An Experimental Study to determine Relationship Between Physical Activity and The Rate Of Heart Beat
Executive summary
Sometimes we ask ourselves questions about our physical activities and the way the different parts of the body respond. We are however not very sure about the different assumptions that we make. To be sure, it will be necessary to carry out an activity that will assure us. The physical exercises such as running and sporting activities increase the rate of heartbeat. The study examined how the rate of heartbeat rate was affected when the participant took part in physical activities such as push-ups and running. It also examined the rate of the participant on daily routine activities. The observation technique was used as the data collection method to collect data on the phenomena. This study qualifies to be categorized as experimental as it investigates the hypothesis that physical exercises (variables) varyingly influence heartbeat rate.
Introduction
In our daily activities, we engage ourselves in different physical activities. Some are strenuous and require a lot of energy, while others are just simple tasks that require little energy. This brings about a difference in the rate at which the heartbeats. My question about this is, “what is the relationship between the different physical activities that we engage in and rate of a heartbeat? To answer this question, I will conduct a research exercise where I will be able to have answered this question. Foreseen limitations include physiological and environmental factors such as varying weather conditions, setting, attitude, and diet throughout the sixteen days. Notably, these factors are known to affect heart rate variability.
Method
To conduct this exercise, I will first record my heart rate when I am at rest. The Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) device will be used to measure heart rate in real-time and record it for the study. I will then engage myself in the running for sixteen days and then record my heart rate and running. I will also do some push-ups for sixteen days and still record my heart rate and exercise. This will help me in answering my question about the relationship between the physical exercises and the heart rate. The chart below is an illustration of the different heart rates after running and after push-ups for sixteen days of my research. This study is experimental as it investigates the hypothesis that physical exercises (variables) varyingly influence heartbeat rate.
I came across several challenges when conducting my research. Some of the challenges that I encountered (Timonen et al., 2018).
- Harsh weather conditions – I was challenged by the harsh weather that was present when I was conducting my exercise. Sometimes the sun was scorching while sometimes rained heavily when I was running. I would not seek shelter because this would interfere with my records since this was a daily activity. However, I was able to overcome these challenges and came up with whatever I wanted.
- Lack of motivation from others – an exercise conducted by two or more people seems to be more enjoyable than that conducted by a single person. I conducted the exercise alone, which made me feel lonely. I was, able to overcome this challenge through self-motivation
- Reliance on self- reported data- the data I was relying on was self-data. This denied me the opportunity of making a comparison from other data samples, which would give e an idea of whether I was right or wrong.
Results
Figure 1 below shows that there is a relationship between the heart rate and the different physical exercises. From the average heart rate, it can be seen that my average heart rate is about seventy-two times per minute, for all the sixteen days. The mean heart rate for the sixteen days after running about 102 times in one minute. The average after push-ups is about 93 times per minute.
The heartbeat rate for a normal person as shown in figure 71.75 while upon the participant engaging in physical activity the rate was higher. When the participant engaged in push-ups the average heart rate was 92.8125 while running the rate was 101.8125.
Figure 2
|
| Normal Heart Rate | Heartbeat rate after running | Heartbeat rate after push-ups |
| 0.82490 | 2.1569 | 1.6286 |
| Normal Heartbeat | Heartbeat after running | Heartbeat after Push-ups | |
| Lower Quartile (Q1) | 71 | 100 | 91.5 |
| Middle Quartile (Q2) | 72 | 101.5 | 93 |
| Upper Quartile (Q3) | 72 | 103 | 94 |
| Interquartile range | 1 | 3 | 2.5 |
Comment: There are no outliers
This trends on the heartbeat rate during normal activity, during push-ups and running activities but they were no much disparity on the rates as shown in figure 2,3,4 and 5
Figure 2 Rate of heartbeat
Figure 3 Normal heart rate
Figure 4 Hear beat rate after running
Figure 5 Heartbeat rate after push-ups
From the above results, it is clear that the heart rate is higher when running as compared to the heart rate when doing push-ups. Among the two exercises, Running requires more energy as compared to push-ups (Lockie et al. 2019). This means that when we engage in exercises that involve a lot of energy, the heart rate is higher as compared to when engaging in exercises that require less energy, (Bellenger et al, 2016)
The heart rate increases when we engage ourselves in exercises that require energy. The heart beats continuously to keep blood circulating throughout the body. The rate of the heartbeat changes depending on the activity that one is involved in. it is low when someone is asleep and at rest and very active when one is in an activity. The heart rate increases to supply the necessary oxygenated blood required in the muscles which are active during the exercise. A higher rate of blood circulation is required for more active exercises than lower exercises. This necessitates the heart rate to increase. This explains the reason why my heart rate was higher when I was running as compared to when I was doing the push-ups.
