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Resting Heart Rate Table

resting heart rate measurementA normal resting heart rate can range anywhere from 40 to 100 beats per minute. Below is a chart relating resting heart rate and fitness level. As can be seen on this chart, your resting heart rate can vary with your fitness level and with age — the fitter you are, generally the lower the resting heart rate. This is due to the heart getting bigger and stronger with exercise, and getting more efficient at pumping blood around the body - so at rest more blood can be pumped around with each beat, therefore less beats per minute are required.

If you have any concerns about the functioning of your heart, you should consult a doctor who can examine you personally and give their expert opinion. Don't rely on comments and feedback here as medical advice.


Heart Rate and Fitness Chart

These ratings provide only a generalization of you fitness and health, there are many other factors which may account for variations in heart rate such as medications, illness and stress. For a true measure of resting heart rate, it is important for the measurement to be taking accurately and under the best resting conditions. There is more information and instructions on how and when to measure resting heart rate. Fitness can also be assessed by measuring heart rate during exercise, which is a better measure of fitness. If you have any questions, you should check out the Resting Heart Rate FAQ.

Resting Heart Rate for MEN
Age 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 65+
Athlete 49-55 49-54 50-56 50-57 51-56 50-55
Excellent 56-61 55-61 57-62 58-63 57-61 56-61
Good 62-65 62-65 63-66 64-67 62-67 62-65
Above Average 66-69 66-70 67-70 68-71 68-71 66-69
Average 70-73 71-74 71-75 72-76 72-75 70-73
Below Average 74-81 75-81 76-82 77-83 76-81 74-79
Poor 82+ 82+ 83+ 84+ 82+ 80+

Resting Heart Rate for WOMEN
Age 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 65+
Athlete 54-60 54-59 54-59 54-60 54-59 54-59
Excellent 61-65 60-64 60-64 61-65 60-64 60-64
Good 66-69 65-68 65-69 66-69 65-68 65-68
Above Average 70-73 69-72 70-73 70-73 69-73 69-72
Average 74-78 73-76 74-78 74-77 74-77 73-76
Below Average 79-84 77-82 79-84 78-83 78-83 77-84
Poor 85+ 83+ 85+ 84+ 84+ 84+

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Old Comments

  • I am 70 just check my heart. Its 64.  I work 9 hrs.a day and doe moderate exercise.  Whoo makes me happy. (from Ana pumpuam, Apr 2013)
  • I'm 5'6" about 169. I just started running 3 months ago. I run about 6 miles a day 4 days a week. I also do heavy weight training. I look very athletic and can do 100 push ups 100 pull-ups 100 situps 100 squats but my resting bpm can be any where from 80 to 105. Never lower. I thought I was healthy (I eat brown rice, wild rice, I use a juicer once a week and eat lots of veggies and fruits). (from Jeff, Apr 2013)
  • Lol, I am 6'2'' 300lbs 20 yrs old and yes I know I am trying to loose weight. And I have a resting heart rate of 54. Nothing my doctor is concerned about he says that it is great. My brother is 5'8'' 18 yrs old 150lbs and has a resting heart rate of 39. The doctor kinda freak out each time they take blood pressure and heart rate. Although he has run a few marathons he doesn't run consistently, just when he feels like it. (from Bob, Apr 2013)
  • I am 22, I do little to no exercise but my heart rate is 52. I'm not fat, I eat healthily, I'm just curious what this means. (from Anna, Apr 2013)
  • I'm a 19 yr old female, 5'3'', 105 lbs. my heart rate at rest is 110. I'm worried. My heart beats really hard. I can feel it against my mattress. Should I be concerned..? :( (from Malory, Apr 2013)
  • I show mine is at 80 which is surprising because I eat clean, do lots of weiggts and hiit workouts 4-6 times a week. Im about 118lbs and 5'4 (from Jennifer Vega, Apr 2013)
  • I used to have a poor resting heart rate and bad blood pressure  Since I Started exercising it is now in the good range and my blood pressure is optimum getting near to low pressure but I think charts maybe don't go far enough for active people. (from Mike, Apr 2013)
  • Hi, I am 17 years old and am pretty active, yet my resting heart rate is an average of 100bpm. I am 5,4 and 127 pounds. Is there something wrong with me? (from Amanda, Apr 2013)
  • 18year old male. Drink about 20 beers and have 10 shots a weekend. Run 10 miles a day, 6 days a week. Resting heart rate is 52. (from Nate, Apr 2013)
  • I'm 24 and I have a resting heart rate between 57-60! woohoo! I do resistance training, HIIT, kettlebell training and jumping ropes 5 to 6 days a weeks. I'm definitely going to keep this up :) (from Nat, Mar 2013)
  • I am 28 yo female I am 5 4'  157 lbs with a large frame.  My heart rate is in the excellent category.  Now i see why I have more endurance than many of my tinier gym mates;  my heart is more efficient:) (from alexandra, Mar 2013)
  • I'm 15 and have a resting heartbeat of 35-48 is this bad? I run excessively (5-13 miles a day). Maybe the low number is because I'm so in shape? (from Madeline Pearce, Mar 2013)
  • At 50 years old my heart rate is not where it needs to be. It is 82 and that is extremely poor for a women of my age. The problem is I have a hard time with exercise due to my osteoporosis. It pains me to be so unhealthy as I used to be  a gym teacher. Help!!!! (from Linda Turner, Mar 2013)
  • I am 43 work out in spirts of a few months at a time.  Have worked out and ran all my life.  My current resting heart rate is 41 and I just went to the doctor to have an ekg done.  He said everything looked normal with the rythme but, when I laid down and relaxed for the test my pulse rate for the test went down to 34 bpm.  He asked me all of the normal questions do you get dizzy "no", loss of balance "no", tired "no'.  I fee great.  I'm 5 7  180  and very muscular. (from Paco, Mar 2013)
  • Im 15 years turing 16, im worried about my health because my heart rate when im resting is around 80 bpm. And when my excesising it ranges from 235-255 bpm. Why this is happening? (from Tshegofatso, Mar 2013)
  • I have 2 HR monitors that are both calibrated. I am a racing cyclist and I smoke yep bizarre combo resting HR of 46. (from Jason golden Virginia rocks, Mar 2013)
