Measuring Heart Rate

Heart rate is a measure of the number of heart beats occurring over a 60 second period and can be measured at rest and during exercise.

Resting heart rate is measured in order to get a baseline that can be used to assess and monitor a person against over time.  Assessing resting heart rate gives us an indication of whether a client is safe to train, or to approach training with caution.  If a client had an excessively high resting heart rate, we would want to ensure we moderated the training accordingly to make sure we did not place undue stress on their cardiovascular system.  It also allows us to assess clients cardiovascular fitness, as a decrease in resting heart rate over time as a result of training is an indication of increased cardiovascular fitness levels.

Heart rate is also used during exercise as a way of ensuring you are training within specific exercise zones, such as aerobic or anaerobic zones.  In order to effectively train using heart rate zones, you have to use a set of calculations to establish your individual zones and wear a heart rate monitor when exercising.

Resting heart rate should ideally be monitored over time by writing down your resting heart rate reading when you first wake up each morning over a seven day period.  This will give you an indication of what your average resting heart rate is.

Normal resting heart rate ranges from 60-100bpm.  The average resting heart rate for a male is 70bpm and for a female 75bpm.  Resting heart rates above 100bpm are a sign of contraindications to exercise and should be monitored and referred to a doctor.  Resting heart rates below 60 are considered a sign of high levels of fitness and cardiovascular conditioning (normally we’d see these levels in endurance athletes – long distance cyclists, marathon runners etc).

It is important to note however that heart rates fluctuate easily and are affected by multiple elements such as stress, hydration, nutrition, smoking, caffeine, and exercise and health conditions.  It is therefore vital when completing a consultation or training clients to have a good view of how their day has been and how much coffee/caffeine they have consumed as these could have a significant effect on their heart rate.

The resting heart rate chart below outlines the expected resting heart rates for different ages and levels of fitness of men and women.

In order to measure a clients resting heart rate, we take the radial pulse. The radial pulse can be found on the thumb side of the wrist when the hand is lying flat with the palm facing the ceiling.

Once you find the pulse, count the number of times you feel the pulse or beat over a 60 second period.  This should ideally be done with clients when they have been at rest and stationary for a minimum of five minutes pre exercise. 

Alternatively the pulse can be counted for 30 seconds and that number multiplied by 2.  Avoid reducing the time you count the actual pulse below 30seconds as any error in counting will also be multiplied.  For example – if you counted the pulse for 10 seconds and multiplied this number by 6 to get the heart rate then any error you make in counting will be magnified 6 times and dramatically reduce the reliability of the measurement.