§ 01
Cardiovascular
Clinical fitness assessment

Resting Heart Rate

Assess cardiovascular fitness — lower resting HR indicates better aerobic conditioning.

Equipment

Stopwatch or heart rate monitor.

The protocol
  1. 01Client sits quietly and comfortably for at least 5 minutes.
  2. 02Locate the radial pulse (thumb side of the wrist) or use a heart rate monitor.
  3. 03Count the pulse for a full 60 seconds.
  4. 04Record the number as beats per minute (bpm).
  5. 05For most accurate comparison, measure at the same time of day (ideally morning, before caffeine).
What to watch for
  • Client not resting long enough before measurement.
  • Counting for only 15 or 30 seconds and multiplying (less accurate).
  • Recent caffeine, exercise, or stress affecting the reading.
  • Irregular heartbeat — note if the rhythm is irregular and refer if new.
Normative scoring

Excellent: <60 bpm. Good: 60-69. Above Average: 70-73. Average: 74-79. Below Average: 80-84. Poor: >85. Athletes may have RHR of 40-60.

Run it with GainPT

Run this test with branded client reports.

GainPT scores Resting Heart Rate against published normative data and turns it into a clean, GainPT-branded PDF your client keeps. All 47 clinical tests, unlimited retests — free to start, no card required.