Target Heart Rate Calculator

A range of numbers that reflect how fast your heart should be beating when you exercise. “A higher heart rate is a good thing that leads to greater fitness,” says Johns Hopkins cardiologist Michael Blaha, M.D., M.P.H.

For moderate-intensity physical activity

Target heart rate should be between 64% and 76% of your maximum heart rate. You can estimate your maximum heart rate based on your age.To estimate your maximum age-related heart rate, subtract your age from 220. For example, for a 50-year-old person, the estimated maximum age-related heart rate would be calculated as 220 – 50 years = 170 beats per minute (bpm). The 64% and 76% levels would be:

• 64% level: 170 x 0.64 = 109 bpm, and
• 76% level: 170 x 0.76 = 129 bpm

For vigorous-intensity physical activity

Target heart rate should be between 77% and 93% of your maximum heart rate. To figure out this range, follow the same formula used above, except change “64 and 76%” to “77 and 93%”. For example, for a 35-year-old person, the estimated maximum age-related heart rate would be calculated as 220 – 35 years = 185 beats per minute (bpm). The 77% and 93% levels would be:

• 77% level: 185 x 0.77 = 142 bpm, and
• 93% level: 185 x 0.93 = 172 bpm