How To Take Your Pulse

Why learn about your pulse? Your heart rate (or pulse) is the key to training properly. You must learn how to take your pulse so you can adjust your exercise intensity to stay within your THR range.

Target Heart Rate

Your THR refers to a heart beat rate of 60-85% of your heart rate reserve. Memorize your minimal and maximal thr range! Ideally you should work toward the middle of the THR range depending on your fitness level. Refer to page 2 on intensity.

To obtain aerobic benefits, it is important that you exercise to keep your heart rate in this range. If you exceed your THR during exercise, you are no longer obtaining aerobic benefits! This is important to understand. "More is not better" in this instance.

Where To Find Your Pulse

There are two pulse points you may use to count your heart beats. Use whichever is easier for you to find:

• Radial Pulse: This is on the thumb side of your wrist in the little groove beside the wrist tendons.
• Carotid Pulse: This is the pulse on the side of your neck. Slide your fingers from your "Adam's apple" area toward the left side of your throat where there is a little groove. The carotid pulse is often the easiest to find after you have been exercising and your heart is beating stronger and faster.

How To Feel And Count Your Pulse

Rest your index and middle finger gently over the pulse point. Feel for the pulse beats. If you cannot find your pulse, adjust your position slightly and try again.

When you have found your pulse, start counting the first beat with "zero" and continue counting the number of beats over a six-second period. Add a zero to that number (i.e., multiply it by 10), and that will be your pulse rate. For example, if over six seconds you count 12 beats, that means your heart rate was 120 beats per minute. When you get better at counting, you will learn to recognize when you are between beats. For example, between 12 and 13 beats would mean a pulse rate of 125 beats per minute.

When To Take Your Pulse

• Resting Pulse: Take your pulse for a full minute while you are sitting or lying down. It is best to do this before you get out of bed in the morning when you are truly resting.
• Exercise Pulse: Take your pulse approximately three to four minutes after beginning your exercise program. If your pulse is above your THR, slow down. If it is lower than your THR, pick up your pace a little bit. Until you get the feel of the proper pace, take your pulse frequently during exercise (every five minutes).
• Recovery: Check your pulse five minutes after exercise and again five minutes after cool- down. In five minutes, your pulse should be close to 100. In 10 minutes, it should be close to your resting pulse. If the numbers are higher, you may have pushed yourself too hard. As you become more fit, your recovery will be faster.

How to Calculate Your THR

To calculate your THR range, use the percentage guidelines on the Developing a Training Program page for your individual fitness level. Calculate an upper and lower percentage to find your range.

Target Heart Rate Ranges
THR (60-90%)				THR (60-90%)
Age	At least	Not more		Age	At least	Not more
20	120	180		46	104	157
21	119	179		47	104	156
22	119	178		48	103	155
23	118	177		49	103	154
24	118	176		50	102	153
25	117	175		51	101	152
26	116	175		52	101	151
27	116	174		53	100	150
28	115	174		54	100	149
29	115	172		55	99	149
30	114	171		56	98	148
31	113	170		57	98	147
32	113	169		58	97	146
33	112	168		59	97	145
34	112	167		60	96	144
35	111	166		61	95	143
36	110	166		62	95	142
37	110	165		63	94	141
38	109	164		64	94	140
39	109	163		65	93	139
40	108	162		66	92	139
41	107	161		67	92	138
42	107	160		68	91	137
43	106	159		69	91	136
44	105	158		70	90	135
45	105	157