010-111 · Question #223
What heart rate changes are observed as a result of chronic aerobic training?
The correct answer is B. Both submaximal heart rate for a standard exercise task, and resting heart rate decrease. Chronic aerobic training reduces both resting heart rate and the heart rate required to perform a standard submaximal exercise task by improving cardiovascular efficiency.
Question
What heart rate changes are observed as a result of chronic aerobic training?
Options
- ASubmaximal heart rate increases for a standard exercise task, while resting heart rate decreases.
- BBoth submaximal heart rate for a standard exercise task, and resting heart rate decrease.
- CResting heart rate decreases but there is no change in submaximal heart rate for a standard
- DSubmaximal heart rate decreases for a standard exercise task and resting heart rate increases.
How the community answered
(43 responses)- A12% (5)
- B81% (35)
- C2% (1)
- D5% (2)
Why each option
Chronic aerobic training reduces both resting heart rate and the heart rate required to perform a standard submaximal exercise task by improving cardiovascular efficiency.
Submaximal heart rate does not increase after aerobic training; improved stroke volume means fewer beats are needed to achieve the same cardiac output at a given workload.
Regular aerobic training increases stroke volume through cardiac hypertrophy and improved ventricular filling, allowing the heart to deliver equivalent or greater cardiac output at a lower rate both at rest and during submaximal work. This produces training-induced resting bradycardia and a downward shift in the heart rate response to any given submaximal workload. Both adaptations reflect increased parasympathetic tone and enhanced autonomic regulation driven by chronic endurance exercise.
This answer is incomplete because submaximal heart rate does in fact decrease with chronic aerobic training, not remain unchanged.
Resting heart rate decreases - not increases - with chronic aerobic training because enhanced stroke volume allows adequate perfusion at a lower beat frequency.
Concept tested: Chronic aerobic training cardiovascular adaptations - heart rate
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459178/
Topics
Community Discussion
5
Fatima Z.Jun 26, 2026The answer is B, and here is your hook to nail it: think "BOTH go DOWN like a well-trained engine at idle and cruise" because chronic aerobic training makes your heart more efficient at REST (lower resting HR) AND during WORK (lower submaximal HR for the same task), since your stroke volume goes up so your ticker does not need to beat as often either way.
Carlos M.Jun 23, 2026B is right, but if you read A too fast it sounds plausible because resting HR definitely drops and you might think submaximal HR stays the same or goes up due to some compensation effect. The key insight is that aerobic training makes the heart more efficient at every intensity, so both resting and submaximal HR decrease for the same given workload.
Fatima Z.Jun 26, 2026Carlos nailed the efficiency piece, and here is the sticky version to lock it in: think "LESS BEATS, MORE MEAT," because a trained heart pumps more stroke volume per beat so it needs fewer beats at rest AND during that jog you do every Tuesday.
Orla P.Jun 26, 2026Both rates drop, right - but why does submaximal HR fall more noticeably than resting?
Hiroshi T.Jun 26, 2026Took the 010-111 back in March and this one came up almost word for word. I remembered that chronic aerobic training lowers both resting HR and submaximal HR for the same absolute workload because stroke volume improves, so the heart pumps more blood per beat and does not need to beat as fast, which locked me into B right away.