What is target heart rate?

Target heart rate is a guide to let a person know how hard to exercise to gain the most aerobic benefit. Being active within the target heart rate range helps a person not only keep the heart and lungs healthy but also raise or stay at his or her fitness level. A person can take his or her pulse and then adjust the activity level to get within the target heart rate range. During exercise, a person's heart should be working hard enough for a healthy effect but not so hard that the heart is overworked. A person's age, resting heart rate and activity level affect target heart rate. Younger people have higher target heart rates than older people. Active people have higher target heart rates than people who are not usually active. Target heart rate is only a guide. Everyone is different, so during exercise it's important for people to pay attention to how they feel, how hard they breathe, how fast the heart beats and how much they feel the exertion in their muscles. Chronic health problems and certain heart medicines affect a person's target heart rate range.

Target heart rate is tool for measuring how hard you are working during any given physical activity. In order to improve your cardiovascular system you will need to workout in this range. Although this guild is determined by age, it can vary according to fitness level. If you are in poor physical health you may need to start at lower level by lowering the percentage by ten percent. If you are in very good physical health and have been working out regularly for years at an athlete’s level you may need to increase these percentages by five percent.

Determine the heart rate ranges in beats per minute (BPM) for each level using the formula below: 220 – [your age] = Max BPM

• Zone One Range: Maximum Heart Rate x 0.65 Maximum Heart Rate x 0.75
• Zone Two Range: Maximum Heart Rate x 0.80 Maximum Heart Rate x 0.85
• Zone Three Range: Maximum Heart Rate x 0.86 Maximum Heart Rate x 0.90

Target heart rate (THR), or training heart rate, is a desired range of heart rate reached during aerobic exercise at which the heart is being exercised but not overworked. This theoretical range varies from person to person and is based on one's fitness level, age and physical condition. The THR can be calculated by using a range of 50-85% intensity.

Calculating the target heart rate requires knowing one's maximum heart rate (HRmax). This number may be calculated by subtracting one's age in years from the number 220. So, according to this equation, a 39 year-old would have a maximum heart rate of 181.

There is consensus that, in order to promote general health, at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity should be performed, three or more days per week. This consensus is based on various studies from the World Health Organization, American Heart Association, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others.

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