What is a Pulse RateDefined as the rate at which the heart beats in one minute, the pulse rate or th...

1. Pulse Rate Chart
What is a Pulse Rate
Defined as the rate at which the heart beats in one minute, the pulse rate or the heartbeat is an
effective indicator of one's health. It is basically the number of times your heart beats in a minute. As
the heart pumps blood into the body, the blood vessels close to the wrist, upper arm and neck start
pulsating and throbbing. The pulse rate is often noted in situations where it is important to ascertain
if the heart is pumping enough blood especially after an injury or in an emergency. The pulse rate
also indicates the cause behind symptoms like dizziness, fainting and rapid heartbeat. Moreover, it is
essentially a check of your overall fitness and health during and after an exercise regime.
How to Check Pulse Rate
The pulse rate can roughly be measured if you place your fingertip at a place heart beat monitor
where an artery that is close to one's skin can be compressed against a bone. The common areas in
which you can check the pulse rate include:
Wrists
Neck (either side of the windpipe)
Top of the feet
Behind the knee
Temple area
To check the pulse rate in the wrist, you turn up your wrists so that the palms are facing up. Now
place your middle finger and index finger below the thumb and exert a slight pressure against the
bone. Count the pulse beat for thirty seconds. Double the result to get the number of beats per
minute. You can also use electronic pulse meters to find the pulse in the chest, wrist and finger.
Checking your pulse when resting, during or after a workout can certainly give information about
the overall fitness.
Average Resting Pulse Rate
The number of times one's heart beats while one's body is in a state of complete rest is medically
referred to as the resting heart or pulse rate. Lower resting heart rates are indicators of a healthier
heart. To calculate the resting heart rate or the pulse, you have to sit quietly for 10 minutes. Now
place the tip of your index, middle or ring finger on the radial artery
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AHeart%20Rate%20Monitor
that is present at the wrist. One can also place the finger at brachial artery at the inner side of the
elbow, posterior tibial artery near the ankle joint or the popliteal artery behind the knee to measure
the pulse rate.Age
Pulse Rate
Babies under the age of 1

2. 100 - 160
Children aged 1 to 10
70 - 120
Children aged 11 to 17
60 - 100
Adults
60 - 100
Well conditioned athletes
40 - 60
When To Check
The best time to assess the resting pulse rate is in the morning after you wake up. Once you are
awake do not start checking immediately. Lie quietly for around fifteen minutes and then check the
pulse rate using the same method as described above. To find out the average resting pulse rate, you
will need to record the resting pulse rate for three days. Add the three values and then divide it by
three to get the average resting pulse rate
Factors That Affect Resting Pulse Rate
There are many factors that may cause variations in this pulse rate. These include:
? Temperature changes: When temperatures rise, the heart pumps more blood leading to rise in
pulse rate
? Fitness Levels: Well-conditioned athletes have lower pulse rate because their heart is ideally better
at pumping blood due to less fatty deposits in the body.
? Body position: Based on whether you are sitting, standing or lying your pulse rate will differ
? Emotional Level: Stress and tension can increase the pulse rate significantly
? Body Size and weight: If you are overweight then the body requires additional energy to pump
blood. This can lead to a higher resting pulse rate
? Medications: Certain beta blockers or thyroid medications can affect the pulse rate.
? Activities: During different activities, your pulse rate will differ. For example a rise in the pulse
rate can be seen after meals, during sex and after exercising.

