How to Calculate Heart Rate Ranges

The target heart rate is the number beats per minute you would like to sustain when exercising. The target heart rate is a calculation based on the percentage of your maximum heart rate. Therefore you must calculate your maximum heart rate before you can calculate your target heart rate. The target heart rate range depends on your individual needs. If you're an elite athlete, you may choose a target percentage of 80 to 90 percent. If you are just starting out, you might choose 60 to 70 percent. For most people seeking to improve their cardiovascular fitness, 70 to 80 percent would be a good range.

Instructions

    • 1

      Calculate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your current age from 220. As an example, if you are 40 years old, your maximum heart rate would be 180 beats per minute.

    • 2

      Multiply your maximum heart rate by the lower number in your target heart rate range and then divide by 100. In the example, If you wished to calculate the lower limit for a 70 to 80 percent range, you would multiply 180 times 70 and divide by 100. This gives you a lower limit of 126 beats per minute.

    • 3

      Multiply your maximum heart rate by the upper percentage and then divide by 100. In the example, 180 times 80 and divided by 100 would give you an upper limit of 144 beats per minute. Therefore, your target range is 126 to 144 beats per minute.