What is your target heart rate and why is it important? Monitoring your exercise intensity is the best way to get the most out of your cardio workouts. The target heart rate calculator below is one way to make sure you’re working within your target heart rate zone, the most effective zone for improving your fitness and burning calories. You can use a heart rate monitor to track your heart rate during your workouts. If you don’t have a heart rate monitor, take your pulse for 6 seconds, count how many times your heart beats and add a zero to get an estimate.
How to find it:
- First find your maximum heart rate (MHR) by subtracting your age from 220
- Next multiple (MHR) by 0.60 = lower end of the target heart rate zone
- Next multiply (MHR) by 0.90 = upper end of the target heart rate zone
These two numbers represent your target heart rate zone. You should strive to stay between these numbers during your workout.
An example calculation for a 30-year-old woman is below:
- 220 – 30 = 190 = MHR
- 190 x 0.60 = 114 beats per minute
- 190 x 0.90 = 171 beats per minute
- Target heart rate zone = 114 to 171 beats per minute
