Heart rate and pulse rates are separate phenomena. The difference for our purpose is not significant. Resting heart rate is our pulse rate at rest (before rising in the morning). The averages are: 72-76 per minutes for men; 30 to 84 per minute for boys; 75-80 per minutes for women; 82-89 per minutes for girls.

Generally, a well-conditioned heart will have a lower resting heart rate and, generally the lower the resting heart rate, the healthier the individual. A well-conditioned athlete will have a resting heart rate of approximately 50 beats per minute.

 

Generally, a well-conditioned heart will have a lower resting heart rate and, generally the lower the resting heart rate, the healthier the individual. A well-conditioned athlete will have a resting heart rate of approximately 50 beats per minute.

You can lower your resting heart rate by making it beat faster during regular prolonged periods of exercise (12 to 20 minutes). With proper exercise your heart becomes richer in oxygen, more massive and powerful and more efficient. A reconditioned heart beats more slowly at rest and, during work, acquires greater pumping capacity. The heart is strengthened by increasing the quality of the heart muscle (myocardium), and by increasing the co-ordination of the fibers.

The heart needs an overload of blood to be conditioned. You must pursue an activity that pushes your heart rate to a level higher than your normal routine. It is possible to increase your maximum heart rate during exercise from 115 to 180 and lower your resting pulse from 51 to 40 in a five week period following the guidelines of an aerobic kicking drill. Remember, fitness means the development of all the components of your body, these are:

1. Muscular strength

2. Muscular endurance

3. Cardiovascular endurance

4. Flexibility

5. Co-ordination

6. Concentration.

To improve a skill involves specificity-specific strength and co-ordination of muscle groups and nerves that perform that skill.

Finally, a single activity will not achieve total fitness. Fitness strictly relates to your ability to meet the demands to your environment. Performance is how well you accomplish a task. So we must engage in a variety of physical exercise on a regular (ideally weekly) schedule.

HEART RATE CHART PER 10 SECOND COUNT.

 

Age Group	60%	65%	70%	85%	MAX
20-22	20	22	23	28	33
23-25	19	21	23	28	33
26-28	19	21	22	27	32
29-31	19	21	22	27	32
32-34	19	21	22	26	31
35-37	18	20	21	26	31
38-40	18	20	21	26	30
41-43	18	19	21	25	30
44-46	17	19	21	25	29
47-49	17	19	20	24	29
50-52	17	18	20	24	28
53-55	17	18	19	23	28
56-58	16	18	19	23	27
59-60	16	17	19	23	27

 

HOW TO TAKE YOUR PULSE.

 

You take your pulse by placing three fingers over the artery near the centre of the inside wrist. Touch fingers lightly to the area until you feel your pulse. Use a wristwatch or clock with a second hand or a stopwatch. Count the number of beats for a period of ten seconds. Then use the chart above, which is based on a 10-second count.