3. Target Heart Rate (THR)
The target heart rate or the target pulse rate refers to the rate at which blood must be pumped by
the heart during a workout so that the body gets the maximum benefit from the workout. When we
exercise the heart pumps more blood and hence the pulse rate increases. So how do we discern
when it is safe to exercise and not overwork ourselves?
Calculating Target Heart Rate
Usually the target heart rate should be about 65-85% of the maximum heart rate. The maximum
heart rate is calculates as 220 minus your age. So if your age is 55 then the maximum heart rate is
165 bpm (beats per minute). Once you have calculated the maximum heart rate multiply it with 0.85
to get the upper limit of target heart rate and 0.65 to get the lower limit of target heart rate.
Upper Limit of Target Heart Rate: 165 x 0.85 = 140.25
Lower Limit of Target Heart: 165 x 0.65 = 107.25
Age
Fat Burning Zone
(50 -65%)
Target Heart rate Zone
(65 - 85%)
High Intensity Zone
(90%)
20
100 - 130

4. 130 - 170
190
25
97.5 - 126.75
126.75 - 165.75
185.25
30
95 - 123.5
123.5 - 161.5
180.5
35
92.5 - 120.25
120.25 - 157.25
175.75
40
90 - 117
117 - 153
171
45
87.5 - 113.7
113.7 - 148.75
166.25
50
85 - 110.5
110.5 - 144.5
161.5

5. 55
82.5 - 107.25
107.25 - 140.25
156.75
60
80 - 104
104 - 136
152
65
77.5 - 85.25
100.75 - 131.75
147.25
70
75 - 97.5
97.5 - 127.5
142.5
75
72.5 - 94.25
94.25 - 123.25
137.75
80
70 - 91
91 - 119
133
85
67.5 - 87.5

6. 87.5 - 114.75
128.25
Source HPMC Occupational Medical Services
Fat Burning Zone: In the table above the fat burning zone (50 - 65% of Maximum HR) indicates low
intensity workouts wherein the fat is metabolized for energy. This is usually for people who are new
to exercising or suffer from some heart diseases. In this zone you burn less calories, and there is no
significant improvement in the cardiovascular health.
Target Heart Rate Zone: As you continue exercising your body gets conditioned to the moderate
intense workouts. In this zone you tend to lose the excess calories and become fitter. Other than
losing weight you are also more fitter and energetic.
High Intensity Zone: The high intensity workouts are meant for extremely fit individuals like
athletes. Indulging in extremely strenuous physical activities or intensive workouts where the heart
rate is beyond 85% of the maximum heart rate can increase both cardiovascular and orthopedic risk.
Since strenuous exercises increase the pulse rate, it is advisable to check with your health care
provider, before starting an exercise program. You can also use a heartbeat calculator to measure
the increase in heart rates. Check the chart given below, to find whether you need to increase or
decrease the intensity of your workouts.
Recovery Pulse Rate
The recovery pulse rate measures how fast the heartbeat returns to normal after exercising. This
indicates your fitness levels. To check the recovery pulse rate
Check your pulse rate immediately after stopping
Your pulse rate after 2 minutes
Subtract the pulse rate immediately after stopping with the pulse rate after two minutes to get the
recovery heart rate. If the difference is significantly big then your heart is healthy and you are fit.
Irregular Pulse Rate
Low Pulse Rate (Bradycardia): Low pulse rate which is less than sixty in adults is usually seen in
athletes and sports professionals. However in certain cases the low pulse rate also known as
Bradycardia can signal an underlying health problem. Coronary artery disease, infections in the
heart valves including myocarditis and endocarditis, electrolyte imbalances, low thyroid levels and
certain medications like beta blockers can lower the pulse rate. This leads to dizziness, fainting,
difficulty in breathing, chest pain and problems in concentrating.
Fast Pulse Rate (Tachycardia): Fast or irregular pulse rate is when the heart beats at more than 100
beats per minute. Coronary artery diseases, heart failure, heart muscle problems, lung diseases,
electrolyte imbalances, emotional stress and high blood pressure are some of the common causes for
fast pulse rate. It can lead to lightheadedness, fainting, weakness and fluttering in the chest. A high
pulse rate can also indicate heart attacks, chronic lung diseases, congenital heart defects or certain

7. heart conditions.
The pulse rate chart is a great way of discerning your fitness levels and general health condition.
However, if you have irregular pulse rate along with associated symptoms then it is best to consult a
doctor immediately.
Disclaimer: This article is for informative purposes only, and does not attempt to replace the advice
offered by an expert on the subject.