Calculating heart rate zones for running (guest post). How to Calculate Your Maximum Heart Rate for Running

When losing weight, it is important to remember the role that the pulse plays in burning fat, to be able to calculate its optimal indicator, and to know what kind of load will bring results. The ability to accurately calculate heart rate zones for training that are appropriate for your age and body condition determines its success and leads to the desired weight loss. If you exercise with low or too intense load, you will not be able to achieve the desired result in the fight against excess weight.

Heart Rate Zones

To calculate the heart rate at which calorie expenditure will be highest, you first need to determine all of your heart rate zones. These are resting heart rate, maximum heart rate during physical activity, warm-up zones, activity zones, endurance zones, and aerobic zones.

It is best to calculate your resting heart rate in the morning, before getting out of bed. It is believed that in women this figure should be in the range of 70-80 beats/min, in men – 60-70. With age, heart rate (heart rate) increases; the optimal average heart rate at rest is considered to be a heart rate of 72-75 beats/min.

Heart rate zones during exercise are measured as a percentage of your maximum heart rate. It is calculated using the following method: you need to subtract your age from 220. For a thirty-five-year-old man, the MPP will be equal to 220-35=185. Please note - the older you get, the lower this figure is.

Knowing your maximum heart rate, you can calculate the remaining heart rate limits for exercise and fat burning:

• “warm-up” – 45-60% of the MPP;
• “active” – 65-70%;
• “aerobic” – 70-80%;
• “endurance zone” – 80-90%;
• “red zone” – 95-99%.

At what heart rate does fat burning occur?

You have calculated your heart rate zones, calculated your resting heart rate and its maximum frequency. It is necessary to choose the optimal type of physical activity and understand at what heart rate fat is burned. Look at the table below. It contains calorie consumption and the amount of fat burned depending on the heart rate, type and strength of the load.

As you can see, the process of active fat burning begins at around 140 beats per minute. That is, the active zone during physical activity with a heart rate of 65-75% of the MHR is the pulse zone for burning fat, its lower limit. It is perfect for beginners, those who are not in the best physical shape and are just starting regular sports training. Look - the relative intensity of calorie expenditure is seriously reduced due to an increase in load when jogging.

How to calculate heart rate for fat burning

Calculation of heart rate for fat burning should be done based on your maximum heart rate. Determine three cardio zones of your heart rate - 60-70%, 70-80% and 80-90% of MHR. At the level of these boundaries, the heart muscle provides different access of oxygen to the tissues, and this directly determines whether fat burning occurs during exercise or not. What happens within the boundaries of each of these zones?

• 60-70% (120-140 beats/min.) – during training, carbohydrates are actively processed in the first half hour, then the process of lipolysis begins. The minimum training duration for fat burning in this mode is 45-60 minutes.
• 70-80% (145-165) – aerobic training, suitable for more experienced athletes, a combination of strength and cardio components is required.
• 80-90% (from 165) – serious cardio load; Fat burning within these limits of heart rate stops because the supply of oxygen to the tissues stops.

Karvonen formula

Martti Karvonen is a Finnish physiologist who has developed a way to calculate the limits of heart rate in athletes. Using it, you can calculate the desired heart rate values ​​​​for optimally effective fat burning workouts. Karvonen's method made it possible to determine that this value is approximately in the middle, between the heart rate at rest and its maximum frequency, and depends on the condition of the body and the gender of the athlete.

Karvonen formula for women

Developed by Karvonen, the formula "220 - human age" is the most common method for measuring maximum heart rate. For women it looks like this: (220-age-resting heart rate)*intensity factor + resting heart rate. Calculate your resting heart rate in the morning, before getting up, and the intensity factor is 70% of the MHR.

For a thirty-year-old woman with a resting heart rate of 70 beats per minute, the formula that will show at what heart rate burns fat in women will look like this: (220-30-70)*0.3+70=121 beats/min. Just remember that the formula was calculated for professional athletes; you can skip the step of multiplying by the intensity factor first. For this woman, the correct heart rate for burning fat is between 120 beats/min.

