Pulse Rate Chart

Defined as the rate at which the heart beats in one minute, the pulse rate or the heartbeat is an effective indicator of one's health. As the heart pumps blood into the body, the blood vessels close to the wrist, upper arm and neck start pulsating and throbbing. The pulse rate can roughly be measured if you place your fingertip at a place where an artery that is close to one's skin can be compressed against a bone. While the normal pulse rate for humans is usually 60 to 100 beats per minute, there are certain medical conditions such as cardiac arrhythmia which may alter the normal pulse rate of an individual. The other influencing factors are the person's age, gender and fitness level. So a toddler's pulse rate is significantly high at around 110 BPM which is almost close to an adult's pulse rate after he/she exercises. Similarly females aged 12 or above, tend to have faster heart rates than men. Also athletes, who do a lot of cardiovascular conditioning, may have a heart rate of around 40 beats per minute. It is also observed that the pulse is lower when you are at rest and increases when you are involved in any strenuous exercise. If you wish to find out about the ideal pulse rate for children and adults, take a look at pulse rate charts that will give you information about the pulse rate at rest and during exercise.

How To Calculate the Pulse Rate

You can check your pulse rate by placing tips of your index, second and third fingers on the palm side of your other wrist, below the base of the thumb or on your lower neck, on either side of your windpipe. Now count the beats for 10 seconds and multiply this number by six to get your pulse. Once you have measured your pulse rate, you can refer to the pulse rate chart to find out how well your heart is working. The pulse rate can help in giving a rough idea about general health and fitness levels. Checking your pulse rates when resting, during or after a workout can certainly give information about the overall fitness.

Normal Pulse Rate Chart

Resting Pulse Rate: The number of times one's heart beats while one's body is in a state of complete rest is medically referred to as the resting heart rate. Lower resting heart rates are indicators of a healthier heart. To calculate the resting heart rate or the pulse, you have to sit quietly for 10 minutes. Now place the tip of your index, middle or ring finger on the radial artery that is present at the wrist. One can also place the finger at brachial artery at the inner side of the elbow, posterior tibial artery near the ankle joint or the popliteal artery behind the knee to measure the pulse rate. You can check out the ideal resting heart rate by taking a look at the resting pulse rate chart.

Age	Pulse Rate (BPM)
Babies under the age of 1	100 -160
Children aged 1 to 10	60 -140
Children aged 10+ and adults	60 -100
Well-conditioned athletes	40 - 60

Heart Rate During Exercises: Wondering what is a healthy pulse rate during exercise? The term 'target heart rate' refers to the rate at which blood must be pumped by the heart during a workout so that the body gets the maximum benefit from the workout. Usually the target heart rate should be about 60-85% of the maximum heart rate. Indulging in extremely strenuous physical activities or intensive workouts where the heart rate is beyond 85% of the maximum heart rate can increase both cardiovascular and orthopedic risk. Since strenuous exercises increase the pulse rate, it is advisable to check with your health care provider, before starting an exercise program. You can also use a heartbeat calculator to measure the increase in heart rates. Check the pulse rate chart given below, to find whether you need to increase or decrease the intensity of your workouts.

Age	Target Heart Rate (HR) Zone (60-85%)	Predicted Maximum Heart Rate
20	120 - 170	200
25	117 - 166	195
30	114 - 162	190
35	111 - 157	185
40	108 - 153	180
45	105 - 149	175
50	102 - 145	170
55	99 - 140	165
60	96 - 136	160
65	93 - 132	155
70	90 - 128	150
Your actual values	Target HR	Max. HR

After taking a look at the pulse rate chart by age, you are now in a position to know if you have a normal pulse rate or not. While a normal pulse rate indicates good health, an irregular pulse may be an indicator of a poorly functioning heart. Do consult a health care provider if your pulse rate is abnormally high or low.