  • I'm a 61 yr old male. 5'10" and after adopting the 5&2 diet last August my weight is stable at 168lbs.  This gives me a BMI of 24.  I exercise regularly (dancing, walking and cycling) and my resting heart rate is 53 now that I've got my weight down by 18lbs. I haven't a current blood pressure reading but I've been around 120/80 for the last 15 years and lower before that.  I suspect my cholesterol will be at the higher end of the normal range. My family is relatively long lived (Dad died at 82 and my mother, though not well, will be 95 in May.) I eat a balanced diet and we eat only small amounts of processed foods. I drink moderate amounts - half to one bottle of wine per week over several days and the odd bottle of beer and glass of whisky indicates that I'm no paragon. I eat some red meet, along with chicken and fish and have at least one vegetarian main meal per week. I make sure to have regular portions of vegetables and fruit. My work life tends to be fairly hectic and I travel a lot, so my lifestyle is not stress free. However, I do make sure to have me time even when I'm travelling. The point of the above is that it's the entire picture that counts. A sensible approach to life making sure the major risk factors are controlled is, along with our genetic profile, all that one can do. (from Alan, mar 2013)
  • I am 40 and I am fit part of the year. Winter I kind of let myself slide then during the warmer months I jog several times a week and eat better and get to a normal BMI.  Right now I am just starting up with fitness again so I'm 20 lbs too heavy but I'll have it lost in a few months.  My resting heart rate is 54 - it's been that way for as long as I can remember though.  I'd think that because I am not a consistent athlete and I'm aging it would be higher. Could there be something wrong with me or is it just lucky genetics? (from Blah, Mar 2013)
  • I am the 44yr old female mentioned earlier, RHR of 44 first thing rising to 52 throughout the day and I agree with a lot of the comments re exercising and lousy maths. I run 4 hours a week. Cycle daily, always have, about 6hrs total. Gym 3hrs. Circuit train 2hrs. 140lb size 10uk. Use it or loose it! (from Happy, Mar 2013)
  • I'm 14 and my resting heart rate is 120? I wouldn't say that I'm unfit or anything, I'm 5 ft 4 and weigh 110 pounds, should I be worried? (from uh-oh, Mar 2013)
  • I am 15 years old, 5 foot 2, 120 pounds. I'm an athlete. I love to run and I play softball and practice everyday of the week. Our coaches are hard on us so we stay in shape. In the past 2-3 years I've been dealing with a rhuematological condition Reflex Neurovascular Dystrophy/ Amplified Pain Syndrome which is like fibromyalgia or arthritis. All of my doctors say that in a coupld years the diagnosis could be changed to Lupus which I believe that I have the onset of. I realize that you don't specialize in that but I've had consistently high blood pressure and a resting heart rate of 90 and when I exercise it gets up to 201 bpm. I tire out more easily and I have a hard time running with the girls.I get dizzy, feel like throwing up and get a funny feeling in my chest. I've seen a cardiologist and they have told me I have an innocent heart murmur. A lot of doctors have no answer or just think nothing is wrong. I'm reaching out for an answer but if you cannot help I will appreciate the fact that you took the time to read this. I have a very strong mind and won't give up easily. (from  Julianna Robbins, Mar 2013)
  • I am 32 years old; <100 lbs; 4 ft 11 in.; My resting heart rate fluctuates widely between 70 to 90 bpm.  I consider myself fit and involved in a wide range of activity.  Bouldering 3/ wk, modern dance 1/wk, yoga, (daily) weight training 2-3x/wk, swimming laps 1/ wk, and run 1/wk.  My main source of transportation is my legs.  I feel fit. But if a low heart correlates to a high fitness level then does that imply I may not be as fit as i think? ... Should I increase the intensity of my aerobic activity? (from Shannon, Mar 2013)
  • I am 35 and i cycle regularly. Today when I cycled for 24 minutes to work, My average HR was 218bpm with a max of 254bpm. I am quite worried so I checked my resting heartrate sitting at my desk and it appears to be around 85bpm. My weight is 88kg and i am 177cm tall. I am scared because I don't want to die. I will book in to see a Doctor but can anyone else give meany advise? (from chris, ACyclist, Mar 2013)
  • I am 17 and my resting heart rate is 75. I went to the gym once a week and spent maybe 10-20 minutes there. The rest of my free time is sitting on my laptop and watching the movie or do some homework. (from Mabine, Mar 2013)
  • I'm 31 and in the best shape of my life. A few years ago i was clinically obese with a rhr in the high eighties. Last year i shed 100 lbs ran my first half and i have a rhr of 57! If i can do it so can anyone. (from simon, Mar 2013)
  • Hello!  I am 39 years old next week and my resting heart rate is 59 - wayhay!  It used to be over 70 - I managed to knock it down by doing high intensity interval training workouts at my Fitness center.  I am 122 pounds :-) (from Sarah Mines, Mar 2013)
  • I'm 23, female and my resting heart rate is 60 BPM. I never really exercised before, but I started about a week and a 1/2 ago. I workout for 45 mins. I do interval training. For reference I am 5'4'' 130lbs (from Selly, Mar 2013)
  • Mine's 39 bpm..  Been hammering cardio 5 days a week and eating clean... 5.4 and 78kg (from Neil, Mar 2013)
  • Hi, I am 57 with a heart rate of 48 bpm. As I am not doing a great deal of exercise after an illness, is this normal as it is not on the chart for my age group. (from Barry, Mar 2013)
  • I'm 5 10, 18 years old, with a rest heart rate of 96, wtf is wrong with me! (from Gabe, Mar 2013)
  • I am 26, I have lost 34 ponds so far. I still need to lose about 80 more. I bicycle 2-5 times a week and have a resting HR of 67-74. I have a long way to go but I am getting there. (from JB, Mar 2013)
  • The only test for fitness is how well you can endure a particular task. HR is irrelevant. My rest rate is 60 if I don't exercise. With moderate exercise it drops to 50 bpm. Intense exercise it drops to 40. Low rest rates run in the family so it's poorly a genetic factor. (from Mike, Mar 2013)
