Is my resting heart rate a good indicator of fitness, and what should it be?
Luke Horne, Bristol

Matt Hart answers: Resting heart rate (RHR) is a pretty good indicator of fitness because, broadly speaking, the lower it is, the fitter and healthier you are. An RHR of 60-80 beats per minute (bpm) is considered the ‘normal’ range, yet some endurance athletes have gone as low as 30-40bpm. The lower your RHR, the less stress your heart muscle is under when you’re resting. In fact, even when they’re not resting fit people generally have lower heart rates than the less fit.