Target Heart Rate Calculator

Inputs

1590
0120
Set > 0 to also compute Karvonen-reserve zones

Result

Target heart rate (moderate, AHA)
94–131 bpm
Vigorous: 131–159 bpm · Max ≈ 187 bpm
  • Estimated max HRTanaka 208 − 0.7 × age187 bpm
  • Moderate intensity (50–70%)AHA — brisk walking, light jogging94–131 bpmHealthy
  • Vigorous intensity (70–85%)AHA — running, cycling intervals131–159 bpm
  • Warm-up (50–60%)94–112 bpm
  • Fat-burn zone (60–70%)highest % of fat as fuel; total kcal still lower than vigorous112–131 bpm
  • Cardio zone (70–80%)131–150 bpm
  • Peak zone (80–90%)short intervals only150–168 bpmBorderline
56 bpm113 bpm187 bpm
AHA target zones: 50–70% (moderate), 70–85% (vigorous). Marker at the middle of the moderate band.
Source: American Heart Association — Target Heart Rates Chart
Not medical advice — Max-HR formulas have a standard deviation of ±10-12 bpm — actual measured max can differ. Anyone on beta-blockers, with arrhythmia, or with diagnosed heart disease should train by perceived exertion and consult a cardiologist.

How to use this calculator

  • Enter your age.
  • Pick a max-HR formula — Tanaka is more accurate; Fox is the classic AHA reference.
  • Optionally enter resting HR to get personalized Karvonen reserve zones alongside the simple AHA targets.
  • Aim for 150 minutes/week in the moderate zone OR 75 minutes/week in the vigorous zone (US Physical Activity Guidelines).

About this tool

Target heart rate is the heart-rate range during exercise where cardiovascular benefit is highest without overload. The American Heart Association defines two target zones: 50–70% of maximum heart rate for moderate-intensity activity (brisk walking, light cycling) and 70–85% for vigorous activity (running, swimming laps, interval training). This calculator uses the Tanaka equation (208 − 0.7 × age) by default — a 2001 meta-analysis of 351 studies that fits measured max heart rate more accurately than the classic Fox 220 − age formula, especially after age 40. You can also enter resting heart rate to compute personalized Karvonen-reserve zones in addition to the population-average AHA zones.

What this calculator does

Calculates your American Heart Association target heart rate zones from age (and optionally resting heart rate). Returns the simple AHA moderate (50–70% of max HR) and vigorous (70–85%) zones, plus a fine-grained breakdown (warm-up, fat-burn, cardio, peak) and — when resting HR is provided — personalized Karvonen reserve zones that account for your individual fitness.

How it works — the formula

Max HR: Tanaka: 208 − 0.7 × age (recommended, SD ≈ 6.4 bpm) Fox: 220 − age (classic AHA, SD ≈ 9.7 bpm) AHA target zones (% of max HR): Moderate: 0.50 × maxHR to 0.70 × maxHR Vigorous: 0.70 × maxHR to 0.85 × maxHR Karvonen (optional, requires resting HR): Target = ((maxHR − restingHR) × intensity%) + restingHR

Max HR is estimated from age. Multiplying by a target percentage gives the AHA moderate and vigorous zones. Karvonen uses heart-rate reserve (max minus resting) rather than raw max, so it adjusts for individual cardiovascular fitness — two people of the same age with very different resting heart rates get very different target ranges, which the simple AHA formula misses.

