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Exercise Heart Rate Calculator




Disclaimer: For people with heart conditions, please consult your doctor or physiotherapist for your most appropriate exercise heart rate.

Heart Rate Calculation

Many of the standard tests used to measure heart function are based on formulas, that predicts the fastest your heart can beat and still pump blood through your body.

The simple and effective way of monitoring is checking your pulse rate before, during and after exercise. Your heart rate is your body’s feedback mechanism, which tells you what is going on in your body. The resting heart rate varies from person to person but in most individuals, it is between 60 – 90 beats per minute.

The best-known method to calculate your target exercise heart rate during exercise is to first determine your maximum heart rate where:

Heart Rate Maximum (HRmax) = (220 – Age) beats per minute

Finding your maximum heart rate will help you set up your target heart rate, making your training more efficient. Exercise physiologists and clinicians recommend 70 – 85 % of an individual’s maximum heart rate. When you start exercising, try to achieve around a rate of 70% of your maximum heart rate.

Target Heart Rate = 70 – 85% (HRmax) beats per minute

Lets take an example: you are 50 years old, your HRmax would be:

HRmax = (220 – Age) beats per minute
Target Heart Rate = 70% (170) = 119 beats per minute

During an exercise session, heart rate is likely to be both above and below the prescribed intensity. The goal should be to maintain an average heart rate close to the midpoint of the prescribed range.

Find your target heart rate range on the chart below and adjust your workout to stay in the middle of your range during exercise.

Age HR Maximum Recommended Target
Heart Rate Range
(during exercise)
80 140 98-119
70 150 105-128
60 160 112-136
50 170 119-145
40 180 126-153
30 190 133-162
20 200 140-170

Last but not least, don’t forget to manage your stress and stay away from cigarette and second-hand smoke!

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