Target Heart Rate Calculator
- Published
The Heart Rate Zone Calculator can help you exercise smarter by telling you when you’re in the Moderate Exercise zone or Vigorous Exercise Zone. To determine your Moderate and Vigorous Exercise zones, you first need to find the Maximum Heart Rate for your age. Your Maximum Heart Rate is 220 minus your age. For example, a 35-year-old has a Maximum Heart Rate of 185 (220 – 35).
Once you know your Maximum Heart Rate you can calculate your Target Heart Rate Zones. The American Heart Association defines the Moderate Exercise zone to be between 50 – 70% of your Maximum Heart Rate and the Vigorous Exercise zone between 70 – 85% of your Maximum Heart rate.
Enter your age in our easy Target Heart Zone Calculator and it will automatically calculate the low and high ends of the correct ‘Moderate’ and ‘Vigorous’ Exercise Zones for an adult of your age.
Why Is Target Heart Rate Zone Important?
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services recommends that adults get 150 minutes per week of Moderate Intensity exercise or 75 minutes a week of Vigorous Intensity exercise or a combination of the two. For most people knowing the difference between Moderate and Vigorous Intensity can rely on guesswork and assumptions. Knowing your target Heart Rate Zones can remove the guesswork.
How to Tell Which Heart Rate Zone You're In
Talk test – One of the easiest ways to measure which zone you’re in is the Talk Test. As explained by the Centers for Disease Control, if you can talk – but not sing – during exercise, you’re in the Moderate Exercise Zone. If you’re unable to say more than a few words before having to catch your breath, you’re in the Vigorous Exercise zone.
Heart Rate Monitor – A more accurate method is to track your pulse with a Heart Rate Monitor. The two main varieties of Heart Rate Monitors are Chest-Strap Monitors and Wrist Monitors. A chest strap monitor is worn around your chest and has a sensor which sends your heart rate to a receiver worn on your wrist. A Wrist Monitor has an optical sensor that detects your pulse. Generally, Chest Monitors are more accurate but Wrist Monitors are more comfortable. Here are some of the best reviewed Heart Rate Monitors on Amazon.
Looking To Take Control of Your Health? Consider a Smart Scale for Home.
Unlike a traditional analog scale that only measures weight, Smart Scales can track a host of metrics: body composition (e.g., percentage of bone, fat, muscle, etc), heart rate, and more. Many connect to a smart phone app allowing for easy tracking of health progress. With a Doctor’s Approval, they also may be eligible for reimbursement from your FSA/HSA account.
To learn more about Smart Scales and see our favorites for 2024, click the button.
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Additional Resources for Healthy Living
Unfortunately, there are a lot of web sites out there giving unreliable fitness advice. But there are also some great ones which we rely on when writing our articles. A few great resources for information you may want to also view include the National Institutes of Heath, the Mayo Clinic, and the World Health Organization.