Testing your heart rate can be as simple as taking your own pulse or as complex as going to a cardiologist who uses the most sophisticated technology available in the medical field. Taking the heart rate, or pulse, is simply counting the number of times your heart beats within a one-minute period. Testing the heart rate usually involves putting your heart under some type of stress such as exercising moderately to vigorously, then testing the strength of the pulse, the pattern and rhythm of the rate.
Step 1
Determine where you would like to measure your heart rate and choose which location is easiest for you to reach. Common places for taking your pulse include the radial (or wrist) carotid (or neck) pedal (or feet) or the back of your knees. These are areas where an artery is lying close to the skin and is easier to feel. The carotid, or neck artery, is the largest, strongest and easiest place for most people to take their heart rates.
Step 2
Place your index and middle finger firmly on the artery you choose. According to the Health Guide Section of The New York Times, finding your pulse can be done in the following manner: For the carotid artery in your neck, place these two fingers to the side of the Adam's apple, below the jaw bone, in the soft, hollow part of the upper neck until you find the pulse. For the wrist, place flat index and middle fingers over the underside of the opposite wrist, 1 or 2 inches below the base of the thumb, and press firmly.
Step 3
Count the beats for one full minute. Many people may choose to time for 15 seconds and multiply by four, but this is not as accurate as timing for one full minute. Within that minute, you may feel an irregularity or dysrhythmia, a bounding or hard pulse for several beats, or a very week pulse for several beats. If any of these irregularities occur, check with your doctor as soon as possible as they could be signs of a serious medical condition.
Step 4
Compare the resting heart rate with the exercising heart rate. The resting rate occurs after 10 full minutes of resting in one place, or even more accurate, check your morning heart rate before rising out of bed. Your exercising heart rate may be taken at any point and can measure mild to vigorous cardiac activity. The New York Times "Pulse" report uses the following normal resting rates: Newborns--100 to 160 beats per minute; children 1 through 10 years old -- 70 to 120 bpm; older than 10 years old and adults -- 60 to 100 bpm; and trained athletes may run as low as 40 to 60 beats per minute due to the extreme efficiency of their hearts and circulatory systems.
Step 5
Exercise your heart regularly but stay within 50 percent to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. This is what the American Heart Association calls your target heart rate. Pick a favorite exercise such as walking, bicycling, jogging or swimming. Check your heart rate before, during and after exercise. Target your heart rate to work efficiently but not too hard or too slow. The AHA recommends target heart rates according to age. If you are 20 to 30 years old, your target rate should be 95 to 162 bpm and a maximum of 190. For 35 to 45 years of age, the target is 88 to 149 and make your maximum 175 bpm. For older adults, 50 to 60 years, the target is 80 to 136 with a maximum of 160 bpm. Another simple formula the AHA gives to figure your target rate is to use a maximum heart rate of 220, then minus your age from that number.
Step 6
The AHA recommends when you are starting to exercise and get in shape, aim for a low target rate such as 50 percent during the first few weeks. Gradually build your heart rate up to 75 percent after several more weeks. After six months or more of regular exercise, you can comfortably reach 85 percent of your maximum heart rate and achieve true fitness.
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