Target Heart Rate Calculator
Find your target heart rate for fat burn, aerobic, and anaerobic activities using the calculator.
How to find target heart rate using the calculator
It can be difficult to determine if you are working out to your maximum potential during exercise. Many coaches recommend trying to hit a specific heart rate or reaching an optimal heart rate zone to gauge your workouts.
Understanding your heart rate allows you to personalize your workouts to match your current fitness level. It’s also helpful for people with medical issues to ensure they can maximize their exercise sessions without overdoing them.
The different heart rate zones have benefits. Working out in lower heart rate zones tends to burn more fat. And intense anaerobic workouts are designed to train your body for speed and maximum power.
What is maximum heart rate?
To determine your target heart rate you first need to find your maximum heart rate. The most commonly used formula for this is a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) calculation of 220 minus your age in years. For a 43-year-old, 220 – 43 = 177 max heart rate. As you age, your max heart rate slowly declines.
Heart rate zones
| Heart Rate Zone | Effort | Fitness Goal |
| Zone 5 | 90 – 100% Maximum | Speed / Max performance training |
| Zone 4 | 80 – 90% Hard | Boost anaerobic capacity and endurance |
| Zone 3 | 70 – 80% Moderate | Improve aerobic activity and build strength |
| Zone 2 | 60 -70% Light | Boost metabolism, burn fat and improve endurance |
| Zone 1 | 50 – 60% Very Light | Warm-up, workout recovery, and cool down |
According to the Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Report, medium-intensity target heart rate is 64-76% of maximum heart rate, while during vigorous-intensity exercise, the target heart rate is around 77-93% of max.
For a great high-intensity workout, read Simple HIIT Run Workout for Overweight Beginners.
Target heart rate zones are broken down into 5 different zones by exertion level and workout goal.
Target heart rate calculator zones
| Zone | Target Heart Rate – % of Maximum HR |
| Warm-Up and Cool Down | 50 – 60% |
| Easy | 60 – 70% |
| Moderate – Aerobic | 70 -80% |
| Hard – Anaerobic | 80 -90% |
| Very Hard – Neuromuscular | 90 -100% |
Resting Heart Rate
Resting heart rate is exactly as it sounds. It’s the number of times your heart beats per minute when you resting.
Optimal time to check resting rate
The best time of day to check resting heart rate is before you get out of bed in the morning. This is because you are well-rested and stress levels are low.
Resting heart rates vary by individual. Your resting rate can be affected by numerous factors such as the following.
- Age
- Hormones
- Medications
- Stress
- Current fitness level
- Other health conditions
According to the American Heart Association, a normal resting heart rate is generally considered to be around 60-100 beats per minute. However, it can be as low as 40-50 beats per minute in some very conditioned athletes.
Resting heart rate conditions
Low resting heart rate is a sign of overall fitness, there are certain health conditions, like hypothyroidism or primary heart block. These can cause a low heart rate, which is known as bradycardia. If you have the following symptoms, you should chat with your doctor.
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Feelings of lightheadedness
Is lower resting heart rate bad?
Some research found that a higher resting heart rate may be linked to a lower physical fitness level and other heart and cardiovascular risk factors like high blood pressure.