Karvonen formula for men

At what heart rate does fat burn in men? The calculation necessarily uses the minimum and maximum intensity coefficients, from 0.5 to 0.8. The formula used is the same. A forty-year-old man starting to exercise with a resting heart rate of 65 will calculate the optimal heart rate as (220-40-65)*05+65. As the total duration of classes progresses, he will gradually increase the intensity factor until he reaches the highest - 0.8. That is, within the range from 125 to 159 beats/min.

Heart rate calculation for cardio training

You can use special online calculators that will take into account all your individual parameters - age, height, weight, planned load, type of exercise, etc. Heart rate during cardio training for fat burning is calculated based on the following important points:

• It should not exceed 70% of the limit, since above this value the supply of oxygen to the tissues stops and the fat burning process stops.
• Calculations are made taking into account the load of upcoming classes and the duration of one lesson.
• The optimal heart rate for effective aerobic exercise is within the range of 110-130 beats/min or 50-60% of the MHR.
• When calculating, you can use the Karvonen formula with an intensity coefficient of 0.6 for women, 0.75 for men.

Heart rate while running

Running is a dynamic type of training, so designating your heart rate zones for running if you are running to lose weight is especially important. After all, the rule of going beyond the anaerobic limit, when fat burning stops, works for running, as well as for other workouts. Beginners should alternate between jogging and walking once their heart rate reaches 140 beats per minute.

The calorie and fat burning zone for the average runner is considered to be a heart rate of 110-130 beats/min. Use pulse meters so you don't have to stop to measure your heart rate. After the pulse reaches 140 beats, go to a step and restore it to 120 beats. At first, the duration of periods of recovery of breathing and heartbeat will greatly exceed the running time. Don’t despair, continue training; over time, running segments will completely replace walking.

Video: Heart Rate for Fat Burning

It's no secret that in order to get rid of extra centimeters and fats in your body, you should train a lot. However, how do you know if you are training correctly or not? Have you put in enough effort to make your efforts worthwhile? Do you need to train hard? Or do you need to exercise in a gentle manner so that your body has rest?

How to calculate your heart rate?

It is believed that the normal heart rate of a healthy person is 70-90 beats per minute, but how can you calculate the only correct heart rate at which the optimal amount of fat in your body will be burned? And here comes the first problem - since there are two interchangeable theories regarding this issue, you will have to choose one of them. All we can do is introduce you to each of them.

Regarding the first theory, the correct heart rate is a low heart rate, since it burns much more fat. Proponents of this theory are nutritionists. And in some ways they are definitely right, since there is quite adequate evidence that with a low heart rate the body begins to feed on its own fats. There is also a miracle tablet that you simply need to familiarize yourself with.

If we decipher our table, we will clearly and clearly see that with a pulse rate of only 80 beats, the body uses as much as 80 percent of fats, burns them, and only 20 percent of carbohydrates that are valuable to us. But with a maximum number of 159 strokes, we have a not so positive result; it turns out that the body burns only 10 percent of fat, and 90 percent of useful carbohydrates. It is not for nothing that it is now so fashionable to exercise at a reduced pace, to get the lowest heart rate during training.

But even here there is one BUT - what to do with this famous formula for measuring heart rate, according to which 220-age * 70? What does it mean? Or has science gone far ahead and left it far behind?

Here we move on to the second controversial theory. This formula became famous thanks to its famous creator, in honor of which it received his name - the Karvonen formula. In fact, it is not so simple, because it has three options:

The so-called simple - as we have already mentioned (220 minus age) - is maximum heart rate during physical activity(MPP)

The so-called gender - (220 minus age) - PIL for men and (220 minus age minus 6) - PIL for women.

And the last one (the so-called complex) – (220 minus age minus resting heart rate)

So, in order to start burning fat, the optimal heart rate should be 60-80% of the highest. This means that if we translate this into the language of our formula, we get the result that you need to keep the optimal heart rate between (220 minus age) * 0.6 and (220 minus age) * 0.8. So we get that for a thirty-year-old lady, the optimal heart rate will be the one that is between (220-30) * 0.6 and (220-30) * 0.8. If we make simple mathematical calculations, we get the numbers 114 and 152. Finding the arithmetic average is not difficult - it will be 135 beats per minute.

