Are you in good condition?
Here are three ways to figure it out:

▲ If you climb a flight of stairs, are you huffing and puffing (out of shape) or breathing calmly (in good condition)?

▲ If you take your pulse while resting (see below), is it much faster than average (out of shape) or is it slower (in good condition)?

▲ Are you a couch potato (maybe out of shape) or a superathlete (in good condition)? Most people fall in the middle on these tests. But top athletes are three for three on the “strong heart” scale.

Try This!
◀ Wherever an artery is just below the skin, you can feel it pulse. Using three fingers, and a little patience, feel the beat in these spots: behind the knee, on the underside of the wrist, on the instep of the foot. But don’t press too hard!
Count the number of pulses in 20 seconds, multiply that by 3, and that’s your pulse rate. Take it at rest and while you’re walking and exercising.
Typical Heart Beats Per Minute at Rest
Hibernating groundhog, 3 |
Elephant, 30 |
Marathon runner, 35 |
Olympic swimmer, 40 |
Professional tennis player, 50 |
Man, 70 |
Woman, 75 |
Child, 90 |
Newborn baby, 120 |
Iguana, 150 |
Hummingbird, 200 |
Bird in flight, 540 |
Mouse, 650 |
Check It Out!
Why do small animals usually have faster heart rates than big ones?
Small animals lose body heat very quickly. Think about which stays warm longer, a quart of hot water or a cup of it. Small animals have to stay more active to replace lost body heat. Their hearts work harder, which is why they beat more rapidly. Warm-blooded animals such as birds have faster heartbeats for the same reason—they’re more active than cold-blooded animals such as lizards.

The Three Best Ways to Keep Your Heart Alive

◀ Do not smoke. Heart disease is the number one killer of Americans, by far. Smokers run a higher risk of heart disease than nonsmokers do.
Cut down on fats, especially dairy products and red meat. Fatty blobs blocking an artery come from foods. French fries may be delicious, but they’re fried in oil. ▶


◀ Exercise. Make it a habit, and you’ll thank yourself for the rest of your (long) life. A strong, healthy heart works less, so it wears down more slowly.
Check It Out!
Why does your heart rate increase when you exercise?
When your muscles are working hard, they need oxygen to make energy. So the heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to the muscles at a faster rate to keep them going.
Getting In Shape
You, too, can get in shape. ▼
1. Work out consistently for months.
2. As you get stronger and faster, your muscles will need more oxygen. To supply that, your heart could beat more rapidly, but that would require more energy. So instead, your heart will become more efficient. That will let it pump a little more blood each time it beats. ▶


3. Meanwhile, your lungs will also grow more efficient, and they will also take in more oxygen.
4. Are you in shape? If you are, your pulse rate can slow down, and you still get all the blood you need.

Check It Out!
When you work out, do you get hot and sweaty, and does your face turn red? If so, your body has flooded the capillaries just under the skin with blood. What’s the reason?
Along with sweating, a red face indicates that your body is cooling off. It’s red because blood is just under the skin. Because it’s closer to the surface, the blood transports more heat away from the body. When you’re cold, the blood retreats to your body’s core so that you don’t lose heat, which is why your face turns paler.