The pulse is the rate of the heartbeat and can be measured in beats per minute by feeling the arterial contractions close to the skin. To check the pulse, use the index and middle fingers, not the thumb. The normal heart rate depends on age, and during exercise, the target heart rate is 60-80% of the predicted maximum heart rate.
A person’s pulse is the rate of their heartbeat, usually measured in beats per minute. As the heart pumps blood, the body’s primary artery, the aorta, expands and contracts rhythmically with the heartbeat. These arterial contractions occur throughout the body, even in the same rhythm as the heartbeat. A person’s pulse can be taken anywhere an artery is close enough to the skin that these contractions can be felt. The most common place a person takes their pulse is just below the wrist on the palm side.
To check the pulse, the first two fingers are placed inside the wrist just below the base of the thumb. If you are new to measuring the pulse, feel around a bit until you notice where the pulse is. Looking at a clock or watch with a second hand, count how many beats you hear in ten seconds and multiply the result by six to get a number of beats per minute. If you like, feel your pulse for a full 60 seconds to get what might be a slightly more accurate number.
One of the most important things to remember when measuring your pulse is to use your index and middle fingers instead of your thumb. The reason for this is that the thumb has its own pulse, so when someone feels their pulse using their thumb, the result will be a falsely large number which can be very misleading. A person’s normal or optimal heart rate depends mainly on their age. Infants and children usually have a resting heart rate between 120 and 140 beats per minute. Children 15 years of age and younger typically have a pulse of 70-100 beats per minute, while adults generally have a resting heart rate of 60-100 beats per minute.
During strenuous exercise, a person may want to focus on reaching their target heart rate, at which the greatest cardiovascular benefits can be achieved. A person’s target heart rate is defined as approximately 60-80% of their predicted maximum heart rate, or the fastest pulse the heart can produce. Your predicted maximum heart rate is calculated as 220 minus your age. With this, a 25-year-old’s maximum heart rate would be 195. Increasing your heart rate above 85% of this maximum rate hasn’t been shown to have any real benefit and can be risky, especially for someone who is elderly or in pain. of a cardiovascular disease.
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