# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![furthur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@furthur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furthur)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/21 "2004-09-23T03:53:41Z")
On average, my resting rate is around 85-90 beats per minute. I’m very tiny – 4’11" – and my heart rate has always been very quick, like a bird’s. When I was pregnant, it was scary high (at least to me), often 124 or more beats per minute. I often got dizzy/faint. Mrs. Furthur ---
**Author:** ![Lynne\_kilii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lynne\_kilii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynne_kilii)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/22 "2004-09-23T03:57:30Z")
66 - Now I know I’m out of shape. It used to be 58-60. It’s ok, I’m getting less fat. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/23 "2004-09-23T03:59:33Z")
It’s 63 right now, abot half an hour after half an hour’s exercise. Usually about 60. My wife’s is often around 80. It’s like living with a bunny. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/24 "2004-09-23T04:17:37Z")
Damn! My resting pulse rate has always been high. I just checked mine and I got 96. Not believing it, I asked my husband to check, without telling him my calculation. He got 96. I work out 5 days a week. Total workout time per day averages about and hour and a half. Jogging, cycling, elliptical, weights, and so on ad nauseum. Damn! ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/25 "2004-09-23T10:44:32Z")
> [@brian\_ax](#): > > What’s better…high or low? Or is it dependent on the individual? Lower is better. Right now Dead on 60 - you could use me as a clock maybe? But that’s not really a resting measurement, I’m under a bit of work pressure right now and that’s not good for the old nerves ☹ ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/26 "2004-09-23T10:51:07Z")
Mine’s been 80-90 all my life, whether I’m mega fit or totally lardy. My mother has a very high resting rate too. These days I’m not completely fit, but I do walk 5 miles a day. Currently 80 (after 2 cups of very strong coffee, that’s not bad for me). ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/27 "2004-09-23T12:45:41Z")
61 right now. Haven’t measured my true resting rate–I’m usually too out of it when I first wake up to remember. I’ve measured it as low as 50, though. ---
**Author:** ![Morelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Morelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morelin)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/28 "2004-09-23T12:48:17Z")
Mine varies between 80-120+ as a normal resting rate, off meds. ON meds, I think it’s closer to 60-80. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/29 "2004-09-23T13:19:59Z")
75…not bad I used to be much, much higher. Toprol helps… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/30 "2004-09-23T13:49:08Z")
I’m about 64. I counted for 30 seconds and multiplied by two. Since I work in a hospital testing equipment, I end up having my pulse and bloop pressure taken, on average, at least twice daily. It varies anywhere from about 55 to over 80. Go figure. I use to be lower, back when I did a lot of running, probably close to 50. I heard that Lance Armstrong’s resting heart rate is about 30! Christ! I’ve known corpses with higher heart rates than him! Oh, and **brian\_ax** , lower is better, to a point. If you’re really athletic, then it will be low and that’s fine. But if it’s low and you’re not athletic, then that’s a bad thing, because you’re heart and lungs probably aren’t strong enough to give the amount of oxygen your cells realyl need. I took a physiology class in college, and we all took our resting rates, and this one tiny giurl (just over 5’ tall, less than 90 lbs, I would think) was judt over 40. And she wasn’t athletic in any way. She was one of those ‘perpetually cold’ girls. She needed to eat some steaks! Get some freak’n iron in her blood! And give her a shot of adrenaline, fer christ sakes! ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/31 "2004-09-23T13:49:34Z")
It’s about 59 now. I think my true resting HR might be lower, though, because I haven’t measured it properly (you know - right after you wake up as **slortar** indicates) for a few years. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/32 "2004-09-23T14:05:25Z")
Mine was 66 after measuring it twice. I’ve seen it as low as 50 a couple of times, back when I worked out harder than I do now. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/33 "2004-09-23T14:15:10Z")
Somewhere between 60-70. I work out a lot but have a lot of caffeine as well. ---
**Author:** ![Iris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a5b964/32.png) [@Iris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iris)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/34 "2004-09-23T14:24:45Z")
Mine used to often be under 40 when I ran a lot. I check it periodically, along with my blood pressure, using those machines in the grocery store and now it’s up to 60 or so. I still exercise regularly, but I don’t run nearly as much as I used to. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/35 "2004-09-23T15:26:46Z")
A couple weeks ago, when I was exercising fervently 2-3 times a week, it was around 60. But lately, due to the hurricanes and cleanup (my house was damaged), I havent had time or ability to do much aerobic activity. So I measured my pulse the other day. Still 60. hmmm. How long does it take to push back up? ---
**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 23, 2004, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/36 "2004-09-23T15:31:20Z")
> [@NewHeart(Male)](#): > > Mind if I ask you **Dag** , how old were you when you first started competitively training for endurance? I was 23. I’m 37 now. The trick is to be competitive. If you are not, then you won’t really push yourself has hard as you can. By actually racing, you tend to take your training much more seriously. Even then, your races will be harder than your training. I still ride, but not as much as I did when I was racing. My experience is not unlike that of **Iris** , my heart rate is still low, but not what it was when I was really fit. And it felt damn good to be fit. Man, I want to start racing again. ---
**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 23, 2004, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/37 "2004-09-23T15:34:23Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > A couple weeks ago, when I was exercising fervently 2-3 times a week, it was around 60. > > But lately, due to the hurricanes and cleanup (my house was damaged), I havent had time or ability to do much aerobic activity. > > So I measured my pulse the other day. Still 60. hmmm. How long does it take to push back up? In my experience, you can take off for a couple of weeks without losing much fitness, and even then it’s easy to get it back. After about a month, you lose a bit more and it takes longer to get back to where you were at. ---
**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 23, 2004, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/38 "2004-09-23T15:53:20Z")
I had a really bad headache once, and, on the advice of a pharmacist, took quite a bit of codene. The codene didn’t do squat and I wound up having to go to an evening walk in clinic for a shot. When they took my pulse it was 37. Lower is not _always_ better. 🙂 FWIW, I was very relaxed. I was just relaxed with a wicked headache. ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/39 "2004-09-23T16:05:04Z")
1. Makes me wonder how the heck the furthest extremities of my body are ever able to get enough oxygen. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-resting-pulse-rate/265575/40 "2004-09-23T16:10:27Z")
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