An average, healthy adult has a resting heart rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute, says Edward R. Laskowski, physical rehabilitation specialist with the Mayo Clinic. The lower your resting heart rate, the better your heart health and cardiovascular fitness. Monitoring your heart rate during exercise can help ensure you're reaching your optimal heart rate zone for your fitness level and goals.
Step 1
Calculate your resting heart rate by taking your pulse upon waking up without an alarm. Place two fingers along the carotid artery near your windpipe. Count your heartbeats for 15 seconds and multiply by four to get your resting heart rate.
Step 2
Subtract your age and your resting heart rate from 220 to get your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate is the highest you could attain during physical activity, explains Health Services at Columbia University.
Step 3
Multiply your maximum heart rate by 0.7 if you're a healthy adult and by 0.4 if you're just getting started exercising. Subtract your resting heart rate from the result to determine the lower limit of your optimal heart rate range.
Step 4
Multiply your maximum heart rate by 0.85 or 0.5 for advanced and beginning exercisers, respectively. Subtract your resting heart rate to determine the upper limit of your optimal heart rate range.
Step 5
Check your heart rate during and after your workout, and adjust the intensity of your exercise to keep your heart rate between the upper and lower limits.
Tips and Warnings
- Some aerobic exercise machines have built-in heart rate monitors for quick checking during your workout.
- Stop exercising immediately if you feel faint, dizzy or out of breath. Talk to your doctor before beginning any new exercise program.
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