Target Heart Rate Calculator
Find your target heart rate for moderate and vigorous exercise from your age, using the American Heart Association’s ranges. Calculates in your browser.
Estimated max heart rate
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Target heart rate
| Intensity | % of max | Target (bpm) |
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Show the math
Maximum heart rate is estimated from age, then the American Heart Association's target bands are a share of it:
HRmax ≈ 220 − age
moderate = 50–70% of HRmax
vigorous = 70–85% of HRmax
220 − age is a population average, so your own maximum can be well above or below it. A measured maximum from a supervised test is more accurate. All math runs locally in your browser.
Some heart medicines, such as beta-blockers, slow your heart rate, so these zones may not fit you. If you have a heart condition or take heart medicine, ask your doctor what heart rate to aim for before exercising hard.
What this does
The target heart rate calculator estimates your maximum heart rate from your age and shows the American Heart Association’s target ranges for moderate and vigorous exercise.
How to use it
- Enter your age (adults, 18 and over).
- Read your estimated maximum heart rate.
- See the target bpm range for moderate exercise.
- See the target bpm range for vigorous exercise.
How it works
The American Heart Association puts maximum heart rate at about 220 minus your age, and target heart rate at about 50–70% of that maximum for moderate-intensity activity and about 70–85% for vigorous activity.
HRmax ≈ 220 − age; moderate = 50–70% of HRmax; vigorous = 70–85% of HRmax
Understanding your result
Use the moderate range for brisk, steady exercise and the vigorous range for hard efforts. Maximum heart rate from age is a population average, and your own can be well above or below it, so treat the numbers as a starting point and go by how you feel too.
Example
At age 30, HRmax is about 190 bpm, so the moderate range is about 95–133 bpm and the vigorous range about 133–162 bpm.
Sources & methodology
- Cleveland Clinic, Beta-Blockers (medically reviewed April 17, 2025), Beta-blockers slow down your heart rate
Last updated .
Frequently asked questions
Where do the ranges come from?
From the American Heart Association: about 50–70% of maximum heart rate for moderate-intensity activity and about 70–85% for vigorous activity, with maximum heart rate about 220 minus your age.
How accurate is the maximum heart rate estimate?
The 220 − age formula is a population average, and your real maximum can be well above or below it. A supervised exercise test gives a more accurate figure.
Does it use my resting heart rate?
No. It uses the American Heart Association’s ranges, which are a share of your maximum heart rate rather than of your heart-rate reserve (the Karvonen method), so a resting heart rate is not needed.
Do heart medicines change my target zone?
They can. Some heart medicines, such as beta-blockers, slow your heart rate, so age-based zones may not fit you. If you have a heart condition or take heart medicine, ask your doctor what heart rate to aim for.
Is my data stored?
No. Everything is calculated locally in your browser.
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