Heart Rate Recovery

This tool is a good way of seeing how fit you are.  If you follow the steps below it will give you an indicator of how fit you are.  The faster you recover to your normal resting heart rate the fitter you are essentially.

Calculate Normal Resting Heart Rate

Step 1

Sit still for approximately 10 minutes.

Step 2

Turn your hand so your palm is facing up.  Alternatively you can use a heart rate monitor which makes the test significantly easier to monitor and slightly more accurate.

Step 3

Press the index and two middle fingers of your opposite hand between the arm bone on the thumb side of your hand and the middle tendons, about 1 inch down from your wrist. Adjust the position of your fingers, if necessary, until you feel a slight throbbing.

Step 4

Watch the second hand on your watch or clock for 10 seconds and count the number of throbs you feel.

Step 5

Multiply the number of throbs by six to determine your normal resting heart rate.

Calculate Maximum Heart Rate Ranges

Step 1

Subtract the number 220 from your current age in years to determine maximum heart rate.

Step 2

Multiply your maximum heart rate by 0.8 to identify the upper range limit.

Step 3

Multiply your maximum heart rate by 0.6 to identify the lower range limit.

Calculate Recovery Heart Rate

Step 1

Exercise and take a pulse measurement at regular intervals until your pulse is within the maximum heart rate range you calculated in the previous section. Record your exercise pulse rate.

Step 2

Stop exercising, wait for one minute and take your pulse again.

Step 3

Subtract the pulse measurement you recorded when resting from the pulse measurement you recorded while exercising to calculate your recovery heart rate. According to CardiologyRounds.com, normal heart rate recovery requires a decrease of 13 or more beats within the one-minute period. A decrease of 12 or fewer beats is an abnormal recovery heart rate.

It may seem a little long winded but it is a great way to see how fit you are becoming.  Firstly with sustained regime of exercise you will see your resting heart rate start to decrease in beats per minute (BPM).  Secondly you heart will recover its normal resting BPM faster.

Anyway I will leave you with that as food for thought.  If you have any questions you can comment on here or pm me on Facebook or just give me a call if your lucky enough to have my number :-P