XML/RSS Feed
The 12-Minute Heart Test
Your heart rate is an indicator of your cardiovascular fitness. How quickly it slows down after exercise is an important measurement. To measure your heart rate recovery, exercise vigorously for five minutes and then take your pulse. Wait two minutes. Then calculate your heart rate again. If you have an average level of fitness, it will drop by 55 beats. Well-conditioned people will see a higher drop, perhaps 70 beats. Generally, the faster you recover, the better your fitness and the lower your risk of heart disease. (Source: "The Doctor's Heart Cure" by Dr. Al Sears)
