How to Figure Heart Rate During Exercise
- 1). Use a heart monitor to most effectively and accurately measure your heart rate during exercise. Strap the device around your chest and follow the instructions for the specific model. The monitor provides feedback on a digital readout that gives you a specific reading of your heart rate during a particular time during exercise.
- 2). Find your pulse to determine your heart rate manually at your radial artery. This can be difficult, if not impossible, to do in the midst of a workout, so take a short break. Place your index and middle finger on the underside of your wrist, below your thumb, where you should feel a throb. You may use your carotid artery instead. Find the carotid pulse with your index and middle fingers by sliding them along the top of your neck just below the jaw. You should feel the pulse toward the front of your neck. Do not use your thumb when taking your pulse: your thumb has its own pulse, which can throw off your reading.
- 3). Look at your watch and count the number of pulses you feel at your radial or carotid artery in 30 seconds, then multiply by two. If this proves difficult or inconvenient, count the pulses felt during 10 or 15 seconds, then multiply that number by 6 or 4, respectively. Bear in mind these calculations may not be quite as accurate as a longer reading.
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