This research achieved significant findings on heart rate variability during different exercises. Data analysis shows that the heart rate is faster than normal when doing push-ups and even faster when running. The main objective was to answer the question of how the heart rate changes with the different exercises that we involved in. According to the results, the research question has been addressed. When I make a comparison of the two results, I observe that the heart rate and the level of exercise are directly related. The higher the level of exercise, the higher the level of the heart rate.
Part B
According to Utts (2014), several components determine the interpretation of results because crucial information is often left out in research. Such components include the source of research and funding, researchers who had contact with the participants, individuals or objects studied and how they were selected, the exact nature of measurements, the setting, extraneous differences, and the magnitude of effects and differences. This is a research project that was conducted to know the relationship between the heart rate and the different physical activities. To establish clarity, component number 5 should be reviewed to shed light to readers so that they are not only at the mercy of my conclusions but can also determine for themselves.
Research setting refers to the physical, social, and cultural location in which the researcher carries out the study. For qualitative studies, the researcher studies participants in their natural surroundings. However, my study is uniquely different as it’s a quantitative study that features me as the researcher and also participant. Differences in weather conditions and locations throughout the sixteen days constitute crucial information that may alarm an interested reader of this report. Hot temperatures increase demands and workload on a person’s cardiovascular system. Patancheru (2014) notes that for every degree that a person’s body temperature rises, the heart beats approximately ten beats per minute faster.
While addressing component 3: individuals or objects studied and how they were selected, it’s crucial to note that my study uses purposive sampling. A good sample should be representative of the entire population. This study focuses on me, as a representation of other human beings; male and female.
References
Bellenger, C. R., Fuller, J. T., Thomson, R. L., Davison, K., Robertson, E. Y., & Buckley, J. D. (2016). Monitoring athletic training status through autonomic heart rate regulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports medicine, 46(10), 1461-1486.
Lockie, R. G., Moreno, M. R., Cesario, K. A., Balfany, K., Dulla, J., Orr, R. M., & Dawes, J. (2019). With Great Power Comes Great Ability: Fitness Relationships with Work Sample Test Battery Performance in Deputy Sheriff Recruits. Washington DC, United States.
Patancheru, G. R. (2014). A wearable prototype of a reflective sensor for non-invasive measurement of heart rate. diplom.de.
Timonen, V., Foley, G., & Conlon, C. (2018). Challenges when using grounded theory: A pragmatic introduction to doing GT research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 17(1), 1609406918758086.
Utts, J. M. (2014). Seeing through statistics. Cengage Learning
Appendix
Table 1: Table for the rate of heartbeat recorded before and after the push-ups and running
| Normal heart rate | After running | After push-ups | |
| Day 1 | 72 | 100 | 95 |
| Day 2 | 72 | 101 | 94 |
| Day 3 | 73 | 103 | 93 |
| Day 4 | 71 | 99 | 91 |
| Day 5 | 72 | 100 | 93 |
| Day 6 | 72 | 103 | 92 |
| Day 7 | 71 | 106 | 94 |
| Day 8 | 73 | 106 | 90 |
| Day 9 | 71 | 102 | 92 |
| Day 10 | 70 | 101 | 95 |
| Day 11 | 72 | 104 | 93 |
| Day 12 | 73 | 103 | 95 |
| Day 13 | 72 | 102 | 94 |
| Day 14 | 72 | 100 | 93 |
| Day 15 | 71 | 99 | 90 |
| Day 16 | 71 | 100 | 91 |