I am with you, Veronica, in that resting heart rate and recovery time are excellent indicators of what kind of shape you are in. Max heart rate is mostly genetic. It's what you do with the heart rate you have that is important.

I found a website that gives a test for max heart rate. They say on the page that it's a very strenuous test and they mean it! Don't do this unless you are well-rested. Don't do it on a day that you feeling not quite up to par. It won't turn out correctly and you won't feel very well afterwards.

http://www.cruciblefitness.com/etips...hreshold06.htm

Here's another one:

http://bicycling.about.com/library/weekly/aa012499.htm

Have fun..........