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Target Heart Rate Calculator

Estimate your maximum heart rate and your moderate and vigorous exercise ranges from your age, with an optional resting heart rate for the Karvonen method. Includes a five-zone training table.

Optional, 30–120. If entered, the Karvonen method is used.

These are estimates from age-based formulas, not medical advice. Your true maximum can differ by 10 bpm or more. Check with a doctor before starting vigorous exercise, especially if you have a heart condition or take medication that affects heart rate.

How to use the target heart rate calculator

  1. Enter your age in years (10 to 100).
  2. Optionally enter your resting heart rate (30 to 120 bpm). Measure it in the morning, before you get out of bed, by counting your pulse for a full minute.
  3. Choose a maximum heart rate formula. 220 − age is the best known; Tanaka (208 − 0.7 × age) and Gellish (207 − 0.7 × age) come from later studies and give slightly higher values for older adults.
  4. Press Calculate.

The result shows your estimated maximum heart rate and your target ranges for moderate (50–70%) and vigorous (70–85%) exercise. The details table splits the full range into five training zones, each with a short note on what it is used for.

How the ranges are calculated

Without a resting heart rate, each target is a simple percentage of the maximum:

target = intensity % × maximum heart rate

With a resting heart rate, the calculator uses the Karvonen method, which works with your heart rate reserve (the gap between resting and maximum):

target = resting + intensity % × (maximum − resting)

The Karvonen method gives higher numbers at the low end of the range and usually fits fitter people better, because a low resting heart rate is taken into account. All values are rounded to whole beats per minute.

Worked example

A 40-year-old with a resting heart rate of 60 bpm has an estimated maximum of 220 − 40 = 180 bpm and a heart rate reserve of 180 − 60 = 120 bpm.

  • Moderate range: 60 + 0.50 × 120 = 120 bpm to 60 + 0.70 × 120 = 144 bpm.
  • Vigorous range: 144 bpm to 60 + 0.85 × 120 = 162 bpm.

Without the resting heart rate, the same person gets 90–126 bpm for moderate and 126–153 bpm for vigorous exercise.

Good to know

  • Age-based formulas describe averages. Your real maximum heart rate can be 10 bpm or more above or below the estimate. A supervised exercise test is the only way to measure it.
  • Some medicines, such as beta blockers, lower your heart rate. Heart rate targets may then not apply to you.
  • Use the talk test as a cross-check: during moderate exercise you can talk but not sing; during vigorous exercise you can only say a few words.
  • Results are estimates, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before starting vigorous exercise, especially if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure or have been inactive.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good target heart rate for exercise?

For general fitness, many guidelines suggest moderate exercise at about 50–70% of your maximum heart rate and vigorous exercise at about 70–85%. The calculator shows both ranges for your age. Beginners usually start near the lower end and build up gradually.

Which maximum heart rate formula should I choose?

220 − age is simple and widely used. The Tanaka and Gellish formulas were developed later from larger groups of people and tend to give higher estimates for older adults. None of them is exact for an individual, so pick one and use it consistently.

Why does adding my resting heart rate change the result?

With a resting heart rate the calculator uses the Karvonen method, which applies the intensity percentage to your heart rate reserve (maximum minus resting) and then adds the resting rate back. This shifts the ranges upward and better reflects your current fitness.

How do I measure my resting heart rate?

Right after waking up and before getting out of bed, find your pulse at the wrist or neck and count the beats for 60 seconds. Repeat this on a few mornings and use the average. A fitness watch can also give you a resting value.

Is this calculator medical advice?

No. The numbers are estimates from population formulas. If you have a medical condition, take medication that affects your heart rate, or feel chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness during exercise, stop and ask a doctor for personal guidance.