Lead II · Target heart rate
Target heart rate calculator
Turn an exercise intensity into a heart-rate range to aim for, with pulse counts for a quick 10- or 15-second check. ACSM's moderate and vigorous ranges are one tap away.
Targetbpm
110–133
Moderate (ACSM)Count for 10 sbeats
18–22
pulse checkCount for 15 sbeats
28–33
pulse checkWorked out Karvonen, HRmax 184 bpm: 60 + 40 % × (184 − 60) = 110 bpm; 60 + 59 % × (184 − 60) = 133 bpm.
Enter a heart rate you saw during exercise to see where it sits.
Using your target range
Pick heart-rate reserve (the Karvonen method) if you know your resting heart rate; otherwise use percentage of maximum. The presets fill in the American College of Sports Medicine's ranges: moderate is 40–59 % of heart-rate reserve or 64–75 % of maximum, vigorous is 60–89 % or 76–95 %. The coloured scale shows all five ACSM classes on your own heart rates.
For health, the World Health Organization advises adults to do at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a mix of the two.
No monitor? Slow down briefly, find your pulse at the wrist or the side of the neck, count for 10 seconds and compare with the 10-second numbers. Count straight away: your heart rate starts to fall within seconds of stopping.
A chest strap reads the heart's electrical signal and reacts quickly. Wrist sensors read blood flow through the skin and can lag or misread during intervals and weight training.
Sources
- Garber CE, Blissmer B, Deschenes MR, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand: quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2011;43(7):1334–1359 (Table 4, intensity classes). doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e318213fefb
- 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. PubMed 13470504
- Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR. Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited. J Am Coll Cardiol 2001;37(1):153–156. doi:10.1016/S0735-1097(00)01054-8
- World Health Organization. WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Geneva: WHO; 2020. who.int
Questions
Moderate or vigorous: which range should I use?
Both count towards the weekly guidelines, and a minute of vigorous activity counts about as much as two minutes of moderate. If you are new to exercise, start in the moderate range and build up. Not medical advice: talk to a doctor before starting intense exercise.
Why is my heart rate above the range at an easy pace?
Heat, dehydration, caffeine, poor sleep and long sessions all push heart rate up, and wrist sensors sometimes misread. Your real maximum may also be higher than the formula says; if you know it, choose “Measured”.
Can I use this if I take beta blockers?
Not reliably. Beta blockers and some other medicines lower heart rate during exercise, so ranges from age formulas do not apply. Ask your doctor or cardiac rehabilitation team for a target, and use how hard the effort feels.