# What is your resting pulse rate? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 22, 2004, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575 "2004-09-22T22:39:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NewHeart\_Male](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@NewHeart\_Male](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NewHeart_Male)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/1 "2004-09-22T22:39:12Z")
My heart beats 76 times in a minute whilst I have been at rest for (roughly) 2 minutes. I am a relatively unathletic guy (at the moment) in his early twenties. I AM PLANNING ON GETTING FITTER. So, how many beats per minute does your ticker manage? – Note: if you are measuring manually (i.e. with your bare hands and no equipment), try counting for the whole minute. It’s just that if you make a mistake whilst counting for 10 seconds and then try and scale that up to a minute, you _inflate_ the mistake by 6 times. – ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/2 "2004-09-22T22:46:27Z")
1. I did it for 30 seconds and multiplied by 2. So the margin of error is only doubled. Btw my rate seems to increase when I do this test. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/3 "2004-09-22T22:49:09Z")
58 I’m practically asleep here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/4 "2004-09-22T22:54:08Z")
1. I’m not as fit as I used to be, ---
**Author:** ![NewHeart\_Male](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@NewHeart\_Male](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NewHeart_Male)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/5 "2004-09-22T23:01:43Z")
**Dag** and **alice** please stop trying to show off. ---
**Author:** ![NewHeart\_Male](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@NewHeart\_Male](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NewHeart_Male)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/6 "2004-09-22T23:04:11Z")
🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/7 "2004-09-22T23:08:30Z")
Not showing off. That’s what it is. [showing off] When I was fit, it was 42. No secret how, I raced bicycles competitively. If you want to improve aerobic fitness, take up an endurance sport like cycling or running, and train about 10 hours a week. [/showing off] ---
**Author:** ![NewHeart\_Male](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@NewHeart\_Male](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NewHeart_Male)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/8 "2004-09-22T23:19:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Not showing off. That’s what it is. No I believe you. The point is you are clearly wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy fitter than me at this time. I really gotta get motivated to exercise again - being healthy feels great. ---
**Author:** ![NewHeart\_Male](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@NewHeart\_Male](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NewHeart_Male)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/9 "2004-09-22T23:23:24Z")
Mind if I ask you **Dag** , how old were you when you first started competitively training for endurance? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/10 "2004-09-22T23:28:17Z")
Just measured it – 63 at the moment, but I’ve been drinking coffee… Last time I had it measured by a doctor it was 58. When I wake up in the morning it is insanely slow - I have counted it as 40. I think this is why I have trouble waking up! ---
**Author:** ![Bin-Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@Bin-Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bin-Gay)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/11 "2004-09-22T23:39:06Z")
I’ll log in here at a cool 52 beats/min. –I usually walk a couple miles a day–briskly and incorporated into my existing commuting schedule. –Work out at the gym 2-3 times/week (20-25min/cardio & 20-25 minutes weights) –Do yoga and/or pilates 2-3 times/week I try to be active, and actively focussed, for at least an hour a day. Take a day off now and then. I’ve done this for 3-4 years and my life is dramatically better–physically, mentally, and overall quality of life. The key is commitment. . .to yourself. The payoff is big!! Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/12 "2004-09-22T23:50:30Z")
Holy crap. I’m dead! Just kidding. About 70. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/13 "2004-09-23T01:13:36Z")
I think mine was about 59 the last time I measured. I’ve always had a realtively higher heart rate; my max is 211 (at age 37). So 59 is really fit for me… ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/14 "2004-09-23T01:52:17Z")
Lowest I have measured is 48 and that was about midday so uh neener neener neener I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Atticus\_Finch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@Atticus\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atticus_Finch)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/15 "2004-09-23T02:15:39Z")
54, just measured with two fingers to the neck and my watch, over a minute. I notice that it seems to go faster at the beginning of the test - I had counted thirty before 30 seconds hit, but only ended up with 54. Anyone know what’s up with this? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/16 "2004-09-23T02:18:34Z")
12 but then again my father was an elephant. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/17 "2004-09-23T02:32:35Z")
> [@NewHeart(Male)](#): > > My heart beats 76 times in a minute whilst I have been at rest for (roughly) 2 minutes. > I am a relatively unathletic guy (at the moment) in his early twenties. > I AM PLANNING ON GETTING FITTER. > > So, how many beats per minute does your ticker manage? > – Note: if you are measuring manually (i.e. with your bare hands and no equipment), try counting for the whole minute. It’s just that if you make a mistake whilst counting for 10 seconds and then try and scale that up to a minute, you _inflate_ the mistake by 6 times. – That wasn’t a _resting_ rate. Get your resting heart rate first thing in the morning, before you sit up in bed. That’s the most accurate resting heart rate. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/18 "2004-09-23T03:38:19Z")
on average 75-90. And I exercise regularly too. Before I started regular exercise resting heart rate was around 101. ---
**Author:** ![EnginNerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ea924/32.png) [@EnginNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EnginNerd)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/19 "2004-09-23T03:44:39Z")
Usually about 50. I have seen it down in the mid 40’s before. I think I can thank a lot of high-altitude hiking on steep inclines for this. Just a year and a half ago it was in the upper 70’s. ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/20 "2004-09-23T03:51:12Z")
Wow. 72. Usually it’s over 80. What’s better…high or low? Or is it dependent on the individual? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575.md?page=2)