Target Heart Rate Calculator: Find Your Training Zones
Training zones turn a vague workout into a measurable one. All you need is your age and the classic maximum heart rate estimate.
What is the Target Heart Rate Calculator?
Maximum heart rate is estimated as 220 minus age, and training zones are slices of that maximum: 50 to 70 percent for moderate exercise such as brisk walking, and 70 to 85 percent for vigorous exercise such as running. These zones are guides for pacing workouts, not limits to chase. The result is general information only, not medical advice, and anyone with a heart condition should follow their clinician's guidance instead.
How to use it
- Enter your age in years.
- Read your estimated maximum heart rate.
- Use the moderate and vigorous zones to pace your workout.
Worked example
At age 30, estimated maximum heart rate is 190 beats per minute (220 − 30). The moderate zone is 95 to 133 bpm, and the vigorous zone is 133 to 161.5 bpm.
What heart rate should I aim for when exercising?
For moderate exercise, aim for 50 to 70 percent of your estimated maximum (220 minus your age); for vigorous exercise, aim for 70 to 85 percent. A 30-year-old, for example, has an estimated maximum of 190 beats per minute, giving a moderate zone of 95 to 133 and a vigorous zone of 133 to 162. Stay comfortable, and stop if you feel dizzy or unwell.
Frequently asked questions
Is 220 minus age accurate?
It is a population average, so individuals vary by 10 beats or more; it is fine for general training zones but not a precise personal maximum.
What does moderate exercise feel like?
You can talk but not sing — brisk walking or easy cycling — while vigorous exercise leaves you able to say only a few words at a time.