How to use?
This website enables you to measure your heart rate online in beats per minute (BPM) even if you don’t have an actual heart rate monitoring device.
What is heart rate?
Heart rate, also known as pulse, is how many times your heart beats in one minute. It’s measured in beats per minute (BPM). Your heart rate changes depending on how much oxygen your body needs. For example, your heart rate is usually slower when you’re sleeping than when you’re walking or running. Emotions can also make your heart rate go up.
Doctors use heart rate to help diagnose health problems. People who exercise or train can use heart rate to make sure they’re getting the most out of their workout and to track their fitness progress.
How to check heart tate?
To calculate your heart rate, you need to measure the number of times your heart beats in one minute. It is commonly referred to as beats per minute (bpm). There are several ways to measure your heart rate:
Use your fingers to find your pulse on your wrist or neck, and count the number of beats in 15 seconds. Then, multiply that number by 4 to get your heart rate in bpm.
Use a heart rate monitor, which can measure your heart rate continuously during exercise and at rest. Heart rate monitors can be worn as a chest strap or a wristwatch.
Use a fitness tracker or a smartwatch, which can also measure your heart rate continuously during exercise and at rest. These devices typically use optical sensors that measure blood flow through your skin to calculate your heart rate.
Different heart rate training zones
There are five heart rate training zones that serve different purposes.
- The first zone is called the Moderate Activity (Maintenance/Warm-up) zone, which is the most comfortable and is used for warming up or cooling down after a more intense workout. It helps strengthen your heart, improve muscle mass, and reduce body fat, cholesterol, blood pressure, and your risk of degenerative diseases. The lower boundary of this zone is 50% of HRmax.
- The second zone is the Weight Control (Fitness/Fat Burn) zone, which is ideal for burning fat. It provides all the benefits of the Moderate Activity zone, but with increased intensity. Around 85% of the calories burned in this zone come from fat. The lower boundary of this zone is 60% of HRmax.
- The third zone is the Aerobic (Cardio Training/Endurance) zone, which improves your cardiovascular and respiratory systems. This zone burns more calories than the first two zones, but only about 50% of the calories come from fat. The lower boundary of this zone is 70% of HRmax.
- The fourth zone is the Anaerobic (Hardcore Training) zone, which improves athletic performance but only around 15% of the calories burned come from fat. The lower boundary of this zone is 80% of HRmax.
- The fifth and final zone is the VO2 Max (Maximum Effort) zone, which is the highest intensity zone and is only recommended for those who are very fit. It burns the highest number of calories, but training in this zone can be dangerous as you are training near your maximum heart rate. The lower boundary of this zone is 90% of HRmax. Remember that training near your maximum heart rate can be dangerous, so it’s important to monitor your heart rate and adjust your exercise intensity accordingly.
How to check my pulse?
You can check your pulse by lightly pressing on a blood vessel near the surface of your skin. Always use your index and middle fingers, as your thumb’s pulse might not give an accurate reading. The two most common places to check your pulse are your neck and wrist.
To check your pulse at your neck, put your index and middle fingers on your lower neck on either side of your windpipe. Press lightly until you feel your pulse.
To check your pulse at your wrist, turn your palm up and put your index and middle fingers of your other hand on your wrist, about one inch below your hand. Press down gently until you feel your pulse.
What is the maximum heart rate (HRmax)?
Maximum heart rate (HRmax) is the highest number of times your heart can beat in one minute, and it’s different for everyone based on age. HRmax is important because it helps you figure out your heart rate training zone.
The easiest way to calculate your maximum heart rate is: subtract your age from 220.
What is the resting heart rate (HRrest)?
Resting heart rate (HRrest) is your heart rate when you’re not doing any physical activity. Most adults have a resting heart rate between 60 and 100 beats per minute (BPM). Athletes might have a resting heart rate that’s lower than 60 BPM. To measure your resting heart rate, you need to rest for at least 10 minutes before checking your pulse.