Physical Activity & Pulse (Heart) rate
What is Pulse Rate?
Pulse or Heart rate is the number of times your heart beats in 1(one) minute. Usually, pulse rate differs from individual to individual and it varies with age or fitness level. Determining your Target Pulse Rate can help you to plan an effective exercise strategy or fitness program for maximum Health Benefits.
How to read your pulse?
- You can easily locate your pulse with the tips of your index, middle, and ring fingers on inner side/palm of your other wrist, little under the base of the thumb. Another way is to put minute pressure with the tips of your index and second fingers on your lower neck, just beside your air-pipe (see image)
- Put a slight pressure with your fingers until you feel the pulsations on your wrist
- After finding pulsation, you need to count the pulse or beats for 10 seconds and multiply the number by six to get your pulse rate per minute.
Determining pulse rate
While resting, Your pulse gets lower and it increases during physical activities like simple exercises or aerobics, as more oxygen-rich blood is needed by the body when we exercise.
Average pulse rate
Children aged between 6-15 = 70-100 beats per minute
Adults aged 18 and over = 60-100 beats per minute
What is Maximum pulse rate?*
Theoretically, the maximum heart rate is the highest level that pulse can get. This can be calculated by subtracting your age from 220 (Maximum Heart = 220 - Age), For example: Maximum heart rate for a 40 year old comes around 180 (220-40).
What is Target heart rate?
As the basic rule of thumb, pulse between 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate is considered apt for maximum fitness benefits.
Target heart rate or training heart rate can be calculated by measuring pulse/heart rate during different intervals while you exercise.
Your physician or health care provider can help you to figure out the best exercise program and target heart rate for optimal health and fitness benefits, according to your requirement and physical condition.
Does body size affect pulse rate?
Some experts believe that activity level of an individual plays more significant role than the element of weight.
On the other hand few studies examining the impact of high heart rate in the development of being overweight revealed that there might be a significant correlation between them.
In simple words, we can say that being overweight may contribute to higher pulse rate.
*Notes and Assumptions:
The general assumption here is
that you are not diagnosed with specific health issues recently.
Medication, treatments or other medical conditions could affect the maximum pulse rate. If you are on treatment or having health issues, your heart rate range for physical activities should be prescribed by your doctor or health professional.
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