Sources: American Heart Association — Target Heart Rates Chart (consumer guidance) · Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR — Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited (J Am Coll Cardiol 37(1):153–156, 2001) · Karvonen MJ, Kentala E, Mustala O — The effects of training on heart rate (Ann Med Exp Biol Fenn 35(3):307–315, 1957) · US Dept. of Health & Human Services — Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd ed. (2018)

Worked examples

Example 1
30-year-old, AHA moderate target (Tanaka)
Inputs:
age = 30, formula = Tanaka
Output:
Max HR ≈ 208 − 0.7·30 = 187 bpm; moderate (50–70%) ≈ 94–131 bpm; vigorous (70–85%) ≈ 131–159 bpm
Example 2
50-year-old, AHA target (Fox)
Inputs:
age = 50, formula = Fox
Output:
Max HR = 220 − 50 = 170 bpm; moderate ≈ 85–119 bpm; vigorous ≈ 119–145 bpm

Tanaka would put this person at max ≈ 173 bpm — Fox under-predicts over-40 by ~5 bpm on average.

Example 3
Fit 35-year-old, Karvonen reserve
Inputs:
age = 35, resting HR = 50, formula = Tanaka
Output:
Max HR ≈ 184 bpm; HRR = 134; moderate (50–70% HRR) ≈ 117–144 bpm; vigorous (70–85% HRR) ≈ 144–164 bpm

Higher absolute targets than the population-average AHA zones because resting HR is well below typical 65 bpm.

When to use this vs other tools

This is the simple cardio-fitness tool. For more granular endurance-training zones (5-zone or 7-zone systems), see the related calculators.

  • Heart Rate Zone Calculator (Karvonen 5-zone)

    You are building structured endurance training and want all five Karvonen zones (Z1 recovery → Z5 VO2 max), not just AHA moderate/vigorous.

  • VO2 Max Calculator

    You want to estimate aerobic capacity from a Cooper 12-minute test instead of working from heart rate alone.

  • Calories Burned Calculator

    You want to estimate calories burned in a target-HR session based on activity, weight, and duration.

  • Running Pace Calculator

    You want to convert race times to pace and predict performance — pace is the easier on-course proxy for target heart rate.

Authority note

American Heart Association
Target Heart Rates Chart — moderate (50–70%) and vigorous (70–85%) target zones

The AHA publishes target heart rate ranges as the consumer reference for cardio exercise intensity. The 50–85% range corresponds to the moderate-to-vigorous intensity recommended by the US Physical Activity Guidelines (150 min moderate OR 75 min vigorous per week).

Limitations

  • Population max-HR formulas have a standard deviation of ±10-12 bpm versus measured maximum. If you have a real measured max from a graded exercise test or all-out effort, use that instead.
  • Beta-blockers, calcium-channel blockers, and other cardiac medications invalidate these zones — they suppress max HR by 20-40 bpm. Train by RPE (Borg scale) under medical supervision instead.
  • Heat, dehydration, altitude, fever, sleep deprivation, and caffeine all temporarily shift heart-rate response by 5-15 bpm at the same workload.
  • The "fat-burn zone" label is technically correct as a percentage of substrate but does not maximize absolute fat burned per session — vigorous exercise typically burns more total fat than moderate work of the same duration.

Target heart rate zones are general fitness guides, not medical thresholds. This calculator does not provide medical advice — anyone with cardiovascular disease, arrhythmia, hypertension, or who is on heart medication should consult a physician or cardiologist before structured target-HR training.

Frequently asked

The heart-rate range during exercise where you get the most cardiovascular benefit safely. The American Heart Association defines it as 50–85% of your estimated maximum heart rate, split into moderate (50–70%) and vigorous (70–85%) intensity zones. Below 50% you are not loading the heart enough to drive adaptation; above 85% you are at maximal effort, which is only sustainable for short intervals.

Related calculators

Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Your 5 training zones using the Karvonen formula — accounts for your resting heart rate, not just age.
VO2 Max Calculator (Cooper + Rockport)
Estimate your VO2 max from the 12-min Cooper run OR the Rockport 1-mile walk test, with age- and gender-adjusted fitness rating.
Calories Burned Calculator
Calories burned during exercise — uses MET values for 18 common activities + your bodyweight.
Running Pace Calculator
Pace, speed, and a full per-km and per-mile splits table for 5K / 10K / Half / Marathon at your entered pace. Toggle between km and miles for the input.