What Is a Good Heart Rate for Moderately Active People During Exercise?

Monitoring your heart rate during exercise is smart because it helps keep you safe, particularly when it comes to heart health. Too high of a heart rate can put excessive stress on your heart, while too low of a heart rate during exercise won’t burn calories or strengthen your heart efficiently. By checking your pulse while you exercise, you can ensure you’re getting the most out of your workout while staying safe at the same time.

  1. Moderate Intensity

    • The general recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is for adults to get at least 150 minutes per week of moderately intense exercise. You can achieve this goal exercising 30 minutes per day for five days each week. Moderate exercise causes your breathing rate to increase, and you break a light sweat after about 10 minutes of activity. A few examples include walking at a brisk pace, biking at a leisurely rate and a light elliptical workout. A good heart rate during this type of exercise ranges between 75 and 170 beats per minute, depending upon age. Older adults should aim for the lower end, while adults in their 20s can target the higher end.

    Target Heart Rate

    • The American Heart Association has developed a scale to make it easy to determine your target heart rate when exercising at a moderate pace. Determine yours by first determining your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age in years from 220. Take the resulting number and multiple it by 0.50 and also by 0.85 to find your target heart rate zone range. For instance, a 35-year-old’s target heart zone is 93 to 153 bpm. A good heart rate to target is 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate.

    Checking Your Pulse

    • It’s not necessary to constantly monitor your pulse; every 10 minutes is fine assuming you maintain a steady exercise pace. You can monitor your heart rate by wearing a pulse-monitoring watch or doing it manually. Find your pulse on your wrist or neck and count the number of beats during a six-second time frame. Multiply this number by 10, and the resulting figure depicts your heart rate in beats per minute. If it’s above your target heart rate zone, lower your workout intensity a bit. If too low, boost your intensity to ensure you’re exercising at an optimal intensity.

    Safety

    • If you have any type of heart condition, consult your doctor to determine whether exercise is right for you, and if so, what your target heart rate should be. Certain medications, such as beta blockers and high-blood pressure medicines, may lower your heart rate. This can result in your target heart rate zone being thrown off a bit. Your doctor may adjust your target heart rate zone accordingly.