  • I'm training for a half marathon and recently I checked my resting heart-rate, it was 46 beats a minute. I was concerned but it seems as though that that number is about right for the amount of training I'm doing. (from Runner, Mar 2013)
  • I'm 44 and my RHR is 46 I workout 4 times a week I do spin, kick boxing and boot camp classes, when i workout my HR is about 160  80% of the class, I  eat berry lithe fat food and consume a lot of vegetables. (from Just saying, Mar 2013)
  • I'm a 20 year old female. 165 cm and weigh 54 kilos. I hardly ever exercise besides for walking my dog and the occasional bike ride . My resting heart rate is 45 bpm. Is this normal? (from Erin, Mar 2013)
  • Hi guys, I'm 36, endomorph, BMI < 22, was leading a very sedentary life for more than 2 years. I was shocked to find that my RHR was 76 beats a minute. Eight days back, I downloaded a pedometer app and started doing 10,000 steps daily, sometimes even 15,000 and yesterday my RHR was 69 beats. I still have a long way to go, but should get into the 65 range in a month. (from Ashwin, Mar 2013)
  • Go and see a doctor if you have any concern about your health (from Sam, Mar 2013)
  • I am 45 / 133 lbs 5'6'' and do cross-fit three times a week. I also lift 2 times a week. Mine is a 48. *concerned at first but they say I am okay. ;) (from Heather, Mar 2013)
  • Hi! I am an athlete and a fitness Taekwondo Coach. I usually run for 6 - 8 kms and regular cardio, stretching, Core Training, Strengthening, Gyming etc. and i worked out for 7 days a weeks and You Know I am a Type -1 Diabetic and my resting heart rate is around 49 - 52, my height is 6'1" and my body weight is 72 kg :) drinks lots and lots of water, and i am an pure vegetarian, eats fruits and drink milk allot :) My motto is to eat clean and be lean and fit :) (from Vishvjeet Dutta, Mar 2013)
  • Some of these comments have had me laughing out loud, the guy with the 359 bpm going full on into matrix mode, sarcasm is wasted! I'm 36 yo man, 5ft 11, 190 lbs. could do with shedding a little more fat but exercise 6 times a week, run 3/4 miles most days and gym it as well.  Usually run a little longer 1  day at the weekend 10K+. Resting heart rate is 43 bpm and 122/75 BP,  I think a lot of this is also genetics as well as low stress, exercise and eating healthy. I'm no Phd though and this is just from what I have read and friends I know in the fitness world. (from Funnyrunner, Mar 2013)
  • well based on the comments i see, it appears that the resting heart rate depends on too many variables. needless to say this is only for informational purposes in most cases though. im a 27 yr old with a heart resting heart rate of 52. my best running time is 32min for a total of 4 miles and i run about 3-4 times a week. it seems i fall in the correct cagetory.
  • 32 yo male, 1 hour lifting weights + 1 hour cardio, 5 times a week... heart rate of 47... thing is i'm 20kg over my weight. lol (from Joey, Mar 2013)
  • My resting heart rate is at 60 bpm, I'm 28yrs old, smoke a pack a day, rarely ever exercise and eat junk food 90% of the time. I'm in above average bmi group n have an athletic build. My heart rate is in the excellent section ? (from Davey, Feb 2013)
  • bear in mind that too low a heart beat is equally bad. It is not necessaily a sign of fitness (from ACC, Feb 2013)
  • Forty four, female RHR of 44 first thing in the morning rising to 52 throughout the day. Take up running if you would like to improve yours. Apparantly I am an athlete! (from Happy, Feb 2013)
  • I'm 32, regularly exercise through biking, running, climbing and hill walking. My resting heart rate today is 42. Though it tends to fluctuate between 42 and 49 depending on what mood my heart is in :-) (from David, Feb 2013)
  • I am a 50 year old African American woman who works out at least 3 days per week but I walk, run, and skip to the grocery stores or I take walks use the treadmill or elliptical machines everyday on a regular basis.  My resting heart rate is at 58 bpm.  :o) (LV,February 2013)
  • I am 168 years old and my resting heart rate is 0, which is due to my health condition known as death. Wait! How the?!?! (from David, Feb 2013)
  • I'm 20, overweight female (BMI 26). My heart rate is 60bpm. I don't think I'm doing too bad but finding this out has inspired me to do some Excersise because it could go down by a beat or 3 xD. Thanks.(from Sonny, Feb 2013)
  • i retired from my service after a injury at 47,having served 27 years .i am 60 at this time and still carry out speed marches,weights and pull ups. my average heart rate is between 47 and 56,weight 140 pounds .....so i suppose i cannot complain,ps i dont smoke but sometimes have a beer !! (from bracey, Feb 2013)
  • Im 28 and have a resting heart rate of 47. I train 7days a week ranging from 2hr rugby sessions, 10mile runs and military fitness tests. On top of this i work 12hrs a day in a glass factory. i have done nothing but train and keep myself in peak physical condition from being 4yo to joining the army to leaving and commiting to a healthy life so m daughter realises the importance of being healthy. NO WAY someone who smokes, drinks and doesnt train can have a healthier resting heart than me. i agree BAD MATHS!!! (from Gav 28, Feb 2013)
  • I'm 17, I do very little excercise. I climb 4 flights of stairs (up and back down) nearly 10 times a week and that's all I do. Most of the time I either sit at my laptop playing games or I'm eating unhealthily yet I'm pleased to know my resting heart rate is steady at the 59bpm mark. :) (from Matt, Feb 2013)
  • I am a 37 yo woman, 5' 7" 130 lbs. I run 25-35 miles per week and I eat incredibly heathy. My resting rate is 72. One would think I'd be closer to athlete range, but I'm not and not going to worry about it. Normal is different for everyone unless the number is extreme.  Y'all shouldn't worry so much. (from Ana, Feb 2013)
  • Hi. I am 28 years old, 6'5" and weigh 100KG. I run 2km and climb 340 steps (17 stories) all in one go 3 time s a week. I plan to increase this. Also I have smoked for 13 year (avg. 10 a day). And I drink at least once a week (Heavy - party style). My resting heart rate is ~60-65. I have compared this to certain days when I dont smoke and my resting heart rate goes down to 55-60. (from Goldfish, Feb 2013)
