If you know your resting heart rate but don’t know how it stacks up, then this article is for you. If you don’t know your heart rate, then a Blood Pressure and Pulse Monitor (Amazon) will do the job. This article includes a resting heart rate reference table that you check your resting heart rate against your age to see if it is Athlete standard, Excellent, Good, Above Average, Average, Below Average, or Poor. Simple enough.
Good Resting Heart Rate Chart (Reference Table)
My Result
I fit into the first age bracket, and my resting heart rate is 60 bpm today, so I just barely fit into the Excellent band. I ride a bicycle for 30 minutes 1-3 times per week, and do weight lifting for almost an hour 3 times per week. My body fat is also on the low end. So there’s not much cardio in my schedule, but I’m reasonably fit, and the score reflects that.
Your Result
How did you score?
If it’s not as good as you’d like, then simply get out there and do activities that are more strenuous than your body is used to. If you’re used to doing nothing, than upgrade to weight lifting or hill walking, if you’re used to jogging, then upgrade to HIIT. It’s not too complicated, you just have to make the decision to improve.
