Target Heart Rate Calculator
30 years
70 bpm
Maximum Heart Rate190 bpm
Heart Rate Zones
| Zone | Intensity | To | BPM Min | BPM Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warm Up | 50% | 60% | 130 | 142 |
| Fat Burn | 60% | 70% | 142 | 154 |
| Cardio | 70% | 80% | 154 | 166 |
| Peak | 80% | 90% | 166 | 178 |
| Maximum | 90% | 100% | 178 | 190 |
Training in the right heart-rate zone is the difference between an easy recovery jog and a session that builds peak fitness. This calculator finds your maximum heart rate from your age, then uses the Karvonen heart-rate-reserve method — which folds in your resting heart rate — to map five training zones from Warm Up through Maximum. Because Karvonen accounts for your resting pulse, the zones it produces are more personalised than a plain percentage of max heart rate.
Formula
targetBPM = (maxHR − restingHR) × intensity + restingHR; maxHR = 220 − age
- maxHR
- Estimated maximum heart rate (220 − age)
- restingHR
- Your resting heart rate in beats per minute
- intensity
- Fraction of heart-rate reserve for the zone (e.g. 0.70–0.80 for Cardio)
How it works
- Enter your age and your resting heart rate (beats per minute, ideally measured first thing in the morning).
- Maximum heart rate is estimated as 220 minus your age, and your heart-rate reserve is that maximum minus your resting rate.
- For each zone the calculator takes a percentage of your reserve and adds your resting rate back in, giving a beats-per-minute band for Warm Up (50–60%), Fat Burn (60–70%), Cardio (70–80%), Peak (80–90%), and Maximum (90–100%).
Worked example
A 30-year-old with a resting heart rate of 60 bpm wants their Cardio zone (70–80%).
- Maximum heart rate: 220 − 30 = 190 bpm.
- Heart-rate reserve: 190 − 60 = 130 bpm.
- Cardio zone: lower 130 × 0.70 + 60 = 151 bpm; upper 130 × 0.80 + 60 = 164 bpm.
Cardio zone of about 151–164 bpm (Fat Burn would be roughly 138–151 bpm).
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Karvonen method and why use it?
- The Karvonen method calculates target heart rates from your heart-rate reserve — the gap between maximum and resting heart rate — rather than from maximum heart rate alone. Including resting rate makes the zones more specific to your fitness level.
- How accurate is the 220-minus-age maximum?
- 220 − age is a convenient population estimate, but individual maximum heart rates can vary by 10–20 bpm. For precise zones, a tested maximum from a supervised stress or field test is more reliable.
- Which heart-rate zone should I train in?
- It depends on your goal: easy and Fat Burn zones build aerobic base and aid recovery, the Cardio zone improves endurance, and brief Peak and Maximum efforts develop top-end fitness. Most balanced plans spend the majority of time in the lower zones.
- How do I measure my resting heart rate?
- Measure it when you are fully rested, ideally just after waking and before getting up, by counting your pulse for a full minute or using a heart-rate monitor. A lower resting rate generally reflects better cardiovascular fitness.