So, the problem facing us says: if we train at a rate of 135 beats per minute (after all, this is the result that Karvonen’s formula showed us), then the greatest amount of fat will be burned. But if you trust nutritionists, then with such an intensity of exercise we will burn a huge amount of carbohydrates, and almost all fats will remain in their places, not counting the unfortunate 30 percent. And how do you know who to trust and who not? Who to consult?

And here it is - the answer. To be completely honest with you, we tell you with all responsibility that neither one nor the other can be trusted. Of course, somewhere deep down in their souls, both of them have some kind of common sense, but the result is simple. If you trust nutritionists, then even the simplest walk should bring stunning results. Although, according to our calculations, to get rid of half a kilo of fat at a normal walking speed of 3.2 kilometers per hour, you will have to walk 232 kilometers! So, to get real results, you will have to work hard one way or another.

And if you take a closer look at our formula, then there is no need to be clever here; the author himself sometimes doubts its plausibility, and constantly emphasizes its conventionality. One way or another, this formula has sunk into the soul of the population, and it is now used quite widely, in particular for calculating the PPP, although even a hedgehog understands that the result of this PPP should not be the result of subtracting age, but the result of the training of the individual himself (or his lack of training). Your maximum heart rate will depend only on your physical fitness, because all this is the result of your work. So, only specialized cardiological tests can help you determine this frequency, which will tell you the optimal frequency of your pulse, and not the pulse of a man or woman. And by the way, this result will constantly change, it is not given for life, so if you once did it, but decided to repeat your training results, we advise you to start by re-checking with cardio tests.

Another important indicator is the frequency of your training. American scientists have conducted research and shown that the most optimal frequency of training is from three to five times a week, it is during this time that your body has time to work hard and have plenty of rest. As they say, everything is good in moderation.

Hello friends! Today on the agenda is the topic of our heart rate during aerobic training. It turns out that it is very important to know what it should be so that the fat melts faster.

Those who are actively involved in sports or want to lose extra pounds should definitely monitor their heart rate during cardio training to burn fat. . It is on its frequency that the effectiveness for weight loss and safety for your health depend. Want to know what heart rate you should maintain during your workout for maximum benefit? Then this article is for you!

Since we are talking about the topic of burning fat, I recommend you articles on how to choose the best fat burner or

Cadio training, or anaerobic exercise, is very important in every person’s regimen, and is especially popular among women. It is the correct pulse, or heart rate, that determines the effectiveness of exercise.

If you follow the recommended heart rate standards, your body will do what you train it for - burn calories and subcutaneous fat, while building muscle mass. The entire cardiovascular system is also strengthened, endurance and strength increase.

Ignorance of the importance of heart rate monitoring during exercise may, to a lesser extent, not bring the desired result, and in the worst case, seriously harm your health. A common mistake made by beginner athletes or those who want to become slim in five minutes is overly intense exercise.

As a result, the person does not have enough air, he begins to choke, the muscles are not enriched with oxygen and are severely depleted. Also, this approach negatively affects the most important muscle of the human body – the heart. If you do not want to harm one of the most important vital organs, start measuring your pulse during training.

Another important benefit of heart rate monitoring is that the athlete can immediately see the effectiveness of the exercises being performed. Knowing your norm, you can easily determine the required load and intensity. Also, an insufficient heart rate will indicate if you are not working hard enough and need to rev it up. And we gradually approach the question of what the pulse should be during cardio training.

Permissible heart rate during cardio exercise

At rest, the normal heart rate for a healthy person is 60-90 beats per minute. The more physically prepared a person is, the closer his indicators will be to the lower limit, because constant exercise perfectly trains the heart, it pumps blood more efficiently, is less susceptible to various pathologies and will last longer.

Determining the maximum allowable heart rate during cardio training is very simple; you need to subtract the number equal to your age from 220. For example, if you are 25 years old, your heart rate will be 220-25=195 beats per minute.

It is absolutely clear that the younger the person, the higher these indicators are, and vice versa, older people should slow down the pace of training.

Heart rate calculation for different workouts

PREPARATORY LEVEL. If a person is just starting his journey to a healthy and slender body, he needs to approach this wisely, especially if he was only in the gym at school, and then he sat on a bench.

