Resting and Maximum Heart Rates
How to Calculate the Heart Beat Rate for Maximum Results
© Kim Ford
Aug 17, 2009
Before looking at heart rate training zones it is important for an individual to be able to determine his resting and maximum heart rates. The figures obtained relate to the number of times the heart beats in a minute and is always referred to the beats per minute or bpm.
What is the Resting Heart Rate?
The resting heart rate is the number of times the heart will beat in a minute when the body is at rest. Babies generally have the fastest resting heart rates and as they get older their heart rate will slow down.
How to Calculate the Resting Heart Rate
The resting heart rate is best calculated first thing in the morning while the individual is still in bed. Anther good opportunity is when the individual is completely relaxed and has been either sitting or resting for a time. The individual should take his pulse in either his neck or wrist using the index and middle fingers of the opposite hand. The thumb has a pulse of its own and should not be used as it will confuse the result.
Once the individual has found his pulse he can count the number of beats they feel in ten seconds. This number is then multiplied by six to achieve the resting heart rate total.
Why is the Resting Heart Rate Important?
The resting heart rate is used to measure an individual’s level of fitness. The fitter a person is the slower their resting heart rate will be. If an unfit person were to take up exercising he would find that over time his resting heart rate would reduce.
The rate at which an individual’s heart rate returns to normal after exercise is also an indicator to his level of fitness. A fitter person will find his heart rate returns to normal much quicker than a less fit person.
What is the Maximum Heart Rate?
A simple calculation will determine the maximum number of times the heart is capable of beating in a minute. Of course, every individual is different therefore this number will always be an approximate, however it is fine to use as an average when calculating percentages of the maximum heart rate.
How to Calculate the Maximum Heart Rate
The maximum heart rate is 220 minus the individual's age. As people age their maximum heart rate will decrease which is why the age is always taken from a figure that remains the same. For example: the maximum heart rate for a 20 year old would be 200 beats per minute (bpm) and the maximum heart rate for a 50 year old would be 170 bpm.
Why is the Maximum Heart Rate Important?
The maximum heart rate is used as a basis for the heart rate training zones. The heart rate training zones require an individual to work within one of four zones: the moderate aerobic zone, the weight management or ‘fat burning’ zone, the aerobic fitness or ‘aerobic training’ zone and the peak aerobic performance zone. Each zone is situated between two different percentages of the maximum heart rate.
How to Calculate Percentages of the Maximum Heart Rate
To determine the percentages in which the training zones sit the maximum heart rate is divided by 100 and then multiplied by the number of percentage required.
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