Target heart rate calculator

Enter your age to see your estimated maximum heart rate and the heart rate ranges for moderate and vigorous exercise. Add your resting heart rate for Karvonen zones.

By the Calcist team · Checked against known answers · Updated October 27, 2026

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Next: Planning a run at that effort? The pace calculator turns a goal time into a pace and splits.

How it's calculated

Max heart rate (common): 220 − age
Max heart rate (Tanaka): 208 − 0.7 × age
Target = max × intensity %
Karvonen target = (max − resting) × intensity % + resting

The American Heart Association gives these ranges:

Intensity	% of maximum heart rate	Examples
Moderate	50–70%	Brisk walking, easy cycling, water aerobics
Vigorous	70–85%	Running, fast cycling, lap swimming

Other guidelines draw the lines a little differently, so treat the numbers as a guide, not a rule.

The Karvonen method uses heart rate reserve (max minus resting), so a fitter person with a low resting heart rate gets higher targets.

Worked example

Age 40: max = 220 − 40 = 180 bpm. Moderate = 50% to 70% of 180 = 90 to 126 bpm. Vigorous = 70% to 85% = 126 to 153 bpm. Tanaka's formula gives 208 − 28 = 180 bpm, the same at this age.

With a resting heart rate of 60: reserve = 180 − 60 = 120. Karvonen vigorous = 120 × 0.70 + 60 = 144 to 120 × 0.85 + 60 = 162 bpm.

Limitations

Age formulas are averages. Real maximum heart rate can differ by 10 to 20 beats a minute or more from the formula.
Medicines such as beta-blockers, heart conditions, heat, caffeine and stress all change heart rate.
The "talk test" is a simple check: at moderate effort you can talk but not sing; at vigorous effort you can say only a few words without pausing for breath.

Sources

How we checked this

Before every update, this calculator is run in a real browser with these known answers, and it must match all of them:

Age 40: moderate zone 90–126 bpm ✓
Age 30: Tanaka max 187 bpm ✓
Age 40, resting 60: Karvonen vigorous 144–162 bpm ✓
Age 150 is rejected ✓

Last checked October 26, 2026. Spotted something wrong? The math is done in your browser with the formula shown on this page, so you can check any result by hand.

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Questions people ask

What is my target heart rate?

For moderate exercise it's about 50% to 70% of your maximum heart rate, and 70% to 85% for vigorous exercise. Your maximum is roughly 220 minus your age.

What is a normal resting heart rate?

For most adults it's 60 to 100 beats a minute. Well-trained athletes can be lower.

Is 220 minus age accurate?

It's a rough average. Tanaka's 208 − 0.7 × age fits large studies better, especially for older adults, but both can be off by 10 or more beats for an individual.

What is the Karvonen formula?

Target = (max − resting) × intensity + resting. It accounts for fitness through your resting heart rate.

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