More Articles

  1. How to Calculate Weight Watchers Points
  2. How Many Calories Are Burned In a Slow Jog?
  3. How to Cancel a Weight Watchers Membership
  4. Normal Pulse Rate at 13 Years Old
  5. How to Calculate Body Fat Percentage for a Woman

×

What does fact checked mean?

At Healthfully, we strive to deliver objective content that is accurate and up-to-date. Our team periodically reviews articles in order to ensure content quality. The sources cited below consist of evidence from peer-reviewed journals, prominent medical organizations, academic associations, and government data.

The information contained on this site is for informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a professional health care provider. Please check with the appropriate physician regarding health questions and concerns. Although we strive to deliver accurate and up-to-date information, no guarantee to that effect is made.

Nutrition

How to Calculate a Working Heart Rate

Written by Andrea Boldt
08 July, 2011

Fact Checked

Working at an appropriate intensity during exercise helps you burn calories and improve cardio-respiratory fitness. The American Heart Association recommends staying within 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate to reap the most benefits from exercise 13. Understanding where you fall in this range during exercise helps you pace your workout and not tire too soon. Multiple formulas exist to help you determine a working zone for your heart rate.

Use age-adjusted formulas when you have limited information about your fitness level and resting heart rate. Subtract your age in years from 220 to find your maximum heart rate. For example, if you are 40 years old, your maximum heart rate is 180 beats per minute. Multiply by .5 to .8 to find your working zone. For a 40-year-old, this would be a heart rate of 90 to 153 beats per minute.

Determine heart rates zones using the Karvonen formula if you have found your resting heart rate in advance. Upon a natural morning awakening, take a full one-minute pulse count at the wrist or neck before getting out of bed, recommends the University of Rochester Medical Centers. Do this three days in a row and average the number to arrive at an accurate resting heart rate.

Find your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. From this number subtract your resting heart rate. Multiply the result by .5 to .85--the working range percentage of heart rate maximum. Add back in your resting heart rate to these numbers to find your working zone.

For example, a 40-year-old with a resting heart rate of 60 would take 220 minus 40 to arrive at 180. From 180, subtract the resting heart rate of 60 for a total of 120. Multiply 120 by .5 and .85 to find 60 to 102. Add back in the resting heart rate of 60 to come to a working 50 to 85 percent range of 120 to 162 beats per minute.

Calculate your heart rate during exercise to make sure you are staying within a sustainable working zone 1. Stop exercising for a moment. Take your pulse at your wrist or neck--carotid artery--for 10 seconds. Multiply the number you get by six to figure out beats per minute.

Tips

Beginners should strive to keep heart rate at the lower end of the target heart rate zone and work up to exercising at higher working zones over time.

  • Watch or timer
  • Calculator

Andrea Cespedes has been in the fitness industry for more than 20 years. A personal trainer, run coach, group fitness instructor and master yoga teacher, she also holds certifications in holistic and fitness nutrition.

  • DGLimages/iStock/Getty Images
×