Target Heart Rate Calculator
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Results
Age 40: moderate target 90–126 bpm and vigorous 126–153 bpm, from a maximum heart rate of 180 bpm.
| Zone | Intensity | % of maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | Very light | 90–108 bpm |
| Zone 2 | Light | 108–126 bpm |
| Zone 3 | Moderate | 126–144 bpm |
| Zone 4 | Hard | 144–162 bpm |
| Zone 5 | Maximum | 162–180 bpm |
Some medicines change heart rate. Beta blockers, for example, lower both resting and maximum heart rate, so these targets may be too high. If you take medication or have a heart condition, ask your doctor what heart rate is right for you, and talk to a doctor before starting vigorous exercise if you have been inactive.
Age-predicted maximum heart rate is an average for people of your age; your own maximum may be noticeably higher or lower. These targets are estimates, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian about your own situation.
How to use the target heart rate calculator
- Enter your age. Add your resting heart rate if you know it: take your pulse for a full minute in the morning, before getting up.
- Choose how to estimate your maximum heart rate. If you have had a supervised exercise test, enter the measured maximum instead.
- Read the moderate and vigorous targets, then use the zone table to plan easy, steady and hard sessions.
Target heart rate formulas
Maximum heart rate (Tanaka) = 208 − 0.7 × age
Target = maximum × intensity
Karvonen target = resting + intensity × (maximum − resting)
The American Heart Association estimates maximum heart rate as about 220 minus your age, and puts moderate-intensity exercise at about 50% to 70% of that maximum and vigorous exercise at about 70% to 85%. In 2001, Hirofumi Tanaka and colleagues pooled hundreds of studies and proposed 208 − 0.7 × age, which gives slightly higher maximums after 40 and lower ones before. The Karvonen method, from a 1957 Finnish study, applies the percentage to your heart-rate reserve (maximum minus resting) and adds the resting rate back, so fitter people with a low resting pulse get zones tailored to them.
Worked example
At age 40, the traditional maximum is 220 − 40 = 180 bpm. The moderate target is 0.5 × 180 to 0.7 × 180 = 90–126 bpm and the vigorous target is 126–153 bpm. Tanaka's formula gives 208 − 28 = 180 bpm, the same at this age. With a resting heart rate of 60, the reserve is 120 bpm, and 50% to 85% of it gives a Karvonen range of 120–162 bpm.
Target heart rates by age
Ranges in beats per minute, computed with the calculator's engine. The AHA columns use 220 − age.
| Age | Max (220 − age) | Moderate 50–70% | Vigorous 70–85% | Max (Tanaka) | Moderate (Tanaka) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 200 | 100–140 | 140–170 | 194 | 97–136 |
| 25 | 195 | 98–137 | 137–166 | 191 | 95–133 |
| 30 | 190 | 95–133 | 133–162 | 187 | 94–131 |
| 35 | 185 | 93–130 | 130–157 | 184 | 92–128 |
| 40 | 180 | 90–126 | 126–153 | 180 | 90–126 |
| 45 | 175 | 88–122 | 122–149 | 177 | 88–124 |
| 50 | 170 | 85–119 | 119–145 | 173 | 87–121 |
| 55 | 165 | 83–115 | 115–140 | 170 | 85–119 |
| 60 | 160 | 80–112 | 112–136 | 166 | 83–116 |
| 65 | 155 | 78–109 | 109–132 | 163 | 81–114 |
| 70 | 150 | 75–105 | 105–128 | 159 | 80–111 |
| 75 | 145 | 73–102 | 102–123 | 156 | 78–109 |
| 80 | 140 | 70–98 | 98–119 | 152 | 76–106 |
Using your zones
- Start low. If you are new to exercise, the AHA suggests aiming for the lower end of your target zone (50%) and building up gradually.
- Check during exercise. Count your pulse at the wrist for 30 seconds and double it, or use a chest strap or watch. Wrist sensors can lag during intervals.
- Use effort too. Heat, dehydration, caffeine, stress and lack of sleep all push heart rate up, so on some days the same pace feels harder and reads higher.
- The formulas are averages. Your true maximum can be well above or below the estimate, which shifts every zone. A supervised exercise test measures it directly.
Medicines can change these numbers. Beta blockers, often prescribed for high blood pressure and heart conditions, lower heart rate, so age-based targets can be unreachable or misleading. If you take medication, have a heart condition or have been inactive, talk to a doctor before starting vigorous exercise. This is not medical advice; talk to a doctor or registered dietitian. To turn heart-rate work into race plans, use the pace calculator.
Sources
- American Heart Association, Target Heart Rates Chart (last reviewed August 12, 2024).
- MedlinePlus, Give your heart a workout (reviewed April 10, 2026).
- Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR, "Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited", J Am Coll Cardiol 2001;37(1):153–156.
- Karvonen MJ, Kentala E, Mustala O, "The effects of training on heart rate; a longitudinal study", Ann Med Exp Biol Fenn 1957;35(3):307–315.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my target heart rate?
Estimate your maximum heart rate as 220 minus your age, then multiply by the intensity. At 40, the maximum is 180 bpm, so the American Heart Association’s moderate target (50% to 70%) is 90–126 bpm and the vigorous target (70% to 85%) is 126–153 bpm.
What is the difference between 220 − age and the Tanaka formula?
Both estimate an average maximum heart rate for your age. Tanaka’s 2001 formula, 208 − 0.7 × age, gives the same answer at 40, a few beats more for older adults (166 vs 160 bpm at 60) and a few less for younger ones (194 vs 200 bpm at 20).
What is the Karvonen method?
It applies the intensity to your heart-rate reserve, the gap between maximum and resting heart rate, then adds the resting rate back. At 40 with a resting rate of 60, the reserve is 120 bpm and 50% to 85% of it gives 120–162 bpm.
Do medications affect target heart rate?
Yes. Some medicines, such as beta blockers for blood pressure or heart conditions, lower heart rate, so age-based targets may be too high. If you take medication or have a heart condition, ask your doctor what heart rate you should aim for.
What is a normal resting heart rate?
For most adults, the American Heart Association gives 60 to 100 beats per minute as normal. Very fit people can be lower. Stress, anxiety, hormones, medication and activity level all affect it.