How to Work Out Someone's Max Heart Rate
Heart rate is the number of heart beats per minute, commonly referred to as your pulse. It is an important number to know as it can be used to determine whether you are experiencing health problems. Knowing your maximum heart rate is equally important, especially when concerning exercise. While knowing your individual maximum heart rate can be reached only through advanced testing, there are a few methods that can give you an accurate figure.
While knowing your maximum heart rate is important, you should also know your heart rate reserve, which can be found using your maximum heart rate.
Instructions
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Take your pulse by counting the number of beats in a 15-second time span and multiplying by four. If you count 15 beats in the 15-second interval, you have a resting heart rate of 60.
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Subtract your age from the number 220. This gives you a simple estimate of your maximum heart rate. For example, a 30-year-old would have a maximum heart rate of 190 (220 - 30 = 190).
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Subtract your resting heart rate from your maximum heart rate. Following the example, you would subtract 60 from 190 for a total of 130. This is your heart rate reserve (190 - 60 = 130).
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Tips & Warnings
While this method serves as a baseline, it should not replace having a trainer give you an accurate reading using advanced technology. This service is available at most gyms for a fee.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Man doing the exercise for his arms image by Elzbieta Sekowska from Fotolia.com