  • I am Dr Dre and my beats per minute depends on the track I'm rapping on.  Usually I like a 120, but sometimes I gotta slow it down to 60, ya feel me? (from Dr Dre, Feb 2013)
  • My resting heart rate has fluxuated between 59 and 68 for as long as I can remember keeping track of it. I have always been extremely active but because of other genetic health issues (hypothyroidism) I have been overweight since about age 13. I was in many sports throughout high school including swimming which I continued through my freshman year in college. That year I was in the best shape of my life and my RHR sat firmly at 59 BPM. I am currently in an aerobic dance class and pilates, both are great and I definately recommend them to every one. My aerobic dance professor told me that a resting heart rate in the range I stated was really low and that I might have low blood pressure. I have recently done some research and found that I am completely normal and my doctors have always commented that I have excellent blood pressure ratings so I'm very curious to know why my professor thought that my range was low. I do have a very difficult time raising my pulse though. I must train quite rigorously to get my pulse to stay at 140 and above. I can jog a mile and a half and still not break 100 BPM. Is this common? I usually just tack it up to my body's muscle memory and endurance training. I've had so much endurance training that I think my body just expects more of a workout. (from Rachel L., Feb 2013)
  • I'm 96 years old and have exercised hard my whole life, competed in many triathlon and ultrathon events, including 200+ mile 60 hr events. my resting heart rate is 0, i am dead. lol! (from Matthew, Feb 2013)
  • I am 48 and have a resting heart rate of 50. I work out at least an hour a day and am also a distance runner. Feel really good about this result (from livesimplecolorado, Jan 2013)
  • i am 1 years old and my resting heart rate is 50 probably because i work out every day (from sanjay, Jan 2013)
  • I'm 32 and slightly underweight but always have been. I run 5 km 3 days a week and my resting heart rate changes all the time. It is anywhere between 55 and 80. I think people are worrying too much about their resting heart rate and should worry more about what they're eating, drinking and the amount of exercise they do. Being on your feet all day is not exercise, it doesn't get your heart rate up considerably like running or training does. Get proper exercise! (from Candice, Jan 2013)
  • I'm 15 and my resting heart rate is 55 but would like it to be better. I cycle seriously 5 times a week, with 3 interval sessions and 2 longer endurance sessions (30-80 miles). That is in the winter when I'm training. I would like to improve my diet and become healthier. How? (from Jed, Jan 2013)
  • Mine was 150 but I only weigh 340 lbs and only eat McDonalds ONCE a week ... I shop at wallmart and that involves lots of walking. this is inaccurate. (from georgia, Jan 2013)
  • I am a 50 year old woman. I train 6 days per week 60-90 min of cardio activity per session. My resting heart rate is normally around 36-39 beats per minute.  My max is 185-190. My heart rate drops very quickly at rest.  Even despite the training I do, I believe my resting rate is genetically influenced as most of my family have very low resting heart rates; even those who do not exercise regularly. (from syd, Jan 2013)
  • I had 72 beats but I'm 14 I work out every day for 1 hour and I go to school which lets me extra size even more. I eat healthy. But heart stroke does run in my family. I really want to be in the athlete zone but I'm not. Why?!!! (from sofia, Jan 2013)
    • To Sofia: Sofia your only 14 and you're a female. Physiology shows that children have faster heartbeats than adults. For instance, a baby's heart rate will be much higher than yours. Additionally females have a higher heart rate than men. You do not need to worry. As you age you're heart rate will become smaller as your heart increases in size from exercise and you get better bloodflow as your body stops growing. Hope that helps.
  • I'm 17 years old and I played soccer for 10 years and do long distance running often. I am In the gym everyday when I wake up, go to school for 8 hours and then go to work. I'm ALWAYS on my feet! I have 61 bpm and I don't see how that is even possible for people who say they run about 5 miles a week to have a less bpm than I do! You're clearly not doing your rest right because a man by David goggins did 100 mile run and lot more than that && has a heart rate of 35 bpm. NO WAY y'all can too. (from Lindsey akinn, Jan 2013)
  • hello im a 27year old male my resting heart rate is 110 bpm. i am not over weight i take bicycle rides daily i get more then needed exercise wise i never really have any down time i guess u would call me a jack of all traits i do house calls for everything plumbing drywall electrical i can build a house from dirt up. (from Steven, Jan 2013)
  • To everyone saying,"hurr durr i walk 1 mile 3 times a week n ride bikes n eat healthy my heartrate is 26." You are wrong, and can't do a simple calculation. David Goggins is an elite ultramarathoner. He has a heart rate of 32 bpm. He runs 15-20 miles each morning and then bikes 30 miles. Do you people seriously think you have a hart rate that rivals a man who dedicates 50% to 75% of his day exercising? No I don't think so. I think it's more likely you just cant do the test correctly. (from herpderp, Jan 2013)
    • Herpderp - you are a winner. Some people cant do maths. "Oh im overweight and dont excercise and my heart rate is 40" ... WRONG. You are BAD at MATHS. (from lol, Jan 2013)
  • I have a resting heart rate between 50 and 60 which for my age rates me as athletic on the chart. But I never do any exercise and I'm at least three stone overweight. Proves diet and exercise are unnecessary. For me at least. I have a very healthy ticker without either. (from Laura Marcus, Jan 2013)
  • I'm 50 and my resting heart rate is 44. I only jog about 5 miles a week and play tennis doubles twice per week. My body get tired way before I get winded. I thinks it's hereditary. My doctor thinks I'm a marathon runner. Lol (from Ted, Dec 2012)
