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 that’s not vigorous enough to help you meet your goals.
Help your heart work stronger
Cardiovascular exercise (also called aerobic 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 person’s 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
Measure your heart rate
To determine your heart rate, use your first two fingers to press lightly over the blood vessels on your inner wrist—the 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.
A final note
If you have a heart condition, be sure to discuss your target heart rate with your doctor prior to beginning an exercise program.
For moderate-intensity physical activity, your target heart rate should be between 64% and 76%1,2 of your maximum heart rate. You can estimate your maximum heart rate based on your age. To estimate your maximum age-related heart rate, subtract your age from 220. For example, for a 50-year-old person, the estimated maximum age-related heart rate would be calculated as 220 – 50 years = 170 beats per minute (bpm). The 64% and 76% levels would be:
- 64% level: 170 x 0.64 = 109 bpm, and
- 76% level: 170 x 0.76 = 129 bpm
This shows that moderate-intensity physical activity for a 50-year-old person will require that the heart rate remains between 109 and 129 bpm during physical activity.
For vigorous-intensity physical activity, your target heart rate should be between 77% and 93%1,2 of your maximum heart rate. To figure out this range, follow the same formula used above, except change “64 and 76%” to “77 and 93%”. For example, for a 35-year-old person, the estimated maximum age-related heart rate would be calculated as 220 – 35 years = 185 beats per minute (bpm). The 77% and 93% levels would be:
- 77% level: 185 x 0.77 = 142 bpm, and
- 93% level: 185 x 0.93 = 172 bpm
This shows that vigorous-intensity physical activity for a 35-year-old person will require that the heart rate remains between 142 and 172 bpm during physical activity.
To improve your cardiovascular fitness, you need to raise your heart rate to a certain level and keep it there for 20 minutes. Ideally, you should be working within the 50 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate, a range called your target heart rate.
Age 20 Years
- Target Heart Rate: (50-75%) 100-150 beats per minute
- Ave. Maximum Heart Rate (100%): 200
Age 25 Years
- Target Heart Rate: (50-75%) 98-146 beats per minute
- Ave. Maximum Heart Rate (100%): 195
Age 30 Years
- Target Heart Rate: (50-75%) 95-142 beats per minute
- Ave. Maximum Heart Rate (100%): 190
Age 35 Years
- Target Heart Rate: (50-75%) 93-138 beats per minute
- Ave. Maximum Heart Rate (100%): 185
Age 40 Years
- Target Heart Rate: (50-75%) 90-135 beats per minute
- Ave. Maximum Heart Rate (100%): 180
Age 45 Years
- Target Heart Rate: (50-75%) 88-131 beats per minute
- Ave. Maximum Heart Rate (100%): 175
Age 50 Years
- Target Heart Rate: (50-75%) 85-127 beats per minute
- Ave. Maximum Heart Rate (100%): 170
Age 55 Years
- Target Heart Rate: (50-75%) 83-123 beats per minute
- Ave. Maximum Heart Rate (100%): 165
Age 60 Years
- Target Heart Rate: (50-75%) 80-120 beats per minute
- Ave. Maximum Heart Rate (100%): 160
Age 65 Years
- Target Heart Rate: (50-75%) 78-116 beats per minute
- Ave. Maximum Heart Rate (100%): 155
Age 70 Years
- Target Heart Rate: (50-75%) 75-113 beats per minute
- Ave. Maximum Heart Rate (100%): 150
When you're exercising, stop occasionally to check your pulse and make sure your activity level isn't too high or too low. Take your pulse within five seconds after stopping because your heart rate starts dropping when you stop moving. Count your pulse for 10 seconds and multiply that number by six to get your rate per minute.
If you're new to exercise or haven't worked out in a while, start slow! During the first weeks, aim for reaching the number at the lower end of the range for your target rate. Slowly build up your intensity level to the higher end of the range.