Resting Heart Rate Calculator
See how your resting heart rate compares to age and sex norms. Enter your morning resting heart rate to get a fitness rating from athlete to poor.
Measure first thing in the morning, before getting up.
64 bpm
Good for a man aged 26-35
Resting HR ranges (men, 26-35)
| Rating | Resting HR |
|---|---|
| Athlete | ≤ 54 bpm |
| Excellent | 55–61 bpm |
| Good | 62–65 bpm |
| Above Average | 66–70 bpm |
| Average | 71–74 bpm |
| Below Average | 75–81 bpm |
| Poor | ≥ 82 bpm |
Note: A typical adult resting heart rate is 60–100 bpm; well-trained athletes are often 40–60 bpm. A persistently high or very low resting heart rate, or sudden changes, are worth discussing with a doctor.
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What Resting Heart Rate Means
Your resting heart rate (RHR) is how many times your heart beats per minute when you are fully at rest — calm, awake, and not recently active. It is one of the simplest windows into your cardiovascular health and fitness. A lower resting rate generally means a stronger, more efficient heart that pumps more blood per beat. This calculator helps you record and interpret your resting heart rate and see how it compares to typical fitness ratings.
What Counts as Normal
For most adults, a healthy resting heart rate falls between 60 and 100 bpm. Well-trained endurance athletes often sit much lower — commonly 40 to 60 bpm — because years of training enlarge and strengthen the heart so it moves the same blood with fewer beats. A rate consistently below 60 in someone who is not athletic, or persistently near the top of the range, is worth a conversation with a doctor.
- 40–60 bpm: typical of trained athletes (and normal for them).
- 60–100 bpm: the standard adult range.
- Above 100 bpm at rest (tachycardia): not automatically dangerous but worth investigating.
How to Measure It Properly
The most reliable reading is taken in the morning before you get up:
- Stay in bed. Measure right after waking, before standing, coffee, or your phone alarm gets your adrenaline going.
- Find your pulse at the wrist (radial) or neck (carotid), or let a wearable read it.
- Count for a full 60 seconds for the most accurate manual reading, or 30 seconds doubled if needed.
- Repeat over several mornings and average — one-off readings are noisy.
What Raises or Lowers It
Resting heart rate is not fixed. Day to day it shifts with:
- Fitness: regular aerobic training lowers it over weeks and months.
- Stress and emotion: anxiety and excitement push it up.
- Caffeine, nicotine, and stimulants: raise it temporarily.
- Sleep and recovery: poor sleep or accumulated fatigue often shows up as an elevated morning rate.
- Illness, dehydration, heat, and altitude: all tend to raise it.
- Some medications: beta-blockers lower it; others raise it.
Because of this, a sudden multi-day jump in resting heart rate is a useful early warning of overtraining or oncoming illness.
Resting Heart Rate Fitness Ratings
Approximate ratings for adults aged 18–65, by sex (bpm). Athletes often read below the "Excellent" band.
| Rating | Men (bpm) | Women (bpm) |
|---|---|---|
| Athlete | 49–55 | 54–60 |
| Excellent | 56–61 | 61–65 |
| Good | 62–65 | 66–69 |
| Average | 66–73 | 70–78 |
| Below Average | 74–81 | 79–84 |
| Poor | 82+ | 85+ |
When to See a Doctor
- A resting rate persistently above 100 bpm or below 50 bpm without an athletic explanation.
- A resting rate paired with dizziness, fainting, chest pain, or breathlessness.
- An irregular pulse or sudden unexplained changes.
Note: This calculator is for informational and general fitness purposes only and does not diagnose any condition. Heart-rate norms vary with age, genetics, and medication. If your resting heart rate concerns you or comes with symptoms, consult a healthcare professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
A typical adult resting heart rate is 60–100 bpm. Fitter people tend to be lower — well-trained endurance athletes are often 40–60 bpm. Generally, a lower resting heart rate indicates better cardiovascular fitness.
Measure first thing in the morning before getting up. Count your pulse for 60 seconds, or use a wearable. Averaging several mornings gives the most reliable number.
A persistently high resting heart rate (above ~100 bpm), a very low rate with symptoms like dizziness, or a sudden unexplained change is worth discussing with a doctor.
What is a good resting heart rate?
How do I measure my resting heart rate?
When should I worry about my resting heart rate?
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Estimate your maximum heart rate from your age using the Fox, Tanaka, and Gulati formulas, and see your five training zones in beats per minute.
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Karvonen Calculator
Calculate personalized heart-rate training zones with the Karvonen formula, which uses your heart-rate reserve (max HR minus resting HR) for more individual targets.
Heart Rate Recovery Calculator
Calculate your one-minute heart rate recovery — the drop in heart rate one minute after exercise — and see what it says about your cardiovascular fitness.