The load should increase gradually, this will prevent overload of the heart and muscles. The pulse must be calculated using the formula - multiply the maximum allowable heart rate by 50-60%. For example: 195 × 0.5 = 97.5. Such exercises will help strengthen the body, speed up metabolism and increase physical fitness. The duration should not exceed 20 minutes.

LOW INTENSITY. How to calculate heart rate for low level? Should Maximum heart rate multiplied by 65%. It looks like this - 195 × 0.65 = 127. This is the next step for beginners, after about 2 weeks of preparatory training. Also, minimal loads are suitable for those who have contraindications to higher ones due to health conditions.

MEDIUM INTENSITY. Optimal heart rate determined by multiplying the maximum heart rate by 66-75%. The results will range from 128 to 146 for 25 years. Such heart rate indicators are usually called the FAT BURNING ZONE. For maximum effectiveness, you should exercise for at least 45 minutes, because the first 30 minutes are spent burning carbohydrates.

HIGH INTENSITY. In this case, the heart rate is multiply maximum heart rate by 75-85%, approximately 147-165 for a twenty-five year old person. Suitable for experienced athletes, increases endurance and improves results. Even in excellent physical shape, workouts should not exceed 10 minutes, otherwise, oxygen will stop flowing to the muscles, and they will begin to break down. The load on the heart is also great. Therefore, try to alternate exercises with high intensity with low intensity.

Optimal training scheme using running as an example:

• Warm-up run of medium intensity for 2 minutes.
• Run at maximum speed for 15 seconds.
• Very slow run – 45 seconds.
• Repeat the maximum with minimum speed for 20 minutes.
• Maximum intensity – heart rate above 85%. Suitable for professional athletes. At this stage, the workout turns from cardio to anaerobic, because the cells work in an oxygen-free state. The duration of the load should not exceed 2-3 minutes.

How to make your cardio workout more effective

The most important step to starting cardio training is purchase a special device - a heart rate monitor, helping to constantly monitor heart rate indicators.

The most effective loads for burning fat are within medium intensity, 45 minutes of activity with a heart rate of 65 to 75% will bring more results than 15 minutes at 80%.

The most productive option is a constant change of loads; during a short-term increase in effort, the body in a stressful situation begins to intensively break down subcutaneous fats, the main thing is not to overdo it. It is also better to exercise in the morning, on an empty stomach, so the body will not take calories after a meal for energy, but rather fat reserves.

This is where I end this article and wish you to learn how to take advantage of the benefits of a proper heart rate. Bye bye...

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The closer we get to summer, the more people we see jogging, in the gym on treadmills and on bicycles. The purpose of this is usually to lose excess weight. This article will help you figure out how to spend time on the “track” with maximum benefit for the body and whether a heart rate monitor is needed during training.

Pulse, or heart rate (HR)
This is a measure of how many beats the heart makes in a certain period of time, usually per minute. This value is the most objective indicator of how much stress your body experiences during training.

How to determine your pulse
You can measure your heart rate either using a special device - a heart rate monitor, or by feeling the pulse on your wrist or neck. The heart rate monitor is, of course, more convenient: you can see the current value at any time without being distracted from the training process. If you prefer to measure your heart rate manually, it is better to count the number of beats in 15 seconds and multiply the indicator by 4.

Maximum and minimum heart rate
First you need to determine the minimum value of your heart rate. The best indicator is the morning pulse, which is best measured in a sitting position after you wake up (do not drink coffee or tea beforehand). The resting pulse is a fairly accurate indicator of the state of the cardiovascular system. Measure your pulse in the morning 4-5 times during the week and later calculate its average value, for example (56+58+59+56+60)/5=58 beats per minute.
Next, you can calculate your maximum heart rate. For a more convenient calculation, go to link . In the table you need to indicate your age and resting heart rate.
Now we know what the pulse zones are (they are listed on the link where the calculation is made). In the picture below, the pulse zones are calculated for a man with a resting pulse of 50 and age 31.

Pulse zones are calculated using the Karvonen formula

Each pulse zone is highlighted in its own color for convenience. The chart below was made using Polar's H7 heart rate monitor and the Polar Beat app. Now we will analyze each zone separately.

