Health & fitness
Estimate exercise heart-rate zones from age.
Enter your numbers to see the answer.
Target heart rate calculator guide
A target heart rate zone tells you how hard to work during exercise using the pulse as a gauge. This calculator estimates your maximum heart rate with the widely used 220 − age rule, then shows a moderate-intensity zone at 50–70% of that maximum and a vigorous zone at 70–85%, the same bands the US CDC publishes. Both bands are based on percentage of maximum heart rate; the Karvonen method refines this by using heart-rate reserve, the gap between resting and maximum heart rate, which requires a resting pulse this tool does not ask for. The 220 − age formula dates from 1971 and has a standard deviation of roughly 10–12 beats per minute, so an individual’s true maximum can differ noticeably; it also runs low for fit older adults. The zones are population averages for screening, not medical limits: beta-blockers and other medicines lower heart rate, and anyone with a heart condition should ask a clinician before relying on them.
Estimated maximum heart rate (bpm) = 220 − age (years). Moderate zone = 50% to 70% of maximum. Vigorous zone = 70% to 85% of maximum. Each bound is rounded to the nearest whole beat per minute.
Worked example with the default input of age 30. Estimated maximum heart rate = 220 − 30 = 190 bpm. Moderate zone: 190 × 0.50 = 95 bpm to 190 × 0.70 = 133 bpm, so the calculator displays 95–133 bpm. Vigorous zone: 133 bpm to 190 × 0.85 = 161.5, rounded to 162 bpm, shown as 133–162 bpm. A brisk walk that puts the pulse at 110 bpm sits in the moderate band for this person; a run at 150 bpm is vigorous. For a 50-year-old the maximum drops to 170 and the moderate zone to 85–119 bpm.
Age is in whole years and heart rate is in beats per minute. To take a pulse manually, count beats at the wrist or neck for 15 seconds and multiply by 4, or read a chest strap or watch. Percentages are of the estimated maximum, not of heart-rate reserve, so the zones are a little lower at the bottom end than a Karvonen calculation using a typical resting pulse of 60–70 bpm would give.
This is a screening figure, not a diagnosis. Population formulas do not account for build, muscle mass, age, pregnancy, ethnicity, or medical history, so an individual result can sit well outside the healthy band without indicating a problem, or inside it while one exists. Discuss anything that concerns you with a qualified clinician rather than acting on this number alone. On this page the figure rests entirely on age, so start there if the target heart rate calculator returns something you did not expect.
Good to know: 220 − age is an average across a population, and roughly a third of people have a true maximum more than 10 bpm away from it. Wrist-based optical sensors can lag or misread during intervals, so check a surprising number with a manual count. Do not aim for 85% of maximum on the first sessions of a new programme. Beta-blockers, some asthma inhalers, caffeine, heat, dehydration, and illness all shift heart rate, and the zones do not account for them.
This is an educational screening estimate, not a diagnosis or a substitute for professional medical advice.
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How it works
Estimate exercise heart-rate zones from age. This tool explains the calculation so you can adjust the assumptions to match your situation.
Worked example
With Age = 30 → 95–133 bpm (estimated moderate-intensity zone). Change an input above and this example updates with your numbers.
Common questions
Subtract your age from 220 to estimate maximum heart rate, then take 50–70% of that for moderate exercise and 70–85% for vigorous exercise. At age 30 the maximum is 190 bpm, the moderate zone is 95–133 bpm, and the vigorous zone is 133–162 bpm.
Using 220 − age, a 30-year-old has an estimated maximum of 190 bpm. The moderate-intensity zone is 95–133 bpm and the vigorous zone is 133–162 bpm. These are average estimates; a fitness test or a clinician can establish a personal maximum.
Karvonen uses heart-rate reserve: target = resting HR + (maximum HR − resting HR) × intensity. For a 30-year-old with a resting pulse of 65, 60% intensity is 65 + (190 − 65) × 0.60 = 140 bpm. It accounts for fitness through the resting pulse; this tool uses the simpler percentage-of-maximum method.
It is a reasonable population average with a standard deviation of about 10–12 bpm, so many individuals differ by more than 10 beats. Alternatives such as 208 − 0.7 × age fit older adults slightly better. For most people the zones are close enough to pace a workout; athletes and anyone on heart medication should not treat them as precise.
For a healthy 30-year-old, 150 bpm is inside the vigorous zone of 133–162 bpm and is a normal training intensity. For a 60-year-old it would be at 94% of the estimated maximum of 160, which is very hard effort. These zones are a screening guide, not a diagnosis; anyone with symptoms such as chest pain or dizziness should stop and seek medical advice.