Calculate Your Maximum Heart Rate
Let’s start with the easiest, calculating your Max Heart Rate . The PAI Health app uses a MHR formula from the Cardiac Exercise Research Group , which is very approximately .
If you are 40 years old, for example, your MHR would be approximately 185. If you’re 59, your MHR would be around 173 beats per minute.
While this formula provides a general guideline for your Max Heart Rate, there can be variations due to your genetics. If you’re interested in an even more accurate manual calculation for MHR, CERG has a comprehensive guide here.
Measure Your Heart Rate
To determine your heart rate, use your first two fingers to press lightly over the blood vessels on your inner wristthe side by your thumb. Count your pulse for ten seconds and multiply this number by six.
If your heart rate is 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate, you have hit your target heart zone and are working at the right level of intensity.
Wearing a multifunctional fitness tracker such as the Fitbit, or Nike+ FuelBand SE, does the work for you. The device is worn like a bracelet or watch and measures your heart rate.
Exercising at the right level of intensity improves heart and respiratory endurance and helps keep your workout at a level that is vigorous enough to meet your health goals.
What Is My Maximum Heart Rate
So now youre ready to start calculating max heart rate, where should you start?
If youve ever attempted to calculate resting heart rate, then is obviously the opposite of this. Instead of calming your heart down, youre going to push it to the limit.
Calculating maximum heart rate requires that youre ready to sweat and have the right equipment to measure it for you. If youre simply curious to know what is my max heart rate, then you can always start by using the tools below to estimate it.
Is there anything that will influence your maximum heart rate? Factors such as age, fitness level, stress and medication like beta blockers will affect your heart rate.
Does your sex affect your max heart rate? To calculate max heart rate male or female is exactly the same. However, you may be interested to know that smaller people usually have a higher maximum heart rate, which is why women often have a higher rate than men.
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What The Experts Do
Monitor Heart Rate for Motivation
For Johns Hopkins cardiologist Michael Blaha, M.D., M.P.H., most workoutstake place on an elliptical trainer in his home. His machine has electrodeson which he can place his hands to automatically see his heart rate. Itgives me a sense of how hard Im working, he says.
Blaha also uses his targeted heart rate to guide the course that heprogrammed into the machine, so that he works up to where he wants to be interms of exertion. Knowing your target heart rate and trying to achieve itcan be very motivating, he says.
Stay on Top of Your Heart Health
If you have a new or existing heart problem, it’s vital to see a doctor. Our heart health checklist can help you determine when to seek care.
Best Devices For Measuring Heart Rate
So now you know all the different kinds of heart rate and how to measure them using clocks and math. Even though the traditional methods aren’t all that hard, there are easier — and potentially more accurate — ways to measure and track your heart rate.
Of course, the most accurate readings will come from a lab test or other clinical method. But since most people don’t have access to and don’t need those methods, these devices will work just fine.
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Get Your Heart Rate Reserve
Heart Rate Reserve is the difference between your Resting Heart Rate and your Maximum Heart Rate. It’s used primarily for determining heart rate zones during exercise, and the amount of cushion in heartbeats available for exercise. To get your HRR, subtract your heart’s resting rate from your maximum rate.
Your HRR is used in the PAI Health app to calculate activity intensity zones, which you can view by navigating into the PAI Earned section of the app. To get there, tap on the PAI Earned Today section of the Home screen, directly underneath your current PAI Score.
Help Your Heart Work Stronger
Cardiovascular exercise is especially effective in keeping your heart healthy and reaching your target heart rate. This specific type of exercise gets your heart beating fast for several minutes at a time.
Target heart rate is defined as the minimum number of heartbeats in a given amount of time in order to reach the level of exertion necessary for cardiovascular fitness, specific to a persons age, gender, or physical fitness.
The following is an estimate given by the American Heart Association for target heart rate numbers for adults ages 45 to 70:
- 45 years: 88 to 149 beats per minute
- 50 years: 85 to 145 beats per minute
- 55 years: 83 to 140 beats per minute
- 60 years: 80 to 136 beats per minute
- 65 years: 78 to 132 beats per minute
- 70 years: 75 to 128 beats per minute
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Target Heart Rate Zones For Weight Loss
Understanding your target heart rate zone is a helpful way to reach your weight loss goals. By providing insight into how hard your body is working and what its capable of your target heart rate zone supports a personalized approach to burning fat. While heart rate zones arent the only way to lose weight, knowing your upper and lower heart rate limits is an important part of maintaining a balanced and results-driven exercise program.