Recovery zone (gray color in diagram)
In this zone we develop the respiratory system, strengthen the heart and overall health
Heart rate: 55-62% of maximum.
Load duration: 20 minutes or more.

Training in this range will be useful for those who have not exercised for a long time or have poor training. It is recommended to warm up and cool down in this area.

Fat burning zone (blue color in the diagram)
General endurance is strengthened and fat burning processes are stimulated.
Heart rate: 62-74% of maximum.
Load duration: 40 minutes or more.
Feelings: slight strain on the muscles, slight sweating.

Suitable for anyone with frequent, low-intensity workouts. When exercising in this range, the body uses fat as much as possible for energy. Loads of this intensity help reduce body weight by reducing subcutaneous fat.

Aerobic zone (green color on the diagram)
Physical fitness and endurance improve, fats and carbohydrates are actively burned
Heart rate: 74-82% of maximum
Duration of the load: 10 minutes or more (depending on the level of training).
Feelings: average muscle fatigue, easy breathing, average sweating.

Suitable for standard workouts of medium duration. The intensity of the load becomes higher, the body begins to spend even more calories and uses both fats and carbohydrates for this purpose.

Anaerobic zone (yellow color on the diagram)
Anaerobic endurance increases and the ability to achieve maximum results increases.
Heart rate: 82-90% of maximum.
Load duration: 2-10 minutes (possibly more, depending on fitness level)
Feelings: muscle fatigue, difficulty breathing.

Suitable for well-trained people and experienced athletes. The oxygen carried by the blood begins to be insufficient for oxidative reactions, so the cells switch to an oxygen-free anaerobic mode. Fats in this anaerobic zone are practically not burned, and carbohydrates are used for energy.

Maximum zone, VO2 max (red color in the diagram)
Develops maximum sprint speed and performance.
Heart rate: 90-94% of maximum.
Duration of the load: about 2 minutes (possibly more, depending on fitness).

Suitable for professional athletes. The body works to the limit of its capabilities, using up all available reserves, and the respiratory and cardiovascular systems operate with the highest possible efficiency.

Anaerobic-alactate zone (red color in the diagram)
Develops maximum endurance
Pulse: 94-100%
Load duration: from 3 to 15 seconds with maximum intensity
Feelings: severe muscle fatigue, heavy intermittent breathing.

Suitable for professional athletes. Heart rate indicators in this intensity zone are not informative, since within 15 seconds the cardiovascular and respiratory systems cannot reach their near-maximal operational performance. The body works to the limit of its capabilities, using up all available reserves, and the respiratory and cardiovascular systems operate with the highest possible efficiency.

And what to do with all this now, you ask?
And you will do the right thing. Now everything is in order.

Before starting your workout, you put on a heart rate monitor. The administrator or trainer will tell you and show you how to secure it correctly. In a special application on your phone or watch, the trainer enters your personal data, age, height, weight, gender, and the program automatically calculates your heart rate zones. Now everything is ready for training. We start the program at the beginning of the lesson and always stop it at the end. All data has been successfully recorded and you can take a look at how your heart works during the entire session. For clarity, below is a pulse diagram of a girl who did TRX strength training

The numerical values ​​in the left column indicate the pulse value for this person (you remember that everyone’s pulse value is different and is calculated using the formula shown in color in the link above). It is not always convenient to view heart rate values ​​in numbers, so each heart rate zone is highlighted in its own color.
- There is a timeline along the bottom edge, from which you can see that the training took 55-56 minutes.
- Also after training we can look at the maximum, average heart rate, distance traveled, but more on that another time. Now we are considering only the pulse diagram.

What do you see in the picture? Something similar is shown in films on screens in hospitals. Everything is much simpler here and we will figure it out now.

The red curved line is our heart rate, which changes throughout the entire workout. After all, we do not stand still, but perform exercises according to the trainer’s program. We squat, do push-ups, run, jump, just walk or stand in a plank. At the beginning of the workout, the heart rate value is minimal, about 70 beats (red round dot on the lower left), because we just came from the locker room and there was no active heart work there. The warm-up begins, and the heart, following the swings of the arms and legs, begins to work faster. The more active you exercise, the faster your heart beats.

