Target Heart Rate Calculator
Enter your age to see your target heart rate zones in beats per minute. This free calculator shows the three ranges that actually matter for a beginner, what each one is for, and how hard it should feel. No sign-up, no complicated settings.
Age only is fine for most people. If you know your resting heart rate, the more accurate Karvonen method is used instead.
What your target heart rate actually means
Your target heart rate is simply the range your heart should be beating in while you exercise, to get the benefit you are after without overdoing it. It is expressed as a percentage of your maximum heart rate, which is the fastest your heart can safely beat.
Most guidance splits this into a lot of zones. As a beginner you really only need three, and honestly you will spend most of your time in the middle one.
- Easy (50 to 60%), for warming up, cooling down and gentle recovery walks.
- Moderate (60 to 70%), the sweet spot for building fitness. This is where most of your cardio belongs.
- Hard (70 to 85%), short pushes and intervals. Useful later, not somewhere to live.
Target heart rate chart by age
If you would rather look it up than type your age in, here are the same numbers laid out. All figures are beats per minute, using the Tanaka formula.
| Age | Max HR | Easy (50 to 60%) | Moderate (60 to 70%) | Hard (70 to 85%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 194 | 97 to 116 | 116 to 136 | 136 to 165 |
| 25 | 191 | 95 to 114 | 114 to 133 | 133 to 162 |
| 30 | 187 | 94 to 112 | 112 to 131 | 131 to 159 |
| 35 | 184 | 92 to 110 | 110 to 128 | 128 to 156 |
| 40 | 180 | 90 to 108 | 108 to 126 | 126 to 153 |
| 45 | 177 | 88 to 106 | 106 to 124 | 124 to 150 |
| 50 | 173 | 87 to 104 | 104 to 121 | 121 to 147 |
| 55 | 170 | 85 to 102 | 102 to 119 | 119 to 144 |
| 60 | 166 | 83 to 100 | 100 to 116 | 116 to 141 |
| 65 | 163 | 81 to 98 | 98 to 114 | 114 to 138 |
| 70 | 159 | 80 to 95 | 95 to 111 | 111 to 135 |
Find your age and aim for the moderate column for most of your training. If you are between two rows, split the difference, or just use the calculator above for your exact numbers.
How target heart rate is calculated
Every method starts with an estimate of your maximum heart rate, then takes percentages of it.
The formula most people know: 220 minus your age
Simple, memorable, and the one you will see everywhere. For a 40-year-old it gives 180 bpm. Its problem is accuracy: it was never based on strong research, and it tends to overestimate for younger people and underestimate for older ones.
The formula this calculator uses: 208 minus 0.7 times your age
Known as the Tanaka formula, from a large 2001 review of the research. For that same 40-year-old it gives 180 bpm too, but the gap widens with age: at 60, the old formula says 160 while Tanaka says 166. It is the more reliable of the two, which is why we default to it.
The more personal option: the Karvonen method
If you know your resting heart rate, Karvonen uses your heart rate reserve, the gap between resting and maximum, rather than raw percentages. Two people the same age with very different fitness levels get different zones, which is more useful. Switch it on in the calculator if you have measured your resting pulse.
The fat burning zone, honestly
You will see charts labelling the 60 to 70% range as the fat burning zone. There is a grain of truth in it, and a lot of misunderstanding.
At lower intensities your body does take a higher proportion of its energy from fat. But at higher intensities you burn considerably more energy overall, and total calories is what actually drives fat loss. Working harder for the same length of time burns more fat, not less, even though the percentage is lower.
So do not feel obliged to hold yourself back in a special zone. The genuine reason to spend most of your time at moderate intensity is that it is sustainable, low-risk and repeatable day after day, which is exactly what a beginner needs. If weight loss is your goal, your daily calorie target matters far more than which zone you exercised in.
How to check your heart rate without a tracker
You do not need a watch. Put two fingers, not your thumb, on the inside of your wrist below the base of your thumb, or gently on the side of your neck. Count the beats for 15 seconds and multiply by four.
Even easier, and what most beginners should actually use day to day, is the talk test, which lines up closely with the zones above:
- Comfortable full conversation, you are in the easy zone.
- Short sentences but you could not sing, that is moderate.
- A few words at a time, that is hard.
If a tracker and the talk test disagree, trust how you feel. Wrist-based heart rate monitors are often several beats out, especially during weights or in cold weather.
What heart rate should a beginner aim for?
For your first month or two, the moderate zone, and no higher. It is enough to build genuine cardiovascular fitness, it is comfortable enough to repeat several times a week, and it leaves you able to walk up stairs afterwards.
A sensible progression: spend four to six weeks doing 20 to 30 minutes in the moderate zone most days. After that, if you want to, add one session a week with a few short pushes into the hard zone. There is more in cardio exercises for beginners.
When to stop and get advice. This calculator gives general information for healthy adults and is not medical advice. Stop exercising and speak to a doctor if you get chest pain or pressure, feel faint or dizzy, or become unusually breathless. Talk to your doctor before starting if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, are pregnant, or take medication that affects your heart rate, since beta blockers in particular make these numbers unreliable. See our medical disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my target heart rate?
Estimate your maximum heart rate first, then take percentages of it. This calculator uses 208 minus 0.7 times your age, which is more accurate than the older 220 minus age. Your moderate training zone is 60 to 70 percent of that maximum.
What is a good target heart rate by age?
For a 30-year-old the moderate zone is roughly 112 to 131 bpm, for a 40-year-old about 108 to 126, and for a 50-year-old about 104 to 121. The full chart on this page covers ages 20 to 70.
What do you subtract to get target heart rate?
The traditional method subtracts your age from 220 to estimate maximum heart rate, then multiplies by 50 to 85 percent. The more accurate modern version subtracts 0.7 times your age from 208.
What is the target heart rate for fat burning?
Usually quoted as 60 to 70 percent of maximum. It is true that a higher proportion of energy comes from fat at that intensity, but total calories burned is what drives fat loss, and harder work burns more overall. Train at moderate intensity because it is sustainable, not because of the fat burning label.
What is the target heart rate for weight loss?
There is no special weight-loss heart rate. The moderate zone, 60 to 70 percent of maximum, is the most practical because you can sustain it often. Weight loss is determined mainly by overall calorie balance rather than the zone you exercise in.
Is 220 minus age accurate?
It is a rough guide only. Real maximum heart rates vary by about 10 to 12 beats either side of any formula, and 220 minus age tends to overestimate for younger adults and underestimate for older ones. Use it as a starting point and let how you feel be the final check.
What is the Karvonen method?
It calculates zones from your heart rate reserve, the difference between your resting and maximum heart rate, rather than straight percentages of maximum. It gives more personal numbers, which is why fitter people get higher zones than less fit people of the same age.
What is a normal resting heart rate?
For most adults, between 60 and 100 beats per minute, and often 50 to 70 in people who exercise regularly. A resting rate that drops over a few months of training is a good sign your fitness is improving.
Should beginners train at a high heart rate?
Not often. Spend your first month or two in the moderate zone, which builds real fitness and is comfortable enough to repeat several times a week. Add occasional harder efforts once you have a base, not before.
References
- Tanaka, Monahan and Seals (2001), age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited.
- Karvonen method for heart rate reserve.
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, moderate and vigorous intensity definitions.
- American Heart Association guidance on target heart rates during exercise.
What should I do next?
- Not sure how much cardio you need? Read cardio exercises for beginners.
- Easier on the joints: the low-impact beginner workout.
- Want a full plan? The free 4-week beginner program.
- Track the days you train with the workout streak tracker.