Target Heart Rate Calculator
Count for a minute after waking; enables the Karvonen method
Maximum heart rate from
Your target heart rate
90–153 bpm
Moderate exercise: 90–126 bpm. Vigorous: 126–153 bpm. Maximum heart rate 180 bpm (percentage of maximum; add a resting rate for the more personal Karvonen method).
Training zones
| Zone 1 · RecoveryVery easy; warm-ups and recovery days | 50–60% | 90–108 bpm |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 2 · EnduranceConversational; builds the aerobic base | 60–70% | 108–126 bpm |
| Zone 3 · TempoComfortably hard; short sentences only | 70–80% | 126–144 bpm |
| Zone 4 · ThresholdHard; sustainable for 10–60 minutes | 80–90% | 144–162 bpm |
| Zone 5 · MaximumAll-out intervals of a few minutes at most | 90–100% | 162–180 bpm |
Age formulas are averages: an individual's true maximum can differ by 10–20 bpm either way, which is why a measured maximum (from a supervised test or a hard race finish) gives better zones. Beta blockers and some other medicines lower heart rate; ask your doctor for targets if you take them.
Find your target heart rate range for moderate and vigorous exercise and five training zones, from your age or a measured maximum heart rate. Adding your resting heart rate switches to the Karvonen method, which fits the zones to your fitness.
Formula
Worked Example
Tanaka's formula gives 208 − 0.7 × 40 = 180 bpm. The heart-rate reserve is 180 − 60 = 120 beats, so 70% intensity is 60 + 0.7 × 120 = 144 bpm.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should my heart rate be during exercise?
For moderate exercise about 50–70% of your maximum and for vigorous exercise about 70–85%, as the American Heart Association suggests. For a 40-year-old with a maximum near 180 bpm that is roughly 90–126 and 126–153 bpm; the Karvonen method, which adds in your resting heart rate, gives somewhat higher numbers.
Which maximum heart rate formula is most accurate?
220 − age is the best known but underestimates the maximum of older adults. Tanaka's 208 − 0.7 × age, from a 2001 analysis of 351 studies, fits adults of all ages better. Either can be 10–20 bpm off for an individual, so a maximum measured during a hard effort is better still.
What is a normal resting heart rate?
60–100 beats per minute for most adults, and often 40–60 for trained endurance athletes. Count it for a full minute after waking, before you get up.