what is YOUR resting heart rate?

Usually in the 40s.......have seen as low as 43.

Just out of curiosity, what do all of you with low rhr's do to get your heart rate up during exercise? Since I've been running more, I notice that my heart rate doesn't get going nearly as much as it used to and I wonder if I'm getting as good of a workout in, even though I'm going further and faster than before. I'm timing my rhr at 54 bpm sitting here and got the same thing the other day. My treadmill hrm (which I don't think is very accurate) never shows my mhr at much over 130 anymore. Is that a bad thing?

I'm 45 and the best I can do to get my heart rate up is about 80%.

FunkySpunky said some very valid points. Age has much to do with heart rate. So does height and physical fitness.

You're 31, 5'4" and your HR is 130 (ish). That's pretty good. You are still well within your target heart range.

To calculate your target heart range manually, during the middle of your workout, take time to stop or walk very slowly, place your index and middle finger on your jugular and find your pulse.

Using a stop watch or second hand watch, count your pulse for 10 seconds only make sure when you start counting you start at zero. (Zero, one, two, three, four, etc.) When you've finished, times that by 6 and you'll get your heart rate for one minute. This number will represent your target heart range.

Now comes the math so get your calculator out.

Subtract 220 from your age. (Yours is 189)
Now multiply your answer by 50% or 0.5. (Yours is 94.5)
Multiply your answer by 75% or 0.75. (Yours is 141.75)

Your target heart range is between 94.5 and 141.75 beats per minute while working out. (This range represents a workout between 50% & 75%). Thus your ideal target heart range is 118.

Rules of thumb:

1) If you are a beginner exerciser, overweight, or have medical conditions that limits your exercise intensity, stay closer to the 50% mark.

2) If you are a seasoned athlete or well-conditioned exerciser, aim for 65% instead of 50% and 85% instead of 75%.

For example, let's say you are a seasoned athlete. We'll take your original 189 beats per minute and multiply it by 0.65 or 65% to get an answer of 122.85 or 123 beats per minute. The formula for 85% is 189 X 0.85 = 160.65 or 161 beats per minute.

Thus, if you are a seasoned athlete, your target heart range would then become 141.75 or 142 beats per minute.

Clear as mud???

My resting hr is about 58. Rarely is it higher than that. I've been told by my doctor that if you have a low heart rate that usually means that you work out on a regular basis (which I do!). I always thought it was low, plus it is very faint. When I was in school (recently) for medical assisting it was very hard for my peers to take my blood pressure as it was very faint even the teacher had a hard time getting it. I remember one time she asked me to run outside to get my heart rate up and then come back in, but the problem with that was because I was very active my heart rate went back to normal before I got back into the classroom therefore it didn't help LOL.

Dang 44 thats awesome : )) mines 54 and I was pleased at that

Mine's 49, but it's not because i'm a supreme athlete, but i am getting fitter. Just naturally low like that.

I'm @ 72. 60-100 is normal but if you are a super athelite, you could be safe at 40. That's what I read at the mayo clinic site anyway. :glasses: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-rate/AN01906

Checking twice sitting here at my desk--58-64. I am a big gal just getting into shape so, hopefully, it will go down.

My lowest-recorded morning resting heart rate was 45, though for the past few weeks it's been averaging about 54.

around 52!

Mine is high. 95-110. Other than medicines, how can I lower it? :ohwell:

A program of vigorous exercise and lower impact exercise will lower it over a few months. As you get more fit, your heart gets stronger and can pump more blood with each compression. So your blood flow increases, but the heart doesn't have to pump as much.