Exercising in your target heart rate zone helps improve endurance, heart health, and calorie burn efficiency.
Whenever you work out in the gym, go for a run, or walk fast, do you wonder if you are exercising at the right level? Some days your workout feels too easy, and other days it feels exhausting. The real benefit comes when you train at the right level – your Target Heart Rate (THR).
In simple words, your Target Heart Rate is the range of heartbeats per minute that gives you the best results – whether your goal is losing weight, improving fitness, or strengthening your heart.
The good news? Calculating it isn’t hard. You can use a Target Heart Rate Calculator or a simple formula to figure it out yourself.
Your heart rate is how many times your heart beats per minute.
Target Heart Rate (THR) is a safe and effective zone between these two. Exercising in this zone ensures you don’t undertrain or overstrain your body.
| Age | HRmax (220 − Age) |
Very Light (50–60% HRmax) |
Light (60–70% HRmax) |
Moderate (70–80% HRmax) |
Hard (80–90% HRmax) |
Very Hard (90–100% HRmax) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 200 | 100 – 120 | 120 – 140 | 140 – 160 | 160 – 180 | 180 – 200 |
| 30 | 190 | 95 – 114 | 114 – 133 | 133 – 152 | 152 – 171 | 171 – 190 |
| 40 | 180 | 90 – 108 | 108 – 126 | 126 – 144 | 144 – 162 | 162 – 180 |
| 50 | 170 | 85 – 102 | 102 – 119 | 119 – 136 | 136 – 153 | 153 – 170 |
| 60 | 160 | 80 – 96 | 96 – 112 | 112 – 128 | 128 – 144 | 144 – 160 |
| 70 | 150 | 75 – 90 | 90 – 105 | 105 – 120 | 120 – 135 | 135 – 150 |
Note: HRmax is estimated by the formula 220 − Age. - Very Light (50–60% HRmax): warm-up, recovery - Light (60–70% HRmax): fat burning, endurance - Moderate (70–80% HRmax): cardio fitness - Hard (80–90% HRmax): performance training - Very Hard (90–100% HRmax): maximum effort
There are a few formulas to calculate it. Let’s explain simply.
If you are 40 years old:
HRmax = 220 – 40 = 180 bpm
HRmax = 206.9 – (0.67 × 40) ≈ 180 bpm
Both give almost the same result.
Formula:
Target HR = (HRmax – HRrest) × Training Intensity + HRrest
Age: 45 years
Resting Heart Rate (HRrest): 72 bpm
HRmax = 220 – 45 = 175 bpm
HRR = HRmax – HRrest = 175 – 72 = 103 bpm
For 40% to 59% intensity:
Lower limit = (103 × 0.40) + 72 = 113 bpm
Upper limit = (103 × 0.59) + 72 = 133 bpm
Target Zone: 113–133 bpm
Exercising in this zone gives good results and is safe.
Place fingers on your wrist or neck and count beats for 15 seconds. Multiply by 4 to get bpm.
Smartwatches, fitness bands, or heart rate monitors are easier. They often show your target zone automatically.
If you want to lose weight, try to keep your heart beating kind of fast, but not too much—about 60 to 70 out of 100 of your biggest heartbeat when you exercise. This is like when you’re running or riding your bike and feel a little out of breath but can still talk. When your heart beats this fast, your body uses up more fat, so losing weight gets easier. Remember, if you want to lose weight, eating healthy food is just as important as moving your body.
There’s a super simple way: Take 220 and minus your age. So if you are 10 years old: 220 – 10 = 210. That means your "max" heart rate is around 210 beats per minute. There’s also another way, but it’s just adding and multiplying numbers—most people just use the first, easy one! And if a doctor or coach wants to know for sure, they might ask what your heartbeat is when you’re just sitting still, to do a more special math.
Nope! Pushing your heart really fast every day—like at 90 out of 100—isn’t safe for most people. That’s only something grown-up athletes do, and not all the time. It’s better—especially for kids and people just starting out—to do exercise where your heart is working, but not crazy fast. Around 60 to 75 out of 100 is just right for most people. That way, you’ll feel good, get stronger, and not get hurt or super tired.
Smartwatches are cool, but they’re not perfect. Sometimes, if the watch is loose, you’re sweaty, or you’re moving your arms a lot, it can give you a wrong number. If you want the "super correct" number, athletes use a chest strap, but for everyday playing and sports, your smartwatch does a good job.
Yes! When you run or play a lot and get stronger, your heart gets better at its job, so it doesn’t have to beat as fast when you’re resting. Also, as you keep practicing, you might notice that the same game or run feels easier, and your “target heart rate” can change a little too. That means you’re getting fitter, which is awesome!
Just remember—move your body, eat good food, and listen to grown-ups or coaches if you’re not sure. Getting fit and healthy doesn’t have to be complicated or scary—it can even be fun!