Warm-up usually lasts 7-10 minutes, and after it we begin to do exercises at a faster pace. Please note that the heart rate value (red line) moves to a different color zone, the so-called main part of the workout begins. I marked the warm-up zone with the number 1 below, and the transition to another part of the workout with a yellow arrow.

Do you remember how the training goes? A set of squats until the legs burn, a short rest pause, then a set of lunges and again a rest pause, and so on. All this can be seen in the diagram below. Each approach of the exercise is accompanied by an increase in heart rate and the red line of the pulse entering the yellow and sometimes red zone. When the heart rate increases during exercise, this is called the active phase, and when we rest, this is the recovery phase. I marked the main part of the training with the number 2, and the transition to another zone with a yellow arrow. During training, depending on the goals of the lesson, you and I will be in different heart rate zones, this will be written a little below.

The last zone, indicated by the number 3 with the minimum heart rate value, is the cool-down and stretching. In the group lesson format, 5-7 minutes are allocated for this. This is a time to relax and lower your heart rate to normal.

Let's imagine a simple situation from life.
You bought a heart rate monitor and wore it for a run. Run, think about what I’m doing here, enjoy the good weather and look at your heart rate. But it’s not entirely clear what heart rate to run at; maybe you need to run faster or slower? If you are doing a recovery or health run, then keep your heart rate in the blue zone (fat burning). The greatest amount of fat will be burned in this pulse zone. If we are in the green pulse zone, we will increase endurance and burn not only fat, but also carbohydrates. Remember that specific training is carried out in each heart rate zone and if you run regularly, you will learn about this from a trainer or from sports sources.

Let's imagine a different situation. Training on TRX loops.
You came to lose weight, tighten your muscles and make your butt more beautiful. You told the coach about this, put on a heart rate monitor and squat together with the whole group. And then look at your pulse, and its value is 150, 165, 153 beats (shown by an arrow in the picture below), and you are in the yellow pulse zone, and not in the blue one where fat is burned well... And you think to yourself, I’ve already burned calories per pack of chips, is this really a normal trainer? I don't think he's following me at all! I want to reassure you, the trainer is watching you and selecting exercises in such a way that your heart rate changes from low to high during the workout and you train in different heart rate zones. Each zone trains its own qualities, such as endurance, heart strengthening, fat burning, speed and others. If you have a heart rate monitor during training, then inform your trainer and he will help you better control your heart rate throughout the entire session.
But don't forget that 70% of success in losing weight depends on nutrition. And training is a pleasant addition where you strengthen your muscles, heart and burn extra calories.

And the third situation, life, is difficult.
You came to training with a heart rate monitor and are actively doing squats with the whole group, but you feel that it’s already too hard and the heart rate value is 175, and the coach keeps shouting, come on, come on. The set of squats is over and there is a little time to rest. Each trainer gives different rest time and it depends on the previous exercise performed. 10,20,30 seconds. While you are resting, your heart rate should become lower, and it is advisable to drop to the green or mid-yellow zone. That is, during rest, the recovery process, as it is usually called, occurs. But each person has his own time for recovery (decrease in heart rate) and some will have time to recover completely, and others partially. The trainer usually focuses on the majority during the lesson. So, let's get back to our training. After a short rest, the squat approach begins again and already at the very beginning of the approach you see that the pulse is 170 and is in the red zone, and you have to squat for another 30-40 seconds. What to do? You need to start squatting at a very slow pace to restore your breathing and lower your heart rate, or better yet, just walk or drink water. The diagram below highlights the training area where the heart rate value is in the red maximum zone for too long (3-4 minutes). For an untrained person this will not be entirely useful.
Now we come to the most important thing. If you constantly see a very high heart rate during training, then reduce the load and do not react to the trainer’s shouts, let’s push it, because he is shouting to the whole group. Tell about the high heart rate and that it is very difficult for you to do the exercises. Over time, the body will get used to the load and the heart rate during the same workout will be lower.