  • I'm 22, weigh 63kg, 1m72. 68bpm at rest. But have had it drop to 35 when fainting because of hypoglycaemia and anemia. I would say training is good, but it counts for little unless you eat properly. And for some, you have to take in more specific things. Genetics play a huge role. Your height, the immune system, the muscle fibers predisposition, your heart muscle, lung capacity ... You can train to adapt, but if you need to pump blood from your heart further away to your extremities you might need a more efficient heart rate. (from Sam, Nov 2012)
  • This, lacking references, seems like a bunch of haphazardly grouped numbers. I'm 35. I race bicycles. I'm nowhere near an elite athlete. My resting heart rate goes from 36 to 42, depending on the training load. When very fatigued, it has been 32. Max heart rate has dropped from 195 to about 190 since my 20's. Some fellow cyclists have very different ranges, especially at the top end. Some guys my age top at 205-210 bpm. No, they are not about to die - their heart simply beats faster than mine. At the same intensity, our coach's HR is always about 20 beats higher. Which is to say - it's all individual. Yes, there are correlations, but a big part of this is body size (as in height/body frame) and heart size. If you want an opinion on your health, please consult your physician. This is crock. The real indicator for fitness is how much your HR has changed with an exercise regime (or lack thereof). (from Rod, Nov 2012)
  • I'm a seventeen year old female, I used to be a soccer player but I still exercise regularly at the gym and go for runs, and my resting heart rate is 50. I also have low blood pressure (My diastolic pressure is 50 which is apparently 10 below the normal range but my systolic pressure of 104 is within the normal range). Apparently if heart rate and blood pressure is too low then it could be problematic? (from Yensie, Nov 2012)
  • I'm a 29 yr old female I'm 5'9 and approx 135 kgs my resting rate was 90. I work in a call centre and don't get many opportunities to be active due to long hours at work.  I catch the bus into the city and try to get off the stop before home most nights so I have further to walk, what kind of activity can I do for a very time poor person? (from Sybil, Oct 2012)
  • I am 35 male. 5'11", 160lbs. i eat healthy except i drink 2-3 energy drinks a day. i never work out. my resting heart rate is 55. (from peeclox, Oct 2012)
  • my rest hr is around 70 ihad disc surg on L4 and L5 with lifting and walking and other excercise it went as high as 95 what am i doing wrong? (from c piatt, Oct 2012)
  • I am a 60 year old female.  My resting heart rate is 48-50.  I jog and walk every day for about 5 miles.  I was a distance runner when I was younger, and back then my resting heart rate was in the  low 30's.  I'm wondering if youthful fitness might have a long term effect on a person's heart fitness. (from Susan, Oct 2012)
  • my resting heart rate used to be horrible; (~90-100 and i'm a male under 18 years). its only been about a month since i started working out and running (workout about 50-60 minutes a day 3 days/week and run everyday (ranging from 3 to 8 km) and now my resting heart rate is ~60 BPM. so if you're out of shape, don't be discouraged, you can easily improve your body, just takes a small amount of effort 9from your average joe, Oct 2012)
  • I am a 32 year old male. I have a resting heart rate of 60 however I weigh 340lbs. I work out 4-5 times a week. I do cardio (cycling or elliptical for 20-40 minutes or I swim a mile in 40-50 minutes 2-3 times a week) and lift weights 3 times a week. I'm a fairly fit fat guy I guess ;-). Does that sound normal to any doctors or fitness pros reading this? Can you be in good cardiovascular condition while being severely overweight? (from Matt, Oct 2012)
  • I am a 19 year old female and my resting heart rate is around 32 bpm.  I know that this is low but I row every day and lifft weights three days a week.  I plan on going on going to the Olympics one day, so taking that into consideration, is my heart rate normal? (from Katie, oct 2012)
  • I'm 18 my rate is 79 bpm should i be worried its below average and for a younge person it shouldnt be, mind u i am recovering from a fever and have majour anxiety if that could effect it for my resting heart anyway but i am 11.5 stone. (from Ren, Oct 2012)
  • I am a fit 27 year old guy. My average heart rate is 50 bpm and I'm proud of it. I smoked some stuff some days ago and it went up to 110!! (while at rest) It's hard for me to get it to beat quickly, so I got scared. Went to the doctored, got checked (and complimented for such a great condition). I did see my life go through my eyes because I felt like dying (bad trip huh). The only thing I can say is: For those in a good condition CONGRATS!!! KEEP IT UP!!! For those in an average-poor condition: Dudes, it's never too late for getting fit. Be moderate but consistent, go at your own rythm, and do some cardio workout at least 3 times a week (40 mins routines). This might give you some more days with the ones you love :) (from Roger, Sept 2012)
  • Am 49 years old woman 3 stone over weight cycle hills at least once a week, spin 2/3 times and swim 2/3 times a week and try to run twice a week ( not fast mind but 3-4 miles each session) My heart rate is 56. (from Maggie T, Sept 2012)
  • Well just to let you know, a slow heart rate not all ways a sign of fitness. It could be something wrong with the heart. To find out if your heart is as slow and strong as top sport person. To find out you should try your best sport in full and see if your result is as good or as close to the top sport people level. If you are than your slow HB is as result of your fitness or if you are miles away and out of steam than you should get your heart seen by a Dr. Good luck. (from ki, Sept 2012)
  • I'm a 29 year old female in excellent shape and have 4 children and i have high bp my resting heart rate is 112 at times, I'm light headed a lot, dizzy and find it hard to breath this has been going on off and on for months and lasting weeks at a time,i seen a doc but nothing is ever done grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr what should i do? (from kim, Sept 2012)
  • I am 19, and my hearth beat is 59 at the moment, and i got to say i am pretty happy with it. Also i am looking forward to reduce it to 50 at least, since i am a cyclist.
