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Target Heart Rate Calculator

Training in the right heart-rate zone helps you burn fat, build endurance or improve speed. This calculator estimates your maximum heart rate and works out fat-burn, aerobic and anaerobic zones using the Karvonen (heart-...

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Target Heart Rate

Training Intensity Zones (Karvonen Method)

BPM

About the Target Heart Rate Calculator

Training in the right heart-rate zone helps you burn fat, build endurance or improve speed. This calculator estimates your maximum heart rate and works out fat-burn, aerobic and anaerobic zones using the Karvonen (heart-rate reserve) method.

How to use the Target Heart Rate Calculator

  1. Enter your Age.
  2. Enter your Resting Heart Rate (RHR): measure your pulse for 60 seconds after waking, before getting out of bed.
  3. Press Calculate to see your target beats per minute for each zone.

Formula and method

Maximum heart rate: MHR = 220 − age

Heart-rate reserve: HRR = MHR − resting heart rate

Target heart rate = HRR × intensity + resting heart rate. Fat-burn uses 50 to 70 percent, aerobic 70 to 80 percent and anaerobic 80 to 90 percent.

Worked example

A 40-year-old with a resting heart rate of 60: MHR = 180 and HRR = 120. The aerobic zone is 120 × 0.70 + 60 = 144 to 120 × 0.80 + 60 = 156 beats per minute.

Tips

  • The 220 minus age formula is an average. Your true maximum can differ by 10 or more beats.
  • Beginners should spend most of their time in the fat-burn and lower aerobic zones.
  • Stop exercising and seek help if you feel chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness.

Frequently asked questions

What is a normal resting heart rate?
For most adults it is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Fit people often have lower values.
Do beta blockers change my zones?
Yes. Some medications lower heart rate, so ask your doctor for personalised targets.