Michelle Polizzi
How To Calculate Your Training Heart Rate Zones
Heart-rate training benefits everyone, from the beginning exerciser trying to lose weight, to individuals trying to improve their cardiovascular fitness, to the highly conditioned athlete preparing for the next competition.
The key to making progress is to elevate your heart rate into the correct training zone, so your effort matches your goals.
Here are seven easy-to-follow steps that will help you calculate your ideal heart-rate training zone.
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Target Heart Rate For Exercise
Your target heart rate is 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. It is the level at which your heart is beating with moderate to high intensity. To determine your maximum heart rate, take 220 and subtract your age.
Sustaining a workout at this pace improves cardiorespiratory endurance. So knowing your target heart rate helps you pace your workouts. Exercising at the right level of intensity will help you avoid burning out or wasting time with a workout thats not vigorous enough to help you meet your goals.
How To Calculate Your Target Heart Rate
This article was co-authored by Steve Bergeron. Steve Bergeron is a Personal Trainer, Strength Coach, and the Co-Owner of AMP Fitness in Boston, Massachusetts. With over a decade of experience, Steve specializes in educating, guiding, and empowering his clients to develop healthy habits and reach their individual fitness goals. He holds a BS in Exercise Physiology and is an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach , ASCM Health and Fitness Specialist , Strong First Kettlebell Coach , and Certified Functional Movement Screen Specialist . AMP Fitness mission is to create a community that is inclusive and gives people the tools and support they need to succeed.There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 80% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 2,673,636 times.
Do you want to get the most out of those 35 minutes on the treadmill, or any kind of cardio exercise? You can maximize the benefits of cardiovascular activity when you exercise in the zone of your target heart rate . All you need to get started is a calculator and a pulse. There are quick and easy ways to get good estimates of your target heart rate zones, but if you want to get the most reliable measurements possible without any fancy equipment, follow this formula.
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Heart Rate Tips To Keep In Mind
- Start at your beginning. Before getting overly concerned about your heart rate, Martin says, its best to simply get moving. If you havent exercised much before, start where youre comfortable and gradually exert yourself more over time.
- Listen to your body. Your body provides other indicators of how hard its working that you need to consider along with heart rate. Pay attention to how hard youre breathing or sweating, and stop if you feel very uncomfortable, Martin says. Devices recording your heart rate have been known to malfunction, for exampleanother reason listening to your body is important.
- Remember that target heart rate is just a guide. Dont get overly fixated on numbers, Martin says. Ideally, they just push you to work a little harder.
Determine Heart Rate Training Zone For Exercise
+ HR Rest
+ # from Step 2
In other words, first multiply your heart-rate reserve by target exercise intensity , and afterwards add back your resting heart rate .
Simply repeat this final step, to determine the different heart rate zones. Plugging in the different % target intensity to find the different zones.
It seems repetitive or counterintuitive, but you do need to subtract your resting heart rate at the previous step, and then add it back in this step. But it is necessary! Just be sure to follow the steps in order.
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Target Heart Rate For Weight Loss: Make Workouts Work For You
Learning how to calculate your target heart rate zone is an important piece of the weight loss puzzle. Your target heart rate zone, comprised of an upper and lower heart rate, makes both high-intensity and low-intensity workouts more efficient no matter how long they last.
In addition to burning more fat and calories, exercising in your target heart rate zone provides insight into how your body works and what it needs for optimal results. Whether youre looking to slim down or bulk up, heres how to apply your target heart rate for weight loss.
Reach Your Heart Rate Goal
Remember that your maximum heart rate is just a guide for you to know your average target heart rate. Sometimes, your actual maximum heart rate is lower or higher than your manual computation. If you wish to have accurate maximum heart rate data, you may opt to consult a professional trainer. Aside from providing correct workout routines, they are also trained to help clients that are aiming for particular results, may it be physical fitness changes or desired heart rate. Most of the time, only athletes and people with a medical condition are concerned about getting the precise maximum heart rate.
Dont forget that there are other factors that can affect your heart rate. People who undergo medications for example have the tendency to have different heart rates at a time because of the side effects of the drugs that theyre taking. For situations like this, ask your doctor if you can increase or lower down your target heart rate.
