A heart rate training zone is the heart rate range you want to achieve for physical exercise. More often called a target heart rate, a heart rate training zone depends on your age, individual characteristics and the intensity of training you perform. Before you can calculate your heart rate training zone, you need to find your maximum heart rate. This is your heart rate when you are exerting maximum physical effort. You can make a fairly accurate estimate of your maximum heart rate using a formula. This saves you the trouble of actually measuring your maximum heart rate with a stress test.
Step 1
Figure your maximum heart rate. For men, subtract your age from 220. For women, subtract your age from 226. For example, if you are male and 35 years old, subtract 35 from 220 for a maximum heart rate of 185.
Step 2
Choose the type of activity you want to engage in. If your goal is light exercise, you want a heart rate training zone that is a fairly low percentage of your maximum heart rate. The heart rate training zone is a range, not a single number. For example, you might want a range of 120 to 140 heartbeats per minute for light exercise.
Step 3
Multiply your maximum heart rate by 50 percent and then by 60 percent to calculate your heart rate training zone for light exercise. This is the heart rate to shoot for if you are just starting to get in shape or as a warm-up for more vigorous exercise. For example, if your maximum heart rate is 180, your light exercise target heart rate range is 90 to 108 beats per minute.
Step 4
Figure your heart rate training zone for moderate exercise at 60 to 70 percent of maximum. For a maximum heart rate of 180, your range would be 108 to 126 beats per minute. This is the range you want for moderate physical fitness exercise or to burn calories.
Step 5
Calculate your heart rate training zone for serious endurance training such as long distance running. For endurance training you want a range of 70 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate. With a maximum heart rate of 180, your range here is 126 to 144 beats per minute.
Step 6
Figure a target heart rate of 80 to 90 percent maximum for high performance athletic training. At this level you will normally start to develop an oxygen debt after a short time, so exercise of this intensity is normally measured in minutes. For a maximum heart rate of 180, the range here is 144 to 162 beats per minute.
Tips and Warnings
- If you want to measure your maximum heart rate by taking a stress test, you’ll need to be reasonably fit first. The stress test requires you to gradually increase physical activity to an all-out effort, usually by running on a treadmill with a heart monitor attached to your body. Consult with your doctor before taking a stress test, especially if you have any risk factors for heart problems.
Things You'll Need
- Calculator
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