Good ol Heart Rate!

[1fever]

We all hate BMI but your heart rate is still a good measure for overall health whether you are a a long distance runner or a body builder. So I figured I would bring it up again and just give everyone an FYI in case you didn't know.

Taking your pulse is easy. It requires no special equipment, however, a watch with a second hand or digital second counter is very helpful. Just rest for 10 minutes then:

• Turn the palm side of your hand facing up.
• Place your index and middle fingers of your opposite hand on your wrist, approximately 1 inch below the base of your hand.
• Press your fingers down in the grove between your middle tendons and your outside bone. You should feel a throbbing - your pulse.
• Count the number of beats for 10 seconds, then multiply this number by 6. This will give you your heat rate for a minute.

So when I did it I got 54 bpm. 9 beats in 10 seconds X 6= 54

Healthy adults average 60-100 beats per minute (bpm). Women will have a higher heart rate then men.

Athletes will range from 40-60 bpm. Less then 40 or over 100 and you may want to get checked out. If you have an irregular beat check it for the full minute and if it stays irregular see a doc.

To calculate your maximum heart rate subtract your age from 220.

So for me 220-27=193 max for exercise.

With that you can now calculate the percentages of heart rate to hit fitness goals while exercising. So if an exercise calls for me to hit 80% of my maximum heart rate it would be 154 bpm.

Hope this helped. So now tell us what you are at for resting and maximum heart rate!

Me: resting 54, Max: 193

[MMyers]

Got 8 the first time and retested to make sure since I didn't believe it.

(48 Beats Per Minute)

7.5 the second time.

8 the third time.

220-18= 202

Resting= 48

Max= 202

If it makes a difference I checked using my index and middle on my neck so I could click the stopwatch on and off. Also, it took me a good minute to find it, the way my heart pumps is really subtle and slow for some reason.

[1fever]

I believe it...your heart is one of the first things to get healthier when workouts begin...plus you're a youngin'

[Oogiem]

Mine varies a lot but has never been higher than 72 most often I am at 60 or less. It's not irregular per se, just at different times of the day my "resting" heart rate is quite different.

I'm not posting max as that is TMI re my age ;-)

[1fever]

Mine varies a lot but has never been higher than 72 most often I am at 60 or less. It's not irregular per se, just at different times of the day my "resting" heart rate is quite different.

I'm not posting max as that is TMI re my age ;-)

Damnit my ploy to get womens ages has been discovered....and it would've worked too if it weren't for your meddling sheep farming spies!

[Oogiem]

meddling sheep farming spies!

You did look at the what I do/did for a living thread right? ;-)

[CokeCanNinja]

I just got back from a run, so mines probably alot higher. I promise I'll do this after school when I get home.

[Philociraptor]

Whoa, mine is somewhere between 64 and 68 (I did 15s x 4, 16 the first time, 17 the second). That seems low to me, as mine's always been quite a bit higher (high 70's, low 80's). I guess working out lowers it. Woot!

[halftruths]

Today's Resting HR is 67. I'll fluxuate anywhere between 61 and 72, depending on the time of the month, overall stress levels, what I've eaten, and whether or not I'm feeling "thready" (which is often an indication that I'm under the weather).

Max HR: 191