Target Heart Rate Calculator
Calculate your target heart rate zones with the Karvonen method from your age and resting heart rate. See moderate and vigorous ranges in bpm.
Independently verified for accuracy
Calculator by Toolsloft ↗- Maximum heart rate
- 190 bpm
- Moderate zone (50 to 70%)
- 125 to 151 bpm
- Vigorous zone (70 to 85%)
- 151 to 170.5 bpm
Find your target heart rate zones for moderate and vigorous exercise using the Karvonen method, which factors in your resting heart rate for a more personal range than a plain percentage of maximum. Enter your age and resting pulse to see the beats-per-minute you should aim for.
How this is calculated
It uses the Karvonen heart-rate reserve method. Maximum heart rate is estimated as 220 minus age, the reserve is that maximum minus your resting heart rate, and each target equals resting heart rate plus the intensity times the reserve. Moderate training uses 50 to 70 percent and vigorous training uses 70 to 85 percent.
How to use
- Enter your age in years.
- Enter your resting heart rate, best measured first thing in the morning.
- Read your moderate (50 to 70 percent) and vigorous (70 to 85 percent) target ranges.
Examples
- Age 30, resting 60:
Moderate 125 to 151, vigorous 151 to 170.5 bpm - Age 40, resting 70:
Moderate 125 to 147, vigorous 147 to 163.5 bpm
FAQ
- Why does resting heart rate matter?
- The Karvonen method works from your heart-rate reserve, the gap between your resting and maximum rates. A fitter person with a lower resting rate gets a wider reserve and slightly different target zones than a plain percentage-of-max calculation would give.
- How do I measure my resting heart rate?
- Count your pulse for 60 seconds right after waking, before getting out of bed. Do it over a few mornings and take the average, since caffeine, stress, and activity all raise the reading.