1. Heart Rate
James Sandlin

2. Reasons to Check Your Heart Rate
Knowledge about your heart rate can help you monitor your fitness level.
Can help you spot developing health problems.
Check for blood flow after an injury or when a blood vessel may be blocked.

3. Finding Your Pulse on Your Wrist
Use your fingers when finding a pulse. Don't use your thumb when finding it, as it has its own pulse.
Find the radial pulse. This is also known as the pulse on the inside of the wrist. Use the pads of two fingers. Place these just below the wrist creases at the base of the thumb. Press lightly until you feel a pulse (blood pulsing under your fingers). If necessary, move fingers around until you feel the pulse.

4. Finding Your Pulse on Your Neck
Find the carotid pulse. To feel a pulse on the side of the neck, place two fingers, preferably your index and middle finger, in the hollow between the windpipe and the large muscle in the neck. Press lightly until you feel a pulse.

5. Recording Your Heart Rate
Use a watch or clock with a second hand. Make a note of the rate of the pulse, which is the number of beats per minute. If you don't have a watch or clock, you can count the beats you feel for 15 seconds and multiply this number by four to get your heart rate per minute.

6. Determine Your Normal Heart Rate
For adults, normal heart rate is beats per minute.
For children under age 18, normal heart rate is beats per minute.
This is your heart rate when you are at rest.

7. Finding Your Potential Maximum Heart Rate
This is the highest your pulse rate can get.
You will use your potential maximum heart rate to determine your target heart rate. To find yours, follow this formula: 220-(your age)=(predicted maximum heart rate)
Try exercising intensely for 30 minutes and then checking your heart rate immediately after (or even during) your exercise.
Compare your real maximum heart rate to your potential maximum heart rate. The numbers should be similar.

8. Finding Your Target Heart Rate
This is 60 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate.
The reason there is a range rather than a solid number is because everyone has a different fitness level.
While you exercise, check your pulse for 15 seconds. The number should be 60 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate.

9. Reference http://www.wikihow.com/Check-Your-Pulse
yHeartandStrokeNews/All-About-Heart-Rate- Pulse_UCM_438850_Article.jsp