Your pulse is your heart rate, or the number of times your heart beats in one minute.
Pulse rates vary from person to person.
Knowing how to take your pulse can help you evaluate your exercise program. If you are taking heart medications, recording your pulse on a daily basis and reporting the results to your health care provider can help your provider determine if the medications are working properly. For adults 18 and older, a normal resting pulse is 60-100 beats per minute. How to take your pulse 1. Place the tips of your index, second and third fingers on the palm side of your other wrist, below the base of the thumb.