minute, and after that minute, I will

measure and record my heart rate 3 times, also for one minute. I will

rest for 5 minutes after each exercise in order to get my heart rate

back to its resting pace. After my heart rate is back to its normal

resting pace, I will take my second exercise, which is a light jog. I

will lightly jog continuously for one minute, stop and take my heart

rate for one minute and then do the same process another two times.

Then finally I am going to do hard running for exactly one minute, and

after that minute, I will measure and record my heart rate 3 times,

also for one minute.

The apparatus that I will use to carry out my experiment consists of:

a stopwatch, a pen, a pencil, a ruler and paper.

To get reliable and detailed results, when exercising and measuring

the pulse of my heart rate for one minute, I will use a

stopwatch/clock, by doing so, it increase the accuracy of the test.

Furthermore, when I am regaining my resting heart rate for five

minutes, I will also use the stopwatch/clock to precisely time the 5

minutes. It is important to keep the timing the same each time because

a second either way can alter the final results causing it to be

imprecise. I will exercise and record my heart rate for one minute

each time, and for every exercise I will do this three times. Plus,

after each exercise, I will rest for 5 minutes to recover my resting

heart rate. Also I will after each exercise I will record my heart

rate for one minute three times.

The important variables of the experiment are the change of the type

of exercise completed each time. The first exercise will be walking,

the following light logging and the last, hard running. I will perform

these different types of exercises in a safe, open area such as a

field.

I predict that my heart rate will increase the faster and harder the

exercise is. This is because exercise or other increases in physical

activity require muscles to work harder or faster. To perform, our

muscles consume oxygen. As our muscles work harder or faster, they

require more oxygen. This increased demand for oxygen causes changes

in the circulatory and respiratory systems. Our respiration or

breathing rate increases: we take more breaths per minute in order to

get more oxygen into the body. Our heart rate increases: the heart

beats more times per minute in order to pump the blood containing the

oxygen to the muscles. As a result, the muscles receive more oxygen

per minute. Our heart rate and respiration rate stay elevated as long

as the muscles continue to need more oxygen. When we stop exercising,

the heart rate and respiration rate gradually decrease because the

muscles no longer need as much oxygen. Therefore I predict my resting

heart rate will be the lowest, and then the walking, light jogging and

my hard running heart rate will be the highest.

The measurements that I will use will be in seconds (s) and beats per

minute (bpm) e.g. whilst running for 60s my heart rate was 180bpm.

To ensure safety throughout my experiment, I will make sure I am

wearing shoes which have a rubber grip on the soles to prevent

slippage while I am doing the exercises e.g. trainers. Also, if

someone has an injury, bandages should be used to support and protect

the injury.

After completing the experiment, I got the following results:

Table of results:

Heart Rate (Beats Per Minute)

Type of Exercise carried out for 1 min.