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Lab 2

Aerobic Fitness Assessment -- Section I

Resting Heart Rate Record Sheet

Resting heart rate (RHR) is simply the beats per minute of your heart at rest. Because RHR is used to determine your exercise HR and monitor improvements in fitness, it's important that you obtain an accurate reading. RHR is best taken upon waking, without an alarm, after a restful night's sleep. If it is not possible to do so, then you should rest quietly for 5-10 minutes prior to counting a resting pulse. Your pulse rate will increase throughout the day, making your evening resting pulse higher than if you check your resting pulse in the morning. For comparison, note the time of day in which you check your resting heart rate each time.

You will be measuring your heart rate by finding your pulse in 1 of 3 possible locations and counting the pulse for varying periods of time.

Use your first and seconds fingers for all pulse locations. Do not use your thumb! It has a pulse of its own.

1. Carotid pulse - place the first and second fingers gently on the side of the throat.
2. Radial pulse - place the first and second fingers at the wrist, just below the thumb.
3. Temporal pulse - place the first and second fingers on your temple, just to the side of the eye socket.

For a true resting heart rate, take your pulse first thing in the morning on three or four different occasions and average the results.

For a resting heart rate, always count your pulse for a full minute. If exercising, you need to count your pulse within 15 seconds of stopping exercise in order for your heart rate to be reflective of what it was during exercise. Thus, if you take 5 seconds to find your pulse and start counting, that leaves you 10 seconds to take an exercise heart rate. Use the chart on page 20 to convert a 10-second count to a full minute heart rate.

Your level of intensity can also be measured through the talk-test. If you can talk comfortably while you are exercising, generally you are exercising in your target zone. If you have trouble holding a conversation at higher intensity levels, then you are out of your target zone.

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