THR

Target Heart Rate Calculator

The heart rate to aim for at a chosen training intensity, by the Karvonen method.

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Result…

years
bpm

Count your pulse for 60 seconds on waking, before you get up.

%

Moderate is 50–70%, vigorous 70–85%.

Max heart rate

 

…

How it's calculated

Karvonen (1957):
Target = resting HR + intensity × (max HR − resting HR)
Max HR = 220 − age (or Tanaka: 208 − 0.7 × age)

The Karvonen method works from your heart rate reserve, the gap between resting and maximum, so it adjusts for fitness: a fitter person with a low resting rate gets a different target than the same age with a high one. The age formula for maximum heart rate is an average; a measured maximum from a supervised test is better. Some medicines, such as beta blockers, change heart rate; ask a doctor before vigorous exercise if you take them or have a heart condition.

Your numbers, step by step

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