Target Heart Rate Calculator
Use this target heart rate calculator to find your exercise heart rate zone in beats per minute and your 10-second pulse count.
Updated October 2, 2026
Medical Disclaimer: This calculator provides a general estimate based on established research and is for educational purposes only, not a substitute for medical advice. Individual results can vary based on health conditions, so consult a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet, exercise, or health routine. Read our full Medical Disclaimer.
How Target Heart Rate Is Calculated
Your target heart rate is the range of beats per minute (bpm) your heart should be near during exercise. It is set as a percent of your maximum heart rate, the fastest your heart can beat. This calculator finds your max heart rate from your age, then applies the American Heart Association (AHA) intensity percentages.
What Target Heart Rate Measures
It shows how hard your heart is working compared with its top speed. It does not measure fitness, and it does not tell you if exercise is safe for you. Two people of the same age can have different real max heart rates, so the zone is a guide.
The Formula
The AHA says moderate intensity is about 50 to 70 percent of max heart rate, and vigorous intensity is about 70 to 85 percent¹. It estimates max heart rate as 220 minus your age¹.
Max heart rate = 220 minus age
Target zone low = max heart rate x low percent
Target zone high = max heart rate x high percent
The 220 minus age rule came from a 1971 observation of about 35 data points, not from a formal analysis³.
How This Calculator Computes Your Result
Enter your age, then pick Moderate, Vigorous, or a custom percent range. If you know your max heart rate from a test, you can enter it and the calculator uses that instead of the formula. Results are rounded to the nearest beat. The 10-second pulse count is your bpm divided by 6, rounded to a whole number. For comparison, the calculator also shows the Tanaka estimate, 208 minus 0.7 times your age².
What Your Result Means
Your zone depends on the intensity you pick. Moderate and vigorous share the 70 percent mark.
Intensity | Percent of max heart rate |
Moderate | 50 to 70 percent |
Vigorous | 70 to 85 percent |
For example, a 45-year-old has an estimated max of 175 bpm. Their moderate zone is 88 to 123 bpm, which is 15 to 21 beats in 10 seconds.
Target Heart Rate by Age
These numbers use 220 minus age and are rounded half up. They match the AHA's age chart¹.
Age | Max heart rate | Moderate (50-70%) | Vigorous (70-85%) |
20 | 200 | 100 to 140 | 140 to 170 |
25 | 195 | 98 to 137 | 137 to 166 |
30 | 190 | 95 to 133 | 133 to 162 |
35 | 185 | 93 to 130 | 130 to 157 |
40 | 180 | 90 to 126 | 126 to 153 |
45 | 175 | 88 to 123 | 123 to 149 |
50 | 170 | 85 to 119 | 119 to 145 |
55 | 165 | 83 to 116 | 116 to 140 |
60 | 160 | 80 to 112 | 112 to 136 |
65 | 155 | 78 to 109 | 109 to 132 |
70 | 150 | 75 to 105 | 105 to 128 |
75 | 145 | 73 to 102 | 102 to 123 |
80 | 140 | 70 to 98 | 98 to 119 |
How to Measure Correctly
The AHA gives a simple pulse check. Use the inside of your wrist, on the thumb side. Press lightly over the artery with the tips of your first two fingers, not your thumb. Count for 30 seconds and multiply by 2¹.
The 10-second count in this calculator is a quick shortcut. Any miscount is multiplied by 6, so a 30-second count is more accurate. The AHA notes a wearable tracker makes this easy, and that you can check by hand if you do not use one¹.
How Accurate Is 220 Minus Age?
Not very accurate for one person. A review of the formula's history found it was never based on a proper study³. The same review found that age-only equations miss by about 7 to 11 bpm on average, and by 21 bpm when the original data were re-checked³.
In 2001, Tanaka and colleagues pooled 351 studies (18,712 people) and found max heart rate is closer to 208 minus 0.7 times age. They also found 220 minus age underestimates max heart rate in older adults². A later study of 3,320 healthy adults found a similar pattern, with a typical error of 10.8 bpm⁴. In plain terms, your true max can be 10 bpm or more above or below the formula, and that gap is larger for older adults. A measured max from a supervised exercise test is more reliable.
Medications and Your Target Zone
Some medications lower heart rate. For example, the AHA says beta-blockers lower the heart rate⁵. It also says some drugs can lower your max heart rate and target zone, so anyone with a heart condition or who takes medication can ask their health care professional what their heart rate should be¹.
A Note on Accuracy
This is an estimate based on averages. Real max heart rate varies by about 10 bpm or more between people of the same age. Medication can also change it. Use the zone as a rough guide and go by how you feel. It does not replace advice from a doctor, and it does not use your resting heart rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should my heart rate be when exercising?
For moderate exercise, the AHA suggests about 50 to 70 percent of your max heart rate. For vigorous exercise, it suggests about 70 to 85 percent¹.
How do you calculate target heart rate?
Subtract your age from 220 to estimate max heart rate, then multiply by the percent you want. For example, at age 40 your max is 180, so 50 to 70 percent is 90 to 126 bpm¹.
Is the 220 minus age formula accurate?
It is a rough average. Studies show errors of about 7 to 11 bpm for age-based formulas, and it tends to underestimate max heart rate in older adults²³⁴.
What is a good heart rate for my age?
It depends on your age and how hard you want to work. The age table above shows the AHA zones, such as 90 to 153 bpm for age 40 across moderate to vigorous effort¹.
Sources
Target Heart Rates Chart, American Heart Association, 2024
Age-Predicted Maximal Heart Rate Revisited, Tanaka et al., 2001
The Surprising History of the HRmax=220-age Equation, Robergs and Landwehr, 2002
Age-Predicted Maximal Heart Rate in Healthy Subjects: The HUNT Fitness Study, Nes et al., 2013
Types of Blood Pressure Medications, American Heart Association, 2025