Your resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats in one minute. It is a good test of your health, a good reference point for exercise, and just good to know in general.

You can find your RHR by taking your pulse and counting the number of beats in 60 seconds. To save time, if you need to save ONE minute, take your pulse for fifteen seconds and multiply the beats by 4.

To get the best and most accurate RHR, take your reading in the morning, just after you wake up, for the full 60 second count. Buzzing alarm clocks, quick wake ups, and kids jumping on your bed all can cause a higher reading. It's best to wake up slowly and relaxed, then take your reading. You can also test yourself for a few readings in a week, then take the average.

The average person's RHR is in the low 70's.
Some athletes are as low as the 40's. Exercise will lower your resting heart rate. iBodyFit Fitness Plans click here!

Sometimes you can exercise too much. If you exercise too much, your RHR will rise - that is a sign to take a little break.