A pulse point is one of the places on the surface
of the body where the pulse can be easily felt.
The most commonly used pulse point is over the radial
artery at the wrist. Other pulse points are over
the temporal artery in front of the ear and over
the common carotid artery under the chin at the
throat.
When you exercise, your body speeds up, and so does
your heart as it works to meet your increased energy
needs.
But how much speeding-up of your heart is safe when
you exercise? You need the answer to this question
in order to maximize your exercise benefits while
not overworking your heart. Your target heart rate
isn’t one rate but a range of rates (beats
per minute, or bpm), expressed as percentages of
your maximum heart rate, that are safe for you to
reach during exercise.
For most healthy people, the American Heart Association
recommends an exercise target heart rate ranging
from 50% to 75% of your maximum heart rate, which
is normally calculated as the number 220 minus your
age.
