How to Determine the Basal Heart Rate

The basal heart rate, also known as the resting heart rate, can be useful in determining what your target heart rate should be during exercise. The basal heart rate can also provide clues about your overall cardiac health. Typical resting heart rate in adults falls between 60 and 80 beats per minute, although this varies with age and by gender. A resting heart rate which is too fast or slow may indicate an underlying medical issue that should be discussed with your doctor.

Things You'll Need

• Stopwatch or wristwatch

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Instructions

• 1

  Sit in a quiet place and relax for 20 minutes. Your heart will pump faster when you are moving around, so in order to determine the basal heart rate, sit still for at least 20 minutes to allow your heart to return to its normal rate.

• 2

  Locate the pulse in your neck. Use your index and second fingers and place them on the carotid artery in your neck, just under your jawbone.

• 3

  Using a stopwatch or a watch with a second hand, time your heart rate for a period of 60 seconds. If you miss a beat, start over to ensure an accurate reading.

• 4

  Take several readings and average them to find out your average resting heart rate.