Target Heart Rate Calculator
Simple percent-of-max training ranges.
Reviewed by the Calculation Machine team · Updated 24 October 2026 · How we check our maths
Your values
ⓘ Live results
- Moderate zone
- 90-126 bpm
- Vigorous zone
- 126-153 bpm
- Estimated max HR
- 180 bpm
- Tanaka formula max
- 180 bpm
Quick answer
Your target heart rate is a percentage of your estimated maximum heart rate, which is commonly taken as 220 minus your age. The CDC defines moderate exercise as 50–70% of maximum and vigorous exercise as 70–85%. For a 40-year-old, maximum is about 180 bpm, so the moderate zone is 90–126 bpm and the vigorous zone is 126–153 bpm.
What the Target Heart Rate calculator does
Enter your age to get two heart rate ranges for exercise: a moderate zone for brisk walking, easy cycling and similar activity, and a vigorous zone for running, hard cycling and interval work. The calculator also shows your estimated maximum heart rate by two formulas, 220 − age and the Tanaka equation (208 − 0.7 × age).
Use the ranges to check you are working hard enough to meet activity guidelines — 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week for adults — or to keep easy days easy. For more detailed training zones, including the Karvonen method that uses your resting heart rate, use the heart rate zone calculator.
Age-based maximums are averages: an individual's true maximum can differ by 10–12 bpm or more. Some medicines, especially beta-blockers, lower heart rate during exercise, which makes these targets unreliable. If you take heart medication or have a heart condition, ask your doctor what range is safe before using them.
The formula
HRmax = 220 − age moderate = 0.50–0.70 × HRmax vigorous = 0.70–0.85 × HRmax Tanaka HRmax = 208 − 0.7 × age
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| age | Your age in years | years |
| HRmax | Estimated maximum heart rate | bpm |
| 0.50–0.85 | Fraction of maximum heart rate for each intensity | — |
The percentage bands are those used by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Heart Association. The 220 − age formula is a long-standing rule of thumb; Tanaka, Monahan and Seals (2001) derived 208 − 0.7 × age from a large meta-analysis and found it more accurate for older adults. The two formulas agree at age 40 and drift apart with age: Tanaka gives a lower maximum below 40 and a higher one above it.
Worked examples
Age 40, where both formulas agree
A 40-year-old starting a regular exercise routine.
Inputs
- Age40 yrs
Result
- Moderate zone90-126 bpm
- Vigorous zone126-153 bpm
- Estimated max HR180 bpm
- Tanaka formula max180 bpm
Both formulas give a maximum of 180 bpm. Brisk walking that keeps you between 90 and 126 bpm counts as moderate; running between 126 and 153 bpm counts as vigorous.
Young adult training for a race
A 25-year-old runner checks the vigorous range for tempo runs.
Inputs
- Age25 yrs
Result
- Moderate zone98-137 bpm
- Vigorous zone137-166 bpm
- Estimated max HR195 bpm
- Tanaka formula max191 bpm
Vigorous effort is 137–166 bpm using 220 − age (max 195). Tanaka estimates a lower max of 191, so if the top of the range feels unsustainable, the true maximum may be lower than 195.
Older adult walking program
A 65-year-old wants to know what counts as moderate exercise.
Inputs
- Age65 yrs
Result
- Moderate zone78-109 bpm
- Vigorous zone109-132 bpm
- Estimated max HR155 bpm
- Tanaka formula max163 bpm
Moderate is 78–109 bpm by 220 − age, but Tanaka puts maximum at 163 rather than 155, which would raise the ranges slightly. The talk test — able to talk but not sing — is a useful cross-check.
Target heart rate by age
Ranges calculated with 220 − age, as used by this calculator. The Tanaka maximum is shown for comparison.
| Age | Max (220 − age) | Moderate 50–70% | Vigorous 70–85% | Max (Tanaka) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 200 | 100–140 | 140–170 | 194 |
| 30 | 190 | 95–133 | 133–162 | 187 |
| 40 | 180 | 90–126 | 126–153 | 180 |
| 50 | 170 | 85–119 | 119–145 | 173 |
| 60 | 160 | 80–112 | 112–136 | 166 |
| 70 | 150 | 75–105 | 105–128 | 159 |
Checking your heart rate during exercise
- Chest strap: the most accurate option for intervals and changing effort.
- Wrist watch: fine for steady exercise, but often lags or misreads during sprints, weights and cold weather.
- Manual pulse: stop, find the pulse at your wrist or neck, count beats for 15 seconds and multiply by 4. Do it quickly, because heart rate drops within seconds of stopping.
If your heart rate sits well above the vigorous range at an effort that feels easy, or you feel chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness, stop and seek medical advice.
When age-based targets do not fit
- Fit endurance athletes often have lower resting heart rates and can sustain efforts close to the top of the vigorous zone; zones based on a field test or lab-measured maximum suit them better.
- Beta-blockers and some other medicines blunt heart rate response, so use perceived exertion instead.
- Heat, dehydration, caffeine and stress raise heart rate at the same effort, a drift that can add 10 bpm or more during long sessions.
- Pregnancy: many guidelines now prefer the talk test to fixed heart rate targets.
To estimate fitness from heart rate data, try the VO2 max calculator; to see the calories of a session, use the calories burned calculator.
How to use the Target Heart Rate Calculator
- 1Enter your age in whole years.
- 2Read the moderate zone for walking and easy activity, and the vigorous zone for running or hard cycling.
- 3Compare the 220 − age maximum with the Tanaka maximum; if you are over 40, the Tanaka figure is usually closer.
- 4During exercise, check your heart rate with a strap, watch or a 15-second pulse count × 4.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good target heart rate for my age?
For moderate exercise, 50–70% of 220 minus your age; for vigorous exercise, 70–85%. At 50, that is 85–119 bpm moderate and 119–145 bpm vigorous.
What heart rate burns the most fat?
Lower intensities burn a higher share of fat, but higher intensities burn more total calories per minute. For weight loss, total calories over the week matter more than the zone.
How accurate is 220 minus age?
It is a population average with a typical error of about 10–12 bpm either way. A supervised exercise test is the only way to know your true maximum.
Is it dangerous to exceed my target heart rate?
Briefly going above 85% during hard efforts is normal for healthy people. If you have a heart condition, or feel faint, chest pain or palpitations, stop and get medical advice.
What is the difference between target heart rate and heart rate zones?
Target heart rate usually means the broad moderate and vigorous ranges in activity guidelines. Training zones split the range into five narrower bands for structured training.
References
- Target Heart Rate and Estimated Maximum Heart Rate — US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited (Tanaka, Monahan & Seals, 2001) — Journal of the American College of Cardiology
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition — US Department of Health and Human Services
About this calculator
- Built and reviewed by the Calculation Machine team · How we build and test calculators
- Last reviewed: October 24, 2026
- Report an error