Things That Can Affect Heart Rate
Our heart is one of the most precious organs in our body, thats why its important to keep it healthy. Monitoring your heart rate while you are doing a physical activity is a good practice to make sure that you are not pushing yourself too much. That said, it is also an effective way to know if you are reaching your target heart rate to keep your heart healthy and functional.
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What Is Your Target Zone
Target Heart Rate Zones by Age *
- Age: 20
- Target Heart Rate Zone : ** 120 170
- Predicted Maximum HR: 200
Your Actual Values
- Target HR
* This chart is based on the formula: 220 – your age = predicted maximum heart rate.
How To Calculate Target Heart Rate Zone
60-70% of maximum heart rate
weight loss, building endurance
70-80% of maximum heart rate
weight management, improving cardio fitness
80%+ of maximum heart rate
interval workouts
Heart rate training is based on training at intensity zones that are determined from the percentage of your maximum heart rate. When you train at the right intensity, you’ll get the effect you’re looking for. You can calculate your estimated training heart rate zones based on your age alone or based on both your age and fitness level. For the latter option you need to measure your resting heart rate three mornings in a row. It is a more personalized number and it is a method recommended for people who are experienced exercisers. Knowing how hard to push your heart and for how long takes the guess work out of your hard work, so you will never over or under train again. And, knowing these things is what Polar does. We don’t just pass on the information, we interpret that information to guide you to your fitness goals.
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Heart Rate Zone Calculator
The heart rate zone calculator finds your five HR zones, which can be used to estimate the intensity of your training. In the article below, you will find information about all the heart rate training zones and a guide on how to measure resting heart rate. You will also get to know the Karvonen formula, which we use to determine target heart rate training zones.
- If you are interested in weight loss , check out our fat burning zone calculator and
- In case you are a keen cyclist , have a look at our cycling heart rate zone calculator.
We try our best to make our Omni Calculators as precise and reliable as possible. However, this tool can never replace professional medical advice. If you are concerned about your health, please consult a physician.
Activity Tracker Or Smartwatch
Activity trackers are easily the most convenient way to measure your heart rate. They’re relatively inexpensive, they don’t take up a lot of space and they have a substantial battery life. Best of all, activity trackers are comfortable enough to wear for long periods of time to get a very accurate measure of your heart rate.
Wearing a Fitbit, Apple Watch, Garmin or other tracker allows you to measure your heart rate at all times of day: when you’re sleeping, during typical daily activities and during exercise. They then present this data to you in an easy-to-digest way. Activity trackers and smartwatches use optical technology to read the pulse in your wrist. With optical technology, your tracker sends light into your skin and reads the light that bounces back.
The Apple Watch Series 5 can even generate a PDF of your heart rhythm that you can share with your doctor.
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How To Calculate Resting Heart Rate And What It Means For Your Health
If youre looking to get fit, youve probably heard about heart rate. The last time you took your heart rate though may have been in grade school as part of your PE class. For others, monitoring heart rate is a daily task that helps them understand the effectiveness of training programs and overall health.
Whether youre an experienced athlete or someone whos just looking for more information about heart rate, this guide is here to help. Here, youll learn what heart rate is, how to calculate resting heart rate, and how to figure out your target heart rate during exercise. Well also give you some tools you can use to improve your health.
How To Measure Your Heart Rate: 4 Ways And What’s Normal
How, when and why to measure your pulse.
The major secret to getting fit and tracking your fitness, your heart rate refers to how many times your heart beats per minute. While seemingly basic, your heart rate can actually offer a phenomenal amount of insight into your overall health, cardiovascular fitness, endurance and more.
Even if you’re not a serious or elite athlete, knowing your heart rate can help you determine proper intensity levels for your workouts and make sure you always get the most out of your workouts.
More so, knowing and monitoring your heart rate can help you spot current or developing health problems, such as arrhythmias or tachycardia .
Read more: How to lower your resting heart rate | The best chest strap heart rate monitors | How healthy is your resting heart rate?
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Max Heart Rate Field Test Example
Do this field test with a training partner. Use a heart rate monitor and note the highest heart rate you can reach. This is your maximum heart rate.
Doing a maximum heart rate field test while unprepared is a surefire way to end up in maximum distress. If you are unsure, consult your physician before undertaking the test.
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