Measure Your Resting Heartbeat

From HealthSmart Magazine

Your pulse is the most effective measure of your cardiovascular fitness (the efficiency of your heart in pumping oxygen-rich blood to your muscles). The fitter you are, the stronger your heart is, the lower your pulse.

To take your pulse, place your index and middle finger on your carotid artery (located on your neck, in one of the grooves alongside your windpipe) or try your radial artery (located on your wrist near your thumb). Then use a watch with a second hand and count the beats over a ten-second period. Multiply this number by six to get your heart rate per minute. (If you’re taking your pulse after exercise, don’t count over a longer period – your heart rate will slow and you’ll get an incorrect reading.)

The resting heart rate for the average person is 60-80 beats per minute.