And finally, about heart rate changes

The pulse of people leading a sedentary lifestyle and athletes is significantly different. During regular training, the heart strengthens and becomes more elastic, and each contraction is more powerful. Therefore, over time, those who exercise regularly have a lower average heart rate and a higher heart strength. And if you previously ran 1 km in 6 minutes and your heart rate was very high, then after some time at the same distance its value will be lower.

A smart approach to training should include measuring your heart rate. Maybe not every time, but sometimes be sure to wear a heart rate monitor and monitor your heart function. By monitoring your heart rate, you will make your exercise more effective and safer for your health.

At the Zaryadka fitness club you can use the Polar H7 heart rate monitor for free for the first time or rent it for a whole month of training.

Information about heart rate is important for any person, regardless of his state of health and age. The pulse is an indicator of the work of the heart muscle and the body as a whole, since it can be used to draw a conclusion about the full saturation of the organs with oxygen.

During physical activity, in a stressful situation, or when taking medications, heart rate data can help you make the right decision when providing assistance, whether or not to take medications. For those who want to get rid of excess weight, they also need the ability to correctly measure their pulse, since metabolic processes slow down when it decreases.

Therefore, knowledge of how to measure your pulse yourself without special equipment and assistance is very important.

The heart muscle works continuously, contracts and pushes oxygenated blood into the blood supply every second. You can measure your heart rate yourself without the help of instruments by touching the blood vessels that tense during heart contraction. To correctly measure the pulse, it is important not only to find the right place where the vessels are as accessible as possible to touch and their sizes allow you to control the vibration of the walls without interference, but also to know how to determine the pulse.

The pulsation is well palpated (palpable) on the arteries:

• elbow;
• brachial;
• sleepy;
• temporal;
• femoral;
• popliteal

With a strong heartbeat, the pulsation can even be measured on a finger. When weak, only on the largest artery - the carotid artery.

Different methods of measuring pulse can be used, but in everyday life, the only accessible and objective one - palpation - is based on the vibration of the vascular walls transporting blood from the heart muscle to the internal organs. Good points on the human body to measure heart rate using this method are the arteries: the radial artery, located on the wrist, and the carotid artery, located on the neck.

In order to constantly monitor the work of the heart, you need to know how to measure your pulse at home, without turning to doctors or disturbing your family.

How to measure on the carotid artery?

The carotid artery is one of the large vessels that supplies blood to the brain. Therefore, even with insignificant heart rate indicators, it will be easy to feel the vibrations of the walls on the carotid artery and measure the pulsation. On the carotid artery vessel, the pulse measurement technique is effective due to:

• size;
• pairing;
• availability of a place for examination.

Finding the carotid arteries is easy as follows:

1. Place two fingers of your right hand tightly together: index and middle.
2. Place your fingers on the thyroid cartilage (Adam's apple).
3. Slide to the side until it reaches the indentation on the neck.
4. Feel the point of the most obvious pulsation of the vessel.

To measure the pulse in this place yourself, you need to:

1. Sit on a chair and lean back.
2. Prepare a stopwatch, a watch with a second hand, you can also use the functions of your mobile device.
3. With the relaxed fingertips of the right hand (for left-handed people - the left), folded together, feel the pulsation of the carotid artery.
4. Record the time and count out loud the pulses of blood against the walls of the artery.

Heart rates less than 60 beats per minute and more than 100 beats per minute require medical attention.

Heart rate can be measured on both paired arteries: right and left, but this should not be done simultaneously. Do not press too hard on the vessel, so as not to stop the blood flow, causing dizziness or loss of consciousness.

Pulse measurement locations

How to count correctly in the area of ​​the left half of the chest?

Heart rate can be measured by touching the palm of your hand to the left side of your chest:

• in men - under the left nipple;
• in women - under the left breast.

Counting on the left side of the chest with an increased pulse is considered reliable.

To measure and get correct data, you need to know how to count your pulse. To do this you need:

1. Strip to the waist.
2. Take a lying position.
3. Record the time on a stopwatch, timer or watch.
4. Place the palm of your right hand on the left side of your chest.
5. Count the number of heart beats in 60 seconds.

How to determine on the radial artery yourself?

Despite the availability of the method, not everyone knows how to count the pulse on the hand correctly. Knowing how to measure the pulse by palpating the radial artery, which is located on the wrist, you can obtain objective information about the state of your health. The radial artery is released through the skin so that its pulsation is noticeable even to a non-specialist.

