The resting heart rate is a significant and easy to measure indicator on how fit you are. Athletes and active sportsmen tend to have a lower resting heart rate than average, because of an increased heart and lung volume. They often have heart rates of about 32-45 beates per minute, while normal people stay between 60-80 beates per minute.

The easiest way of finding out your resting heart rate is using a heart rate monitor. It can also be measured manually by palpating certain points on the body where an artery is close to surface. Most common points are:
- radial artery (wrist)
- carotid artery (neck)
- femoral artery (groin)
- brachial artery (elbow).

To measure the heart rate use index and middle finger of one hand and place it on measuring point. Now count the heart beates per minute. You can also take shorter time span (from 10 seconds on) and multiply up to one minute.

Best time to measure is about 5-10 minutes after waking up in the morning, just before leaving the bed.
Several factory can be responsible for a higher resting heart rate:
- undertraining (lack of training)
- overtraining (too much training)
- caffeine
- smoking
- stress
- excitement

Compare your value with the ones given in the table below. As your heart rate is permanently 10 or more beats per mintes above normal, please consult your trainer or doctor.