Calculating Your Target Heart Rate

How to Calculate Your Target Heart Rate

Use this formula to find the range of beats per minute for exercising at a moderate to vigorous level.

Maximum Heart Rate = 220 – Your Age. (If you find that your heart rate is higher than this, slow down.)

Target Heart Rate Range (in Beats Per Minute):

Lower End = Maximum Heart Rate x 0.6
Upper End = Maximum Heart Rate x 0.8

Example: If your age is 60, your Maximum Heart Rate is 220 – 60 = 160.
Lower End = 160 x 0.6 = 96 beats per minute (About 16 counts in a 10 second period)
Upper End = 160 x 0.8 = 128 beats per minute (About 21 counts in a 10 second period)
Count your pulse at your wrist for 10 seconds. Multiply the count by 6 to find your beats per minute.