To understand how to measure the pulse on your hand yourself, you should find this place:

1. Sit on a chair.
2. Relax your left hand.
3. Place your hand palm up.
4. Place the 2nd, 3rd, 4th fingers of your right hand on the inside of your wrist.
5. Press the radial artery and feel the pulsation.
6. Using the algorithm for measuring the pulse on the radial artery, calculate the number of pulse oscillations:

• put a stopwatch in front of you;
• Count your heart rate for 1 minute.

The heart rate of a healthy person should normally be from 60 to 80 beats per minute.

On the right or left hand?

Having understood how to calculate the pulse manually, you need to decide which hand is preferable to measure it on.

You can measure it on your hands: right and left, normally the measurement result should be the same. But practice shows that more correct results are obtained on the left hand, located closer to the heart.

Knowing how to take your pulse on your arm can help save your life.

Algorithm of actions

The algorithm of actions when measuring pulse is not complicated, but for the reliability of the results, it requires precision execution. A step-by-step execution of the algorithm will allow you to understand how to correctly measure the pulse on your hand:

1. Prepare a stopwatch and place it in a position convenient for monitoring.
2. Remove items of clothing, wristwatches and rings that constrict and prevent access to blood vessels, so that nothing impedes blood circulation.
3. Sit comfortably, leaning back in a chair, or take a horizontal position.
4. Turn the palm of your left hand up.
5. It is acceptable to lightly press your hand to your chest.
6. Using three fingers of your right hand: index, middle and ring, simultaneously press on the artery.
7. Feel for clear pulses of blood inside the vessel.
8. Start the stopwatch and count the contraction frequency for 60 seconds.
9. Measure the pulse on your right hand in a similar way.
10. Record the result.

Systematic measurement of pulse should be carried out under the same conditions: in the same position, at the same time of day, for a certain amount of time.

Method of counting in 10 seconds

Speaking about how to calculate the pulse in 10 seconds, it must be said that this technique is used by athletes during active sports.

Using a 10-second heart rate count multiplied by 6 allows them to quickly measure the number of heart beats per minute and determine physical activity.

It is not recommended to use this technique in all other cases, since this calculation has a very high error - up to 18 beats per minute! This is explained by the fact that a person cannot correctly take into account the first and last heart sounds in an exact 10-second period.

More accurate data can be obtained by recording the time spent on 10 pulsations. How to calculate the pulse per minute when measuring 10 beats:

1. Feel for clear vibrations of the artery walls in a convenient place.
2. Start the stopwatch.
3. Count the vibrations of the artery from the second beat.
4. Stop counting after 10 heartbeats.
5. Record the time.

The counting method is as follows: 10 beats x (60 seconds / fixed time). For example, if 4 seconds have passed in 10 beats, then the pulse at the moment will be equal to 150 beats per second = 10 x (60 / 4).

Knowledge of how to measure your pulse in 10 seconds can be important in a force majeure situation.

Which measurement option is most accurate?

The most accurate and functional option is to determine the pulse by palpation within 1 minute. Places available for self-examination are the arteries: radial and carotid.

The method of determination on the wrist is suitable when the subject is in a calm state. After physical activity, it is convenient to measure your pulse by placing your fingers on the carotid artery. Other methods are complex in terms of finding the ripple and the reliability of the information obtained.

Useful video

For more information on how to measure your pulse yourself, watch the following video:

Conclusion

1. - one of the important indicators of human health. It is important to be able to measure it in a healthy person during physical activity in order to avoid harm to the body. If you feel unwell, its frequency is an indicator of problems with the heart and nervous system. Even proper nutrition for the purpose of losing weight should be carried out while monitoring heart rate.
2. It is important to learn how to find and measure your pulse on your own, using a minimum of equipment. The information presented in the article will help you quickly find the location of arterial pulsation and explain how to correctly measure your pulse within 1 minute and 10 seconds on your wrist.
3. Knowledge of how to calculate the pulse, methods and techniques that explain how to measure the heart rate will help you effectively examine your own body and come to the aid of others at the right time.