  • I box 3 times a week run and have a good slim physique, seem to be one of the fittest in the gym and my rest rate is 70bpm!!!!??!? surely i cant be average? (from cc, Sept 2012)
  • I am 53 years old and have rest heart rate of 53. I cycle everywhere, When I was 38, my rest heart rate was  38. I didn't measure it in between. Makes me wonder does it go up with age. Will I/ have a rest heart rate of 80, if I live that long. Hope not!! (from chrissie, Sept 2012)
  • I'm a 34 year old female. I do interval training and vary my workouts, doing running, biking, swimming, weights, and working out at the gym 5 days a week. My resting heartbeat is 60. Sweet! (from Anne, Sept 2012)
  • 26 yr. old female with 80bpm resting. 6' 150lbs with a desk job and I don't work out unless you count some random yoga sessions and jump roping here and there. I had an anxiety attack a few years ago while I was walking when I was 6' 135lbs (before I got pregnant with my daughter) and now any sort of exercise scares me into thinking I'm going to have another attack. My heart rate was 180bpm and I could have sworn I was dying; not fun! I need to get back into a mild workout routine. (from Crystal, Sept 2012)
  • Hi I'm a 24 year old male and my resting heart rate is 0 am i dead? (from Jamie, Sept 2012)
  • I'm a 25 year old male with resting heart rate of 45bpm never really done exercise and don't work. All I do is walk to my car lol it never goes above 50 I don't eat healthy but I have never had 1 thing wrong with me since birth not even colds. Any1 else like this? (from dan, Sept 2012)
  • My resting heart rate is 49,  I'm a 36 yr old female 5'9" tall. I exercise at least one hour every day,I try to take Sundays off but just can't sit still. I do cardio, strength, and flexibility training. My resting rate is very low and does worry me at times as I have slot of dizzy spells, I've been to the hospital and had all the tests, and they say I'm normal, but it still concerns me. (from Carla Riley, Sept 2012)
  • Wow I'm very athletic. Not even 18 yet. My resting heart rate is 35. (from Anthony, Sept 2012)
  • Male, 25. I've always had a resting heart rate around 58-62 bpm. After 2.5 months of regular exercise, it is now at 48bpm. Pretty encouraging statistic to know your heart is that much stronger, and your hard work is ... working. (from Andrew, Sept 2012)
  • I'm a 37 year old male.  My resting heart rate is like 20, I measured it.  When I stair-dive it goes way up to like 500 or something.  The doctors are worried.  Should I be worried too?
  • I love that I'm in the athlete bracket with a resting heart rate of 47bpm at 41 years old. I've smoked for over 20 years and I drink a lot more than I should do. Saying that though I am slim and eat healthily to try and balance it out. I also exercise hard at least every other day and have run over 10 half marathons and have run the London marathon. I have to laugh when the die hard anti smokers tell me how bad smoking is and how I should give up. I soon shut them up though when I ask them how many marathons they've completed lol (from Michelle, 3 Sept 2012)
    • To Michelle- proud smoker and drinker of 20 years at 41. Maybe you are lucky enough to have a low resting heart rate, it is partly genetic. However, suggesting that smoking and drinking effects can be cancelled out by exercise and healthy eating is rubbish. It improves your health, but can never cancel out the effects entirely. Besides with 20 years of smoking and drinking you really have nothing to compare to. What you're saying is the same as saying I steal but also give to charity so it's ok. Two separate issues. And at 41- you really should know better than to be proud of it. I can certainly understand it being difficult to quit, but stop showing off like you're some sort of medical miracle. (from Maria, Nov 2012)
  • I'm a 20 year old female, decent amount of exercise from walking at work, 5'4 120lbs. I counted my heart beat and while resting, been laying down watching a movie for roughly an hour, and I got a 106. I'm a guessing that isn't so good ... Anyone feel like shedding some light on this? (from Erin, 2 Sept 2012)
  • I am a 25 year old female my resting heart rate is running at 210bpm right now. my head hurts and I am short of breath. what is going on with me? (from Donna, 1 Sept 2012)
  • My resting pulse is 49-55, depending on rest and training. I do intervals on my bicycle raising my pulse from 120-150.  Over a month, I increased from 20 Right pedal strokes to 50, maxing my HR at 156.   Yesterday I pushed myself at sustained 150 for 30+  minutes and felt okay, and had my fastest bicycle ride for 1 hr. I ride my bicycle 4 hrs/wk. I also train in Krav Maga 2-3 hrs per week. I'm 68, 6',203lbs.  BP and RHR goes down with proper nutrition, exercise, rest, and recovery. So, I push it, rest it and measure it! (from Fredz, Aug 2012)
  • The first comment on this site dealt with a woman who had what was diagnosed as an "athletic heart" in spite of her obesity. New research has shown, however, that it is normal for obese men and women to display what is, in actuality, essentially non reactive hearts. The study also found that people whose hearts reacted more to external stresses tended to remain trim over the years. My point is that a low and unresponsive heart rate is not license to remain happily overweight. There is simply no such thing as "healthily obese/overweight". Quote from Carroll et al (2008): "Our analyses suggest that it is low, not high, HR reactivity that is related to adiposity. Low HR reactivity, probably by reflecting generally blunted sympathetic nervous system reactions to challenge, may be a risk marker for developing obesity (Carroll D, Phillips AC, Der G, Hunt K, Benzeval M. Body Mass Index, Abdominal Adiposity, Obesity, and Cardiovascular Reactions to Psychological Stress in a Large Community Sample. Psychosomatic Medicine July/August 2008 vol. 70 no. 6 653-660) (message from New Englander, Aug 2012)
  • Just checked my resting heart rate at 60bpm and 42 years old.  I lift weights regularly, a little cardio and I'll be Athlete status.  Sweet, now just have to maintain a healthy lifestyle. (from Bruffy, 28 Aug 2012)
  • Female, five foot seven, 155-160 lbs depending on the day. I work out a couple times a week with a kettlebell. Resting heart rate is 67. (from Jackie, Aug 2012)
  • 2 years ago before I quit collegiate athletics I was 195 lbs with a 48bpm pulse. Since then I have weighed around 175 and found out today I'm at 79bpm. I'm 5'11 still have abs and a low percent body fat despite lack of working out but started drinking and smoking regularly in the last 2 years. (from Dalton, 28 Aug 2012)
  • I am 47 yrs old, female, overweight by 40lbs.  I workout in an intense morning bootcamp 5 days a week and my resting HR is about 73.  Everyone is different I guess. (from HB, Aug 2012)
  • WOW )'m a 21 year old female, have been sitting in bed watching tv so am at complete rest yet my heart rate which a measured three times just to make sure was 98, 98 and 99. Is that really as bad as you guys are all saying cause i didn't think it was anything to be worried about till i read this. I am about 65kgs and about 156cm tall. (from Cristina, Aug 2012)
  • I run every other day and every third day I do a 5k. During the off days I lift weights or cycle or basketball. At work, I walk about 12 miles constantly moving. My resting heart rate is 59. (from The One, Aug 2012)
  • I am 39 years old and considered obese (and have been most of my life).  I have a resting heart rate of 42-50 bpm.  Because I am large, my doctor ordered me to go to a cardiologist.  The cardiologist did an echo and stress test.  He also put me on a 21 day holter and event monitor (24 hour EKG pretty much).  We found that my stress test was rated as excellent-Athlete, my echo came back as healthy with no problems, scarring, or issues and my holter came back as excellent-athlete.  They found my resting heart rate asleep got down to 30 bpm at night -- this caused alarm on the first night as the monitoring service called me and asked if I was okay in the middle of the night (the doctor had to call and tell them that was normal for me).  My cardiologist basically said with my weight and age he was very surprised that I have a "heart of an athlete."  So, in my opinion, weight doesn't have a straight correlation to how healthy a heart is -- I believe genetics plays a HUGE part in how healthy a heart is -- however, I believe exercise and diet can help heart health a little as well.  But, genetics is the over all factor.  That is why you hear about athletes dying of heart attacks and obese people living to be 100.  When it's your time to go ... it's your time.  Period. (from Markus, Aug 2012)
    • that 39 year old guy who was considered obese most of his life and has an athletes heart is talking crap! Before i started to train again, i was 15.5st and fat and had a high rhr. Now I'm 12.5st, fit, and have an rhr of 42-49 bpm. The harder you train and the better your diet, the healthier you are. end of. Genetics play a part, but only with drive and enthusiasm to train, they are not the deciding factor! (from gareth, Aug 2012)
  • )'m female and according to the chart my heart is excellent. )'m 18 years old. Height 5 foot 7 and weight 126 pounds and )'m also a dancer. (from Rebecca, Aug 2012)
  • This is great. I was a tad worried that my heart rate had dropped to 60 bpm at rest, since I have been fairly inactive till I recently restarted gym.  I used to do a bit of running (marathon's, halfs, etc) but was surprised to get so fit so quickly. My Resting heart rate dropped from 84 to 62 in about 4 weeks! But it seems from the comments that this is not so low, and as I suffer from no ill effects, apart from my blood pressure also dropping, from 150/100 (without meds - meds kept it at 125/80) to 125/75, so that I no longer need to take HBP medication (but still need to have oat porridge instead, which I only discovered by accident when I ran out of meds 1 week after starting a low insulin diet that made me eat porridge) (from Jim, Aug 2012)
  • I am a 63 year old over weight woman and my resting heart is 56. Pretty proud of that. Started exercising intently 6 months ago. (from Shell9, Aug 2012)
  • I am Male, 28, 176cm tall and currently weigh about 77kg. Rested heart rate 48bpm. I smoke like a chimney and drink like a fish. On the flip side, I eat better than anyone i know and try to exercise about 3-5 hours a week. I guess this is my attempt to "balance" . I'd like to start doing morning cardio to assist in combating the little beer belly that is trying to push through, so i bought a heart rate monitor. On a "bad" night, I'll go through 20-30 smokes and 2 bottles of red wine in a couple of hours. I am trying to stop smoking and cut down on the drinking, but was pleasantly surprised at my apparent athleticism :) (from Rob, Aug 2012)
  • I am 54 years old and weighed 230 Kgs in April and have been dieting on about 1200 kcals per day, I am 191 Kgs today.  I have been taking my BP and at rest HR for a month now, and my HR is always between 52 and 58, so from the chart I see that there is an athlete inside me just trying to get out!  My BP was 142/83, which is the top end of ok for my age. You need to be very careful to draw any conclusion from these charts! (from Mike Renals, 13 Aug 2012)
  • I am 26yo male who does absolutely no exercise! weigh about 64kg and yet i have a resting heart rate of 38bpm (from Brendan, 11 Aug 2012)
  • I train 7 days a week multiple times a day and mine is 48. Pretty happy with that! (from Chris, Aug 2012)
  • I run track and cross country for mandarin high and I'm top 25 in state (Florida) and my rest heart rate is 47 bpm, I'm 17 so it will get even slower with age on top of the fact ill be running in college (from Tyler, Aug 2012)
  • For many years my heart beat rate is below 50 or as low as below 40 when I am resting.
    I am perfectly healthy and above 80 years old. Do you consider this rate better than excellent? (from Sowdas, 6 Aug 2012)
  • )'m not sure how accurate this chart is because I've heard other sources that said you should consult a physician if your resting heart rate is under 60 BPM (or over 100BPM). This website would have one believing that lower is ALWAYS better. (from Rosie, 3 Aug 2012)
  • Relax people, mind that heart! the chart is only supposed to be a guideline. Mine is 44 bpm and I can barely run 4km, or do a single pushup. It's genetic as my mother is the exact same. Most of the repliers are not the norm but for each person replying there is probably about 100+ others that are falling into the "correct" slot.  Just cos you're not the norm does not mean that there is anything wrong ... and the internet is NOT the place to get diagnosed if there is! (from Sue, July 2012)
  • )'m 39 and have a resting heart rate of 53. Exercise is certainly working! Just wanted to brag a little bit :) (from Kandinsky, July 2012)
  • I had a heart attack 14 month ago.. when i had the stents 2 i could not walk to the lift in the hospital now i swim every day and do gym i stopped smoking 14 month ago to, and never drank beer.. when i started rehab after light work outs my heart rate sat down was 80 bpm.. now 14 month down the line with my fitness getting better my resting heart beat is 60 to 65 beats per min 60 beats being the lowest.. is that ok i feel ok and everyone says i look well I'm 62 years old. (from terry, July 2012)
  • I am 42 years old have resting hr of 42 maximum of 193 hr recorded on monitor can hold 174 bpm for 30 mins and 169 for 60 mins i think that's pretty good how does it compare to an athlete level person weigh 83kg at 181 cm (from ken, July 2012)
    • to the 42 year old man, heart rates as high as 162 to 193 when doing activity, even strenuous is NOT good or healthy!!! I would consult your doctor (from just a girl, Aug 2012)
  • Does anyone ever reply to all these questions? Why don't they show us the answers so that the questions aren't repeated over and over? (from mark, July 2012) - reply: as stated above, If you have any concerns about the functioning of your heart, you should consult a doctor who can examine you personally and give their expert opinion. Don't rely on comments and feedback here as medical advice.
  • According to your fitness/pulse rate chart i must be a super fit 20 year old or better because my resting pulse is typically 30-32.In fact I took it twice this morning and it was 25.I'm 63 years old and I do a lot of fitness work but not enough to justify my low heart rate. I have been checked out with a 24 hour heart monitor and although the experts were a bit worried they said as long as )'m feeling OK I should be alright. I do get dizzy nearly every time I get up (my blood pressure is usually around 105/50) I haven't fainted yet. The other thing I notice that might be connected, is if when I'm swimming training it takes me 10 times longer than anybody else to get warm up, until I have I feel as )'m going to pass out or even die, the feeling is that bad. It's been like that as long as I can remember. (from Pete, July 30 2012)
  • I agree with some of the others that the chart needs some adjusting. I am 46 years old, 5-9, 165 pounds, run 30-40 miles a week, and have a resting heart rate of 36. (from Paul, July 2012)
  • )'m male, 42, weigh 92kg's and am 5'8", non smoker, non drinker, gym train 3 times a week for an hour doing a variety of exercises and weights including crossfit workouts, rugby train once a week and play now and again. I cycle when I can, but rare past few weeks because of weather. My diet isn't the best, however, I try to eat a good balance of carbs and protein throughout the day, but often fall off that wagon. Woke up in the middle of the night last night and thought it a good time to test my resting HR ... 48bpm. And yet, )'m still single! haha. (from Paul S, July 2012)
  • )'m 33, )'m a drummer in a band, drummers have been classed by many sports scientists as the second fittest people, the first being pro/amateur  athletes. I think this backs up this statement as my resting heart rate is anything between 51-56 bpm :) (from Jay, Bristol, July 2012)
  • Hi )'m 28 year old male, a Muay Thai fighter and because of my training I have devolved a love for long distance running 8-10k a day. I have a resting heart rate of 35 and no higher then 41, max is 170-180 and in between rounds I can slow down 30-35bpm from max  in a minute. Just  want to see if there are similar results with other athletes. Train hard live healthy and love life;) (from Milkman, July 2012)
  • Hi. )'m 33yo and have measured my resting heart rate at 50 every single time, give or take a few. This means )'m in the athletic range which I find crazy. Yes I am somewhat fit and exercise several times a week but is this not just a bit impossible?! Should I investigate this further? (from Olivia Michaud, July 2012)
  • My heart rate is ... Blah blah blah. What's the Queens? (from bilbo babbins, July 2012)
  • My resting heart rate is 66 BPM that's after lying on a bed for 10 mins. I go gym and also do Krav Maga "contact combat" during which time my heart rate on max goes up to 359 BPM, when my heart rate is at this pace I see things in slow motion, with clarity.  Once I stop exercising my heart rate returns to normal within seconds.  What should I do, is this normal? (from Stu V, July 2012)
    • No, no it is not normal to have a heart rate of 359. You should see someone about that, like that's 911 stuff. (from John, July 2012)
    • Krav maga 359 beats per min lol, I am a bit rusty but I think That's excessively tachycardic And I believe you are complete  full of it. What is your 02 saturation level? I am a powerlifter and I have been long distance running for about 2 years .. I once did a VO2 max test .. Look it up .. And I scored 72 ml/kg/min which is very high .. Average healthy males are in the mid to late 30's.. My resting heart rate varies between low to mid 50's .. There is fiction and there is believable fiction .. By the way Bruce lee is dead (from Skeptix, 1 Sept 2012)
  • I am 32 years old and have a heart rate of 47 any time i go to the doctor they ask if I'm a runner. I'm not . i am 5 11 and 145lbs and have been under much stress (from shaun, 15 July 2012)
  • Okay )'m 16 and I am in sports but my resting heart rate is 120 ... Is that awful? My doctor is concerned but reading everything here makes it seem like )'m dying, haha. I weigh 110 lbs. I don't run everyday but I have sports practices Tuesday-Thursday so it's not like I'm not active ... (from Kayla, July 2012)
  • I am a 31 year old male with a resting heart beat of 81, i have lost my fitness after leaving the army through injury. how can i lower this with minimal spinal impact ? (from matt bunney, July 2012)
    • For the gentleman who was injured in the army, sorry I don't know how to respond to your comment directly, so hopefully you'll see this as your reply. A great way to regain your fitness without putting your spine in danger is to do core exercises. Not only are they safe on the spine, but they also stabilize it. This is, of course, assuming you are still relatively physical functional (I.e. not paralyzed) (from Leah, Dr. of chiropractic, Aug 2012)
  • My Heart Rate is off the scale. Help me. (from Siddy, July 2012)

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