Target Heart Rate Calculator

What is a target heart rate?

Your target heart rate is the range of beats per minute (bpm) that shows you are exercising hard enough to improve your fitness, without overdoing it. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends:

Intensity	Target heart rate	Examples
Moderate	50–70% of maximum	Brisk walking, easy cycling, gardening
Vigorous	70–85% of maximum	Running, fast cycling, swimming laps, football

Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week.

How to calculate maximum heart rate

Formula	Equation	Example, age 40
Classic (Fox)	220 − age	180 bpm
Tanaka	208 − 0.7 × age	180 bpm
Gulati (women)	206 − 0.88 × age	171 bpm

The classic 220 − age formula is simple but tends to underestimate maximum heart rate in older adults. The Tanaka formula was built from a much larger set of studies and is more accurate across ages, so this calculator uses it by default. The Gulati formula was developed for women. Any formula can be off by 10 bpm or more for an individual; a supervised exercise test gives the true value.

The Karvonen method

The Karvonen method uses your heart rate reserve, the difference between your maximum and resting heart rate:

Target heart rate = (max HR − resting HR) × intensity + resting HR

Example: a 40-year-old with a maximum of 180 bpm and a resting heart rate of 70 bpm has a reserve of 110 bpm. At 70% intensity: 110 × 0.70 + 70 = 147 bpm. Using the simple method, 70% of 180 is 126 bpm. Fitter people with a low resting heart rate get more personal zones from Karvonen.

Target heart rate by age

Age	Moderate (50–70%)	Vigorous (70–85%)	Maximum (220 − age)
20	100–140 bpm	140–170 bpm	200 bpm
30	95–133 bpm	133–162 bpm	190 bpm
35	93–130 bpm	130–157 bpm	185 bpm
40	90–126 bpm	126–153 bpm	180 bpm
45	88–123 bpm	123–149 bpm	175 bpm
50	85–119 bpm	119–145 bpm	170 bpm
55	83–116 bpm	116–140 bpm	165 bpm
60	80–112 bpm	112–136 bpm	160 bpm
65	78–109 bpm	109–132 bpm	155 bpm
70	75–105 bpm	105–128 bpm	150 bpm

How to check your heart rate

Place two fingers (not your thumb) on the inside of your wrist below the thumb, or on the side of your neck. Count the beats for 15 seconds and multiply by 4. During exercise, check quickly, because your heart rate drops within seconds of stopping. A fitness watch or chest strap makes this easier; chest straps are the most accurate.

Is there a fat-burning zone?

At lower intensities (zones 1 and 2) your body uses a higher percentage of fat for fuel. However, harder exercise burns more total calories per minute, so both help with weight loss. The best plan mixes mostly easy sessions with some harder ones. To see how many calories an activity burns, try the Calories Burned Calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good target heart rate for my age?

For moderate exercise, aim for 50–70% of your maximum heart rate; for vigorous exercise, 70–85%. For a 40-year-old using 220 − age, that is about 90–126 bpm and 126–153 bpm.

What is a normal resting heart rate?

For adults it is usually 60–100 bpm. Fit people often have a resting rate of 40–60 bpm.

Is it dangerous to exercise above my maximum heart rate?

Formulas are only estimates, so some healthy people briefly exceed them. But if you feel chest pain, dizziness or severe breathlessness, stop and seek medical advice.

Which zone is best for weight loss?

Any zone you can keep up regularly. Zone 2 is easy to sustain for long sessions, while zones 3–4 burn more calories per minute. Combining exercise with a sensible diet matters most.

Do beta-blockers affect target heart rate?

Yes. They lower your heart rate, so standard zones do not apply. Use how hard the exercise feels and ask your doctor for a safe range.