I’ve heard that a good indicator of fitness is how fast your heart rate returns to normal after exercising. Is this true? And what is considered a good time?
Jon Andrews, Poole

Matt Hart answers: This is certainly true. But how quickly your heart rate returns to normal levels after exercise really depends on a number of factors. These include the type, duration and intensity of the exercise. Even a top athlete can experience a prolonged elevated heart rate for up to 24 hours after exercise and this occurs because the individual has driven his or her body beyond its normal boundaries. But a fit person following their usual regular routine should expect their heart rate to return to near their resting